Foods to Avoid

Despite a dog's resilient digestive tract, there are a few things you'll want to be sure to avoid feeding him or her.

The best website I've come across listing the foods and substances you'll want to avoid feeding your pet is found here.

A short list of things you'll want to stay away from is listed below.

Onions - can cause Heinz body anemia, which is a deficiency in red blood cells that leads to the blood's reduced ability to transfer oxygen to the body's tissues, causing tissue hypoxia. Can lead to heart failure, poor vision, and a myriad of other issues. My caution? Just keep the onions away from Fido.

Grapes or Raisins - Can potentially cause renal (kidney) failure.

Nuts can be indigestible to dogs in general and Macadamia nuts can be fatal. Avoid giving your dog nuts. Seeds, on the other hand, such as raw sunflower or flax seeds, are very beneficial and are excellent sources of protein when ground up with their veggies.

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener used in many gums. This too has proven to be fatal to dogs.

Chocolate contains a substance known as theobromine, which can be fatal for dogs. It is a naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean. Amounts of theobromine vary by type of chocolate with baking chocolate containing the most, and white, and milk chocolate containing the least. The toxicity varies further by the health and size of your dog. Two one-ounce squares of bakers' chocolate is toxic to a 20-pound dog, while the same dog would have to eat one pound of milk or semi-sweet chocolate to have the same harmful effect. To be on the safe side, avoid chocolate all together.

Alcohol - Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.

Sugar - Even though your dog may seem to have a sweet tooth, keep him out of the sugar!

Honey may contain botulism spores which can be fatal to young dogs, puppies, and senior dogs.

Dogs, like people, can have food intolerances and allergies specific only to them. What one dog thrives on can cause ill effects to another dog. But chances are, your dog is among the millions who seem to be able to eat anything and everything (including some things we prefer they did not eat).

Check out the ASPCA web site: http://www.aspca