Human Foods That Are Toxic Foods to Dogs

It's important to feed our pet the right dog food and it's equally important that you first learn more about the human foods that are toxic for dogs. This way, you aren’t accidentally giving your dogs anything that will make them sick.

While there are some human foods that dogs can eat, this guide is going to help you figure out which foods dogs can’t eat. 

Garlic and Onions

Out of the top 10 toxic foods for dogs, garlic and onions make the list. It is very important that you don’t let your dogs eat these two things. Some people think that because garlic has medicinal benefits, it can help their dog’s immune system.

However, this is one of the human foods that are toxic for dogs. Both garlic and onions have a substance in them that can harm or even destroy the red blood cells in a dog’s body. This can cause sickness in dog such as anemia. 

Alcohol

Alcohol is not technically a food, but it is very important that your dog doesn’t have it. Alcohol can damage the brain and liver of a dog just as it can with humans. However, since dogs are much smaller than humans, the damage will happen much quicker. If your dog even drinks a bit of alcohol, it can cause them to have central nervous system issues. It can also cause coordination, breathing, and stomach issues.

If your dog already has stomach issues and you're wondering what you can food them, check out these dog food options for dogs with stomach sensitivity.

Macadamia Nuts

Humans can get many benefits from eating macadamia nuts. However, one of the foods dogs can’t eat is macadamia nuts. While some dogs that eat these nuts do survive, other dogs have had a fatal reaction from eating macadamia nuts.

Sometimes, if a dog even eats 2.4 grams of these nuts, it can cause food poisoning. When that happens, be sure to perform basic first aid for dogs and go to your vet immediately. If this is the case, your dog might experience weakness, tremors, paralysis, fever, vomiting, and a fast heart rate. 

Caffeine

Do you get that extra boost of energy from drinking caffeine in the morning? Maybe so. However, you should not give your dog any caffeine. Some people think nothing bad could happen by giving their dog a sip of their pop or coffee.

However, caffeine can cause irreversible damage to a dog’s organs. It can lead to restlessness, fast breathing, increased heart rate, palpitations, and tremors. 

Xylitol 

Xylitol, an artificial sweetener, is in many foods. It can be found in diet foods, gum, candy, and other foods. It is even in many kinds of toothpaste. If you have food in your house and you aren’t sure if it has xylitol in it, you can easily look up the ingredients for that particular food online.

If your dog ingests xylitol, it can be very dangerous for them. Xylitol can lead to a rise in the circulation of insulin. This can cause a dangerous drop in your dog’s blood sugar.

Ultimately, this could even cause the failure of their liver. If your dog has ingested xylitol, he or she might experience loss of coordination, lethargy, vomiting, or seizures. 

Raisins and Grapes

Some fruits aren’t harmful to dogs. However, two of the foods dogs can’t eat are raisins and grapes. These fruits might seem harmless. However, if a dog eats raisins or grapes, it can cause lethargy, vomiting, and even failure of their kidneys.

Professionals aren’t quite sure why raisins and grapes do this to dogs. Just make sure your dogs stay away from raisins and grapes. 

Dough

There is a reason that dough treats aren’t found in the dog aisle. Just about everyone knows that dough that isn’t cooked needs to rise. If a dog eats uncooked dough, it will rise in their stomach.

This can lead to major swelling and a lot of pain. Also, the yeast from the dough ferments inside their stomach, turning into alcohol.

This causes additional problems, as you read above in the alcohol section. 

Chocolate

Last, but not least, dogs should never have chocolate. Sure, just about all humans love chocolate. From milk chocolate to dark chocolate, there are so many chocolate-based treats. Chocolates are almost always present during holidays and festivities. However, it is essential that your dogs don’t eat chocolate. Chocolate has theobromine in it. This can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, seizures, tremors, or even death in dogs. The most fatal types of chocolate for dogs are unsweetened and dark chocolates. That is because these chocolates have more theobromine in them. 

Conclusion

If you want to keep your dogs safe, make sure they don’t eat these top 10 toxic foods for dogs. There are many human foods that your dogs can eat.

However, you should make sure your dog always steers clear from these human foods that are toxic for dogs. Now that you know the foods dogs can’t eat, if your dog does get a hold of any of these, be sure to call the veterinarian to see if they need an appointment. 

Can dogs have zucchini?

Many people love zucchini. When you are eating zucchini and your dog is begging for it, you may want to know if they can eat it. Zucchini is one of the foods that your dog can have. It is healthy and safe for them. However, if you have any raw potatoes, be sure your dog doesn’t eat those.

Are grapes poisonous to dogs?

When you are sitting there snacking on grapes, you may want to share them with your dog, especially if they are sitting there with a cute look on their face. Professionals don’t know which substance in grapes is dangerous for dogs. However, it is known that grapes can lead to kidney failure in dogs. It is important that your dog doesn’t eat grapes at all.

What foods can dogs not eat?

There are many human foods that dogs can’t eat. It is not safe for dogs to have garlic, onions, alcohol, or macadamia nuts. Dogs also can’t have caffeine, xylitol, raisins, grapes, or raw dough. Dogs can’t eat are chocolate either.