Common foods that are NOT for your pet

[Pure]

Common foods that are NOT for your pet--and house plants

Just thought this topic might interest some people, toxic foods and house plants. Do others have something to add?

Here's one: Don't feed avocado to your parrot (or other bird).

http://www.parrotparrot.com/birdhealth/alerts.htm


From 'The Answer Man'
http://www.hispeed.rogers.com/yahoo/answerman/index.jsp

First of all, chocolate is toxic not only to dogs, but also to cats. It's perhaps viewed as more of a problem in the canine world because dogs love to eat chocolate more than cats do. However, a smaller amount of chocolate is required to make a cat sick (because, typically, cats are smaller than dogs).

Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine which can affect your pet's nervous system, making it hyperactive and/or upsetting its stomach (leading to lovely things like diarrhea and vomiting). If ingested in large enough amounts, chocolate can even lead to coma or death for your cat or dog. (See the links below for lethal dosages.)

Onions are also toxic for both cats and dogs. They contain sulfur compounds that can cause "Heinz body anemia," affecting the ability of your pets' red blood cells to transport oxygen. Whereas eating chocolate might make your pet seem hyper and crazy, eating onions will make them droopy and exhausted. Both should be avoided.

The degree of food toxicity depends on the size of the animal, the amount of the food eaten, and also on the animal's natural hardiness. As it is with humans, some pets are simply healthier and more disease- and toxin-resistant than others, and can eat copious amounts of chocolate-covered onions without getting sick. But it's best to play it safe.

Other foods to avoid include mushrooms (dogs), tomatoes (cats), grapes/raisins (both), and macadamia nuts (dogs). In other words, if you're preparing a special birthday treat for your pooch, you might want to rethink those double-fudge raisin nut cookies.

Useful resources:
• WiseGeek: Which foods are toxic to cats and dogs?
http://www.wisegeek.com/which-foods-are-toxic-to-cats-and-dogs.htm

• S.F. Chronicle: Onions a little-known threat
• About.com: What makes chocolate toxic?
• PetPlace.com: Chocolate toxicity

 

[3113]

And at this time of year, one should mention Lilies (I believe it's Lilies) which can kill cats--and which they will nibble on as they do most plants.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Be especially careful with cats if you owna trumpet plant. They like to eat them for some reason, but the plant is a halucinogen for them. A little bit like kitty LSD, and if you've never seen a cat on a bad trip, it isn't pretty. It will usually induce vomiting, but I am told in great enough quantity it will kill them.

 

[Guest]

Just thought this topic might interest some people. Do others have something to add?

Here's one: Don't feed avocado to your parrot (or other bird).


From 'The Answer Man'
http://www.hispeed.rogers.com/yahoo/answerman/index.jsp

First of all, chocolate is toxic not only to dogs, but also to cats. It's perhaps viewed as more of a problem in the canine world because dogs love to eat chocolate more than cats do. However, a smaller amount of chocolate is required to make a cat sick (because, typically, cats are smaller than dogs).

Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine which can affect your pet's nervous system, making it hyperactive and/or upsetting its stomach (leading to lovely things like diarrhea and vomiting). If ingested in large enough amounts, chocolate can even lead to coma or death for your cat or dog. (See the links below for lethal dosages.)

Onions are also toxic for both cats and dogs. They contain sulfur compounds that can cause "Heinz body anemia," affecting the ability of your pets' red blood cells to transport oxygen. Whereas eating chocolate might make your pet seem hyper and crazy, eating onions will make them droopy and exhausted. Both should be avoided.

The degree of food toxicity depends on the size of the animal, the amount of the food eaten, and also on the animal's natural hardiness. As it is with humans, some pets are simply healthier and more disease- and toxin-resistant than others, and can eat copious amounts of chocolate-covered onions without getting sick. But it's best to play it safe.

Other foods to avoid include mushrooms (dogs), tomatoes (cats), grapes/raisins (both), and macadamia nuts (dogs). In other words, if you're preparing a special birthday treat for your pooch, you might want to rethink those double-fudge raisin nut cookies.

Useful resources:
• WiseGeek: Which foods are toxic to cats and dogs?
• S.F. Chronicle: Onions a little-known threat
• About.com: What makes chocolate toxic?
• PetPlace.com: Chocolate toxicity

Interesting. We have one cat who will chase chocolate. My husband adds chocholate to his coffee and then has to keep his cup in rotation or she will stick her head into it and start eating. I appease her by giving her the wrappers from little chocolates -- they don't have any actual chocolate on them, but they entertain her.

My dog is one of those critters who eats EVERYTHING, whether I want her to or not. She's got a thing for applecores, which is disgusting.

And my bird is also an omnivore -- she likes noodles and chicken quite a bit, and will steal hard candy if she can sneak up on it (we let her wander a little because she's so fierce, most of the cats are scared of her. She attacks the dog.)

Also, lots of animals react to chili peppers (for my bird, she just cusses at you, but the dog who eats everything will get diarrhea from them. She STILL eats them if we don't watch her.)

 

[Selena_Kitt]

We have a Greek cat. He will hunt you down if you have olives or feta cheese. If you're done eating them, he will lick your fingers until you're sore! He's crazy.

How come dogs and cats love chocolate so much then?

My MIL gives her dog chocolate ice cream every night. A dish for her and a dish for him. Talk about crazy.

 

[3113]

My cat likes pizza crust.

I had no idea that carnivores could like bread, but apparently bread to some cats can be like sugar to people. Not good for them, but they like it.

We discovered our cat's liking for bread not long after we first got her. We'd had veggie pizza and left the crusts--just the uneaten crusts--no tomator sauce, no cheese, nothing--in the open box, just lying around because we thought the cat wouldn't be interested in them. Next we knew the cat was dragging the biggest remaining crust away, like a mouse she'd killed. She probably would have taken her prize to her lair and devoured it if we hadn't caught her.

 

[Pure]

How come dogs and cats love chocolate so much then?

My MIL gives her dog chocolate ice cream every night. A dish for her and a dish for him. Talk about crazy

http://www.apogeecomgrp.com/drkevin/chocolate.html


Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs
by Kevin Fitzgerald, Ph.D., D.V.M.
Of Animal Planet's Emergency Vets

Each holiday season, veterinarians witness an increase in accidental chocolate poisoning in dogs. The majority of pet owners do not realize the potential for intoxication that chocolate possesses.
Theobromine, caffeine and theophylline are all naturally occurring molecules that are found in several foods, plants, beverages and human and veterinary medications.
Based on the number of calls received by The National Animal Poison Control Center and the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, one of the most commonly encountered poisonings in pet dogs is theobromine, or chocolate, poisoning.

Theobromine comes from the plant Theobroma cocoa and is present in chocolate, cocoa beans, cocoa bean hulls, cola and tea.



Milk chocolate is obtained from seeds of theobroma cacao after fermentation and roasting. Milk chocolate has about 44 mg/ounce of theobromine; a 4.5 oz. milk chocolate bar has about 240 mgs. of theobromine. Unsweetened baking chocolate has even more -- about 390 to 450 mgs of theobromine per ounce.

Relative theobromine content per ounce for various products is:

Milk chocolate: 44 - 60 mgs/ounce
Unsweetened baking chocolate: 450 mg/oz
Cacao meal: 300 - 900 mg/oz
Cacao beans: 300 - 1200 mg/oz
Hot chocolate: 13 mg/oz

The lethal dosage of theobromine in dogs is between 250 and 500 mgs/kg, or about 2/3 to 1 1/3 [ounce] of baking chocolate for every 2.2 pounds of body weight. However, serious non-fatal poisonings have been reported in dogs after eating smaller amounts.

At our practice, a 20-pound dachshund showed serious signs of poisoning after eating 3/4 of a pound of milk chocolate and another 22-pound dog died after eating two pounds of baking chocolate.

Deaths due to theobromine have been documented in horses who ate cocoa bean hulls used in bedding and in other livestock fed cocoa waste products. No chocolate poisonings have been reported in cats, which is probably a reflection of their eating habits.

The the first signs of chocolate poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea, increased urination and nausea. These can progress to cardiac arrhythmias and seizures.

Dogs definitely have a sweet tooth. Dog-proof for home to keep your dog safe. Milk chocolate should never be given to your pet and it should be kept well out of reach. Unsweetened baking chocolate should be kept in closed containers in upper, latched cupboards.

If your dog eats potentially dangerous amounts of chocolate and you can get the pet to your vet within two hours, vomiting can be induced to remove the poison. If longer than two hours has passed, the animal may need to be seen and treated.

Direct any questions you may have to your veterinarian, regional poison control center, or the National Animal Poison Information Center at The University of Illinois in Urbana which provides computer-supported telephone consultation for potential
poisonings.

http://www.napcc.aspca.org/ or call the toll free number(888) 252-7387.

It is our responsibility to keep our animals safe. Protect your dogs from their own sweet tooth. Occasional treats are okay, but keep your dog away from candy bars.






my friend's poodle once ate a pound of butter--- survived, but with massive intestinal upset! (i'll spare the details).

 

[FallingToFly]

Addding to this: Blue-tailed skinks will seriously fuck a cat up if they eat the tail.

I am one of those hideous people who lets my cats be cats, and hunt. No bells, no declawing, no alteration to their natural state other than spay/neutering. If they can catch it and kill it.. well, you get the idea.

However, I draw the line at the skinks. IF I can catch them in the act, it goes straight into the garbage can. There is some sort neurotoxin in the skink's tail *just the tail* that will give your cat any/all of the following:

epilepsy
comas and death
neurosis (everything from chewing out their hair to chewing out their toes)
balance problems
urinary/incontinence issues

and my personal favorite (not)

narcolepsy.

Birds, fish, small rodents and rabbits have no toxic effects on my herd so far. Spiders make a horrifc crunch-squish sound that squicks me, and grasshoppers screech.

Long live the predators....

 

[Guest]

Addding to this: Blue-tailed skinks will seriously fuck a cat up if they eat the tail.

I am one of those hideous people who lets my cats be cats, and hunt. No bells, no declawing, no alteration to their natural state other than spay/neutering. If they can catch it and kill it.. well, you get the idea.

However, I draw the line at the skinks. IF I can catch them in the act, it goes straight into the garbage can. There is some sort neurotoxin in the skink's tail *just the tail* that will give your cat any/all of the following:

epilepsy
comas and death
neurosis (everything from chewing out their hair to chewing out their toes)
balance problems
urinary/incontinence issues

and my personal favorite (not)

narcolepsy.

Birds, fish, small rodents and rabbits have no toxic effects on my herd so far. Spiders make a horrifc crunch-squish sound that squicks me, and grasshoppers screech.

Long live the predators....

Feh, you aren't a hideous person. I keep my crew all the time indoors because we live less than a quarter mile from a 6 lane highway, a block from an access road, and on the main road into our subdivision -- people tear past our house FAST. And we have plenty of garden/yard nazi types who don't LIKE cats in their yards, there are plenty of pesticides and other nastiness -- and fleas. Did I mention fleas? Yup, lots and lots and LOTS of fleas.

I'm allergic to fleas. we fight the war every year. Only the dog goes outside, for her 5 minutes of sniff -n- squat, and she still gets FLEAS. The yard is sprayed and we STILL GET FLEAS.

If I lived in a more rural area, I'd have an outdoor cat (like I did when I lived in a more rural area).

And yes, there are several lizards and bugs who aren't good for cats to eat.

 

[she_is_my_addiction]

I had an ex who's cat would go for peppermints, and I do mean the hard candy. We couldn't have them around because she'd hear the wrappers crinkling and come running.

Not sure if peppermint actually DOES anything for cats though...?

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

Feh, you aren't a hideous person. I keep my crew all the time indoors because we live less than a quarter mile from a 6 lane highway, a block from an access road, and on the main road into our subdivision -- people tear past our house FAST. And we have plenty of garden/yard nazi types who don't LIKE cats in their yards, there are plenty of pesticides and other nastiness -- and fleas. Did I mention fleas? Yup, lots and lots and LOTS of fleas.

I'm allergic to fleas. we fight the war every year. Only the dog goes outside, for her 5 minutes of sniff -n- squat, and she still gets FLEAS. The yard is sprayed and we STILL GET FLEAS.

If I lived in a more rural area, I'd have an outdoor cat (like I did when I lived in a more rural area).

And yes, there are several lizards and bugs who aren't good for cats to eat.

We used to do all of that. Never worked successfully.

NOW we use - from the vet - ADVANTAGE 100. You give the animal a specific dose from the little plastic vial between their shoulder blades.

It's more expensive than the cheaper varieties you can get at Walmart, but this stuff actually works. I applied it to our cats and the fleas immediately dropped dead - I actually found a dead one in the water dish.

If you have access ask your vet. It's a once a month treatment. This is the best stuff.

 

[zeb1094]

We used to do all of that. Never worked successfully.

NOW we use - from the vet - ADVANTAGE 100. You give the animal a specific dose from the little plastic vial between their shoulder blades.

It's more expensive than the cheaper varieties you can get at Walmart, but this stuff actually works. I applied it to our cats and the fleas immediately dropped dead - I actually found a dead one in the water dish.

If you have access ask your vet. It's a once a month treatment. This is the best stuff.

You can order that over the net now - 1800petmeds.com - no prescription needed.

 

[Guest]

You can order that over the net now - 1800petmeds.com - no prescription needed.

