10 Foods That Aren’t Doing Your Pets Any Good

Everyone who owns a pet will agree that having them loiter around during meal times is probably the most difficult thing to do. Watching that pick-me-up-and-feed-me-food look is the hardest thing to ignore and we eventually end up feeding them off our plate. Deep down we do know that we are not doing them any good (unless you too are snacking on pet food) but still we’ll do it. Are we stupid or are we stupid?

Human food for pets is unhealthy and in some cases even fatal. Ok relax, it’s never too late to mend ways. Here are 10 things that you should never feed your pets again. Ever.

Milk

You just poured your cat some, didn’t you? Turns out cats and dogs don’t possess enough lactase – the enzyme required to break down milk. This in turn can make milk really harmful for their digestive system.

Symptoms: Diarrhea

Grapes

Although a wonderful fruit to snack on for humans, grapes are not received well by your pet’s digestive system. The fruit can make your pooch super sick sick and can possibly lead to kidney failure.

Symptoms: Vomiting; Depression; Exhaustion

Onion/Garlic/Chives

Unless you were planning on sharing that last piece of garlic bread with your buddy, why would you feed your pets garlic and onions anyway? These foods could cause damage to their red blood cells and result in gastrointestinal issues.

Symptoms: Weakness; Loss of appetite; Vomiting

Alcohol

No, not even a sip. Alcohol – yes that includes beer and vodka too, Russia – is probably the worst thing your pet can ingest. The spirit causes a number of problems like dehydration, liver and brain damage and can also put your best friend in a comatose state.

Symptoms: Disorientation; Diarrhea; Seizures; Lethargy

Mint

Or anything that contains xylitol (a sugar substitute) will do anything but give your four-legged friend a fresher breath. Toothpaste and gums could result in a drastic fall in their sugar level leading to weakness.

Symptoms: Seizures

Chicken Bones

Unlike goat or lamb, chicken bones become shard-like when they break, and the sharp pieces could choke your pet or even rupture their esophagus, stomach or larynx. Ouch!

Symptoms: Abdominal Pain; Blood in stool; Loss of appetite

Coffee/Tea

The idea is to keep them away from caffeine because if consumed in large amounts, it can turn out to be fatal.

Symptoms: Muscle Tremors; Rapid heartbeat; Restlessness; Bleeding

Yeast Dough

The dough is uncooked which means it still contains live yeast that will expand. Once in your pet’s belly, it can lead to bloating and belly ache.

Symptoms: Diarrhea; Disorientation; Swollen belly; Inability to stand up

Macadamia Nuts

First off, they are too expensive for even human beings to eat and secondly, it can lead to a number of health hazards. So why not just invest the money in a new chewy toy?

Symptoms: Depression; Weakness; Vomiting

Raw Eggs, Fish & Meat

Food not properly cooked or even raw poses serious threat of salmonella or E. Coli. A big no no!

Symptoms: Fever; Vomiting