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Foods Your Older Dog Should NEVER Eat

Who is able to resist their dog’s begging brown eyes, anxious shaky tail, and watery mouth? Is it really that bad to feed your dog an occasional treat from your table?

The answer is, yes, it could even be lethal. Many foods that are really good for humans are very bad, in many ways, for our canine friends.

Here is a partial list of the foods that your dog should never eat:

Avocado
Never give guacamole to your older dog. Avocados have a substance called persin, and it is highly toxic in dogs. A very small quantity can make your dog vomit and get diarrhea. If you grow avocados at home, keep your pal away from the plantation, because persin is also found in the leaves, seeds, and bark.

Alcohol
This substance has the same effect on dog and human livers; however, it takes a very small amount to hurt your friend. Just a little alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, central nervous system depression, coordination problems, difficulty to breathe, coma, and even death. And, the smaller the dog, the stronger the effect.

Onions

It doesn’t matter the form; powdered, raw, cooked, or dehydrated, onions can destroy your dog’s red blood cells, causing anemia.

A small amount once in a while may be OK, but a large quantity once, or smaller ones every day, will poison any dog. Among the symptoms you will see: vomiting, diarrhea, indifference towards food, dullness, and lack of breath.

Coffee, tea, and other caffeine

Large quantities of caffeine can kill your pal. You will see your dog get restless and breathing fast, having heart palpitations, muscle tremors, fits, and bleeding.

Besides coffee and tea, caffeine can also be found in cocoa, chocolate, colas, and stimulant drinks, as well as in some cold medicines and painkillers.

Grapes and raisins

These can cause kidney failure in dogs. In small amounts, these can make a dog ill, presenting vomiting and hyperactivity in the beginning, only to turn your pal lethargic and depressed within a day.

Macadamia nuts

Nuts can be fatal for your dog. If your older dog eats macadamia nuts, it will start showing muscle tremors, weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters, vomiting, high body temperature, and rapid heart rate.

It is even worse if your pal eats chocolate with nuts; in this case, it may suffer from kidney failure and could even die.

Candy and gum

Candy, gum, toothpaste, baked goods, and some diet foods are sweetened with xylitol, which can cause a rise in the insulin circulating through your pal’s body. If this happens, your dog’s blood sugar will drop and cause liver failure. The initial symptoms are: vomiting, lethargy, and loss of coordination. Your friend could finally suffer seizures and liver failure in just a few days.

Chocolate

It is widely known that chocolate is bad for dogs, and this is because of the theobromine. This toxic agent is present in all kinds of chocolate, but the most dangerous is dark chocolate and the unsweetened baking kind. The smallest amount can make your dog vomit, have diarrhea, and be very thirsty. In some cases, it will cause abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures, and death.

Fat trimmings and bones

Fat can cause pancreatitis in dogs, and they can choke on bones. Bones can also splinter, obstructing or lacerating your pal’s digestive system.

~ Staff, SeniorDogs.com

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