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Things
You Should Never Feed Your Dog
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by:
Aaron Wilmont
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Unfortunately, there are a number of
household items which we tend to take for granted that are potentially
very dangerous to your
dog's health. It is especially important to be aware of this because as
you know, dogs are essentially scavengers and will often eat just about
anything
they can sink their fangs into. I would say that may own dog is more
like a mobile garbage disposal. It is also very important to be aware
of these items
since their sense of smell is so well developed that your pooch will be
able to find what you may think is well hidden.
One of these dangerous household items, it turns out, is simple
chocolate. While chocolate has been reported recently to be high in
human-friendly antioxidants,
it appears to be potentially lethal for our pets, and particularly for
our dogs. Cats are mostly unaffected since they do not care for the
taste of chocolate, but dogs tend to
be crazy about it. Certain breeds of dogs react indifferently to
chocolate. The root of the problem is that chocolate contains various
chemicals which are called methylxanthine alkaloids(sometypes have more
of these chemicals than others)
Sadly, relatively miniscule amounts of these chemicals are capable of
causing such serious problems as constriction of the arteries and an
increased heart rate. Large amounts may cause even more dire symptoms
and a pound of milk chocolate could possibly kill a sixteen pound dog.
If you find that your dog has eaten chocolate then by all means take
note of the it's type and try to estimate the amount eaten. Then get on
the phone with a veternarian or an emergency facility. Be sure that
your children know how important it is to keep chocolate out of your
dog’s reach.
If you are not aware that your dog has consumed chocolate, the
consequences could be severe. If consumption is not found within 4 to 6
hours without the right treatment, cardiac failure, seizures, coma and
death could result, according to veternarian Dr. Jane Bicks.
In addition to seemingly innocent chocolate, there are a number of
other common household items that may seem safe for our dogs but that
can be downright dangerous.
Some mushrooms, for example, can produce abdominal pain, liver andd
kidney damage and amenia. So be aware of wild mushrooms when you are
out walking your dog in wooded areas. Garlic may seem benign but can
cause vomiting, liver damage, anemia and diarrhea so do not give your
pet baby food since it can contain garlic.
Anti-freeze can shut down your dog's kidney and they tend to love the
taste. Miscletoe can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and depression.
Onions can causeliver damage, anemia and diarrhea. Onion can also
sometimes be found in baby food. Cats are actually somewhat more
sensitive to this one so keep out of the reach of both.
Coffee, like cocoa, is especially dangerous, and may cause heart rate
increase, diarrhea, seizures, coma, death. Caffeine just does not have
the same effect in dogs.
When outside be careful around apple and cherry trees. While the fruit
is safe, the leaves and roots are not.
And be very careful about Moth Balls. it's primary chemical naphthalene
is extremely toxic to dogs and can result in tremors and seizures.
Concerning dog food, you should be looking for dyes
and other chemicals, according to Dr. Jane
BHA, for instance, which is one of the main synthetic
antioxidant preservatives used to prevent food
discoloration, has been observed to cause cancer in laboratory
rats at certain doses. Small doses are as yet unclear but since dog
food is eaten every day caution is advised.
Many conventional dog food brands have large quantities of sodium to
make them palatable, and this can be quite harmful to a dog.
Other ingredients to wary of are dairy, by-products, chemical
preservatives and artificial colors.
About the author:
Aaron Wilmot is an author and researcher in the fields of
human and pet health. For more info. go to
Dog Food Nutrition from
Life's Abundance
Circulated by Article Emporium
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