My Hero

This dog is "The Dog"

Deadly Snacks

Many people feed their dogs the same foods that they eat without a second thought. Not only is this not nutritional but it can be deadly too. After investing your time and effort in researching quality foods that are healthy and have nutritional value for your pet, why would you ruin it by feeding them table scraps or other tidbits. Just because you have a snack, it doesn’t mean that your dog has to have the same thing.
Your dog develops a daily routine just like you do. Regular feeding time using a quality foodshould not be jeopardized by feeding your dog table scraps. He will get used to it and soon begin to shun his own food. This is not a healthy habit and you will soon regret it when your pet refuses to eat his regular food.
Another bad habit is feeding your dog tidbits or pieces of your own snacks. The reason for this is because sometimes without thinking about it, you will offer your dog something that can be deadly. Instead, feed him quality foods that have been especially formulated just for him.
One example of a food that is toxic to dogs is chocolate. Chocolate is made from cocoa beans which contain a chemical called Theobromine. It is from the same family as caffeine which can increase your dog’s heart rate to the point of no return. Another toxic food is grapes or raisins. They can cause kidney failure which will not allow your dog to naturally rid himself of the toxins that have been ingested. Although there are many other substances that are toxic to your dog, the last one that we will mention in this article are nuts. Although some nuts are not toxic, it is best to be safe. Avoid giving any type of nut to your dog.
What is the antidote for these toxic substances? Unfortunately, there is no magic elixir available that will reverse the toxic reaction. The best solution is to induce vomiting using hydrogen peroxide. An acceptable formula is one tablespoon for each twenty five to thirty pounds of body weight. Of course your dog won’t be very cooperative so the best way to accomplish this is by using a syringe without a needle. Fill the syringe with the appropriate dose, insert it into the dog’s mouth towards the back and force the solution out of the syringe. If vomiting hasn’t occurred within about five minutes, repeat the procedure again. After vomiting has taken place, follow up with activated charcoal which will help absorb the remaining toxin. If activated charcoal is not readily available, you can make your own by simply burning some toast and feeding the dog the charred pieces. After this has been accomplished, you will have to determine whether to take the dog to the vet. Depending on the amount of toxin ingested, it may not be necessary. However, it may be very difficult to determine just how much the dog has eaten so as always it is better to be safe.
Keep this in mind; Only two ounces of chocolate can be fatal.