He’ll Have Whatever I’m Having: Dinner

By: Lori Horton

Dinner is a time to come together as a family and talk about the events of the day. We all consider our pets a part of the family and want them to share in the family fun! However, sharing scraps from the dinner table with your pet not only promotes bad behavior, but also can be dangerous for them. Some of the foods we eat are toxic to our pets and should never be shared with them.

Many adults choose to have an alcoholic beverage with their dinner, a nice cold beer or glass of wine. Alcohol is something you should never share with your pets. When pets ingest alcohol they can suffer from a dangerous drop in blood sugar, blood pressure and body temperature. Intoxicated animals will experience seizures and even respiratory failure. Even if you are not sharing your Chardonnay, be aware that alcohol can be found in other items besides your beverage sitting on the table.

Any unbaked dough containing yeast can result in alcohol poisoning. When the yeast in the unbaked dough is fermented, it causes the dough to product carbon dioxide and alcohol. The carbon dioxide that causes the dough to expand, can also expand when ingested which can disturb and twist the stomach, causing a common problem among large breed dogs known as bloat. Bloat is extremely dangerous and has been known to cause death. If you think your dog may have bloat, go to the Vet immediately.

Sharing scraps with pets from the dinner table is a common practice in homes, being aware of toxic and non toxic items is important. Also be aware though, that sharing anything from your table to their bowl can cause an upset tummy and diarrhea. Many of the foods we consume at the dinner table are filled with spices, butter, and fat. Some animals are more sensitive than others and cannot handle all the extras that we enjoy. Any cooked bones from the dinner table can also be dangerous as they can splinter more easily and become caught in the digestive tract. These can cause dangerous blockages and may result in expensive surgeries.

Instead of sharing that delicious steak bone or scrumptious mashed potato with them, let them enjoy a treat from the pet store that is made for them and completely safe. Cherrybrook has tons of options ranging from raw bones to lamb lungs! 

For more information on poison control follow these links:

http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com
http://www.aspca.org
http://www.akc.org/learn/dog-health/human-foods-dogs-can-and-cant-eat