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

He’ll Have Whatever I’m Having: Lunch

By: Lori Horton

Salad is a healthy lunch option and when preparing a salad there are many foods to consider. Most of these items are completely safe to share with your pets. Lettuce, peppers, and carrots are all great for both you and your pet. Feeding these items before they get drenched in salad dressing or cheese is perfectly safe. However, be wary when it comes to any vegetable from the Allium family; as it is poisonous to our pets.

Vegetables in the Allium family include onions, garlic, chives, and leeks. If ingested, they can cause oxidative red blood cell damage witch makes them more likely to rupture. It may also cause gastroenteritis; which include symptoms like nausea, excessive drooling, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Remember that with these vegetables in particular you may not see these symptoms in your pet right away. Garlic and onion poisoning can have a delayed onset, and symptoms may not be noticeable for a few days.

Usually when we think of items that are healthy for us, we think, “they must be healthy for my dog/cat too, right?” Wrong. Much like the vegetables in the Allium family mentioned above, certain fruits are also toxic to our pets. The pits of cherry’s, apricots, and apples all contain cyanide. This toxin can cause significant damage to our pets causing difficulty breathing, dilated pupils, shock, and even death. Cyanide effects the body negatively by inhibiting the enzyme called cytochrome oxidase. This enzyme is responsible for the transport of oxygen in the cells. When this enzyme is unable to do its job, the cells of the body cannot get the oxygen they need to function properly. When cutting up these yummy fruits for yourself, make sure to dispose of the pits and stems properly and out of the reach or your pets.

Become familiar with toxins to your pets so that you can help prevent a terrible incident. Follow this link for a full list of poisonous foods: http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poisons/

He’ll Have Whatever I’m Having: Breakfast

By: Lori Horton

When it comes to our pets we want them to have the best; and sometimes we think that means they deserve to snack on what we eat. While this may be safe some of the time, often times it is not. There is a large assortment of foods that we consume on a daily basis that are poisonous to our canine and feline companions. This week is Pet Poison Prevention week, so it’s a good time to become familiar with some do’s and don’ts when it comes to your furry friends and sharing food.

In every morning routine the average family eats plenty of foods that we should not be sharing with our four legged companions. Coffee; the first thing we reach for to wake us up in the morning is toxic to our pets. Caffeine is found in coffee, which is poisonous to both dogs and cats. Caffeine is actually similar to the chemical Theobromine, which is found in chocolate. Both of these chemicals can cause similar adverse effects such as restlessness, vomiting, elevated heart rate, seizures, and in extreme cases, death. One or two laps of coffee will probably not hurt your pet, but large amounts can be dangerous. What goes best with coffee? Milk.

Cat’s and milk; a picture we have seen in movies and books for years. They love it, right? Wrong. Too much milk product can lead to vomiting, gas and diarrhea. Both cats and dogs are actually lactose intolerant and cannot digest any dairy. This is because they lack the necessary enzyme, called lactase, to digest dairy products. They only have enough of this enzyme when they are kittens and puppies and thrive on their mother’s milk. Once they grow up, they do not have the enzyme to digest lactose any longer and need protein to thrive. Do not confuse cow milk with Raw Goat’s Milk and Kefir. They do not have the lactose enzyme and provide many benefits.

These are just two of the many toxins that our pets have access to almost daily. Become familiar with this list so that you can help prevent a terrible incident. Follow this link for a full list of poisonous foods:

http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poisons/