Reported by: Cary Williams, WFTS-TV
It happens to a lot of pet owners. You’re at the dinner table, or maybe sitting on the sofa watching TV.
You look over and there are those big sad eyes that say, “Please feed me. I’m really starving! Seriously!”
While it’s okay to feed Fido a little steak or bread, there are certain people foods that can cause your pet to suffer greatly. In some cases, it can lead to death.
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Dr. Sonja Olson, DVM is acutely aware of the dangers of feeding people food to pets. She’s a Senior Emergency Clinician at Florida Veterinary Specialists and works the overnight shift.
“On a nightly basis we usually see an animal,” Dr. Olson said, referring to pets that have suffered bad reactions to people food.
So what’s one of the worst things you can feed your pet?
“Chocolate is a biggie,” Dr. Olson said.
Chocolate contains theobromine, an alkaloid from the cacao plant. If eaten in large quantities, it can kill your pet. Dark and unsweetened chocolates contain high quantities of theobromine, and can be especially lethal.
Candy in general is bad for pets. Sugar free candy and gum can be downright deadly. According to Dr. Olson, sugar free candy can be “especially dangerous” for dogs because it contains xylitol.
While completely safe for humans, it can cause a dog’s blood sugar level to plummet, which can lead to seizures and even death. Too much xylitol also can cause liver damage.
According to one recent article, two sticks of sugar free gum can kill a 20-pound dog.
The dangers aren’t just limited to candies. There are other people foods that can harm your pet:
Nuts – Walnuts and macadamia nuts can be particularly lethal.
Avocados – This fruit has a high fatty content and element in avacados called persin, which can cause tissue damage.
Onions – Onions can be toxic to pets, damaging red blood cells leading to anemia and breathing problems.
Grapes and raisins – Dr. Olson said the problem with grapes and raisins is not fully understood. The Web site PetEducation.com suggests it may have to do with the “fleshy” part of the grape. Symptoms can include vomiting and lethargy with an end result of kidney damage.
Medicine – It’s not uncommon for pet owners to give their pets people medicine to ease an ache or pain. But some drugs, especially acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can cause liver damage, ulcers, kidney failure and death.
Bones - In particular, this applies to chicken and pork bones. Not only can they get stuck in your pet's throat, marrow inside the bones is not a good thing. "The marrow inside the bone is very rich and can cause them to have inflammation of the pancreas and cause them to become quite ill," said Dr. Olson.