That's a terrific idea! (I'm ashamed we haven't done that yet but we've always just gotten it from the vet.)

But no prescription needed. We use the dog treatment but at a much smaller dose for cats.

 

[zeb1094]

That's a terrific idea! (I'm ashamed we haven't done that yet but we've always just gotten it from the vet.)

But no prescription needed. We use the dog treatment but at a much smaller dose for cats.

You can get it for cats too! Different formula etc.

 

[Guest]

You can get it for cats too! Different formula etc.

I refuse to switch. This works and works VERY well (I believe it is .8 ml.) Thus we can get 5 kitty doses from one puppy dose.

I will check it out, but I would truly hate to mess with success.

 

[zeb1094]

I refuse to switch. This works and works VERY well (I believe it is .8 ml.) Thus we can get kitty 5 doses from one puppy dose.

I will check it out, but I would truly hate to mess with success.

Oba kaba!

 

[Guest]

Oba kaba!

Otay!




(OK - I realize the references are Bill Cosby vs. SNL's Eddie Murphy doing Buckwheat - but hey!)

 

[zeb1094]

Otay!




(OK - I realize the references are Bill Cosby vs. SNL's Eddie Murphy doing Buckwheat - but hey!)

. .

 

[BlackShanglan]

I refuse to switch. This works and works VERY well (I believe it is .8 ml.) Thus we can get 5 kitty doses from one puppy dose.

I will check it out, but I would truly hate to mess with success.

Just be careful. One of the flea-and-tick med dog formulations (I can never remember if it's Advantage or Frontline) is dangerous to cats. I think both of the just-flea formulae are fine.

 

[BlackShanglan]

High-fat foods and dieting can both cause problems for animals.

Dogs can develop a potentially lethal reaction to the sudden presence of high levels of fat in their bodies. One of our breed club members lost her pregnant bitch to this; she'd been feeding pig ears more heavily than usual trying to get more weight on her and things went wrong very quickly. I can't recall the name of the condition (it has one), but it's something to be careful of, particularly around holidays when humans are eating unusual amounts of fat-rich foods.

Cats can face lethal consequences from trying to lose weight too quickly. Their bodies do not metabolize fat in the same way that humans' bodies do, and because they are much smaller it is easier for them to develop medically serious chemical imbalances. Cats that must lose weight should have their food cut back slowly and gradually.

Shanglan

 

[AngeloMichael]

And my bird is also an omnivore -- she likes noodles and chicken quite a bit, and will steal hard candy if she can sneak up on it (we let her wander a little because she's so fierce, most of the cats are scared of her. She attacks the dog.)

Just a guess, but your bird is a macaw, right?

One time I brought a couple candy bars home and left them on the kitchen table and went out again. When I came home one of the candy bars was missing. It was a king size 5th Avenue. I was afraid my Pomeranian snatched it. I asked my nieces if one of them took it. Both swore they didn't, I begged them to tell me the truth promising I wouldn't get mad, I just wanted to know where it went for the dog's sake.

It was funny, it just disappeared into thin air. We tore the whole house inside-out looking for any sign of the candy bar and found nothing, no wrapper, no crumbs, nothing.

A few months later we were Spring cleaning and what do we find stuck way underneath the sofa cushions in the living room? The candy bar was completely intact like it was just bought from the store, apparently my Pom just wanted to hide his trophy kind of like burying a bone. He was a funny little guy.

I recently moved and I had to find new homes for my two dogs. They were my family and I never thought it would have come to this but in the end it had been necessary. It's been very hard without them but at least I have the fun memories.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

My dog just ate an entire thing of green onions that I threw away (they were moldy besides)... ugh! He's puking everywhere... dumb dog!!

WHY do animals eat these things, if they're bad for them!?!??!

 

[SeaCat]

My dog just ate an entire thing of green onions that I threw away (they were moldy besides)... ugh! He's puking everywhere... dumb dog!!

WHY do animals eat these things, if they're bad for them!?!??!

LOLOLOL

If you ever figure that one out post it here. I know many people who would like to know the answer to that one.

Cat

 

[SeaCat]

My one cat loves Chicken and of all things Ham. We make them and she howls until we give her a nibble. (Just a nibble, enough to taste and then she's happy.)

Our other Cat Bubba could care less for any of the meats we eat. He does, on the other hand, like Beer. He will drink to excess if allowed to. (I have to keep a close eye on any beer I'm drinking. He'll drink out of a glass if he can get to it, and if I set down a can or bottle of beer he'll knock it over to get to the beer inside.)

Cat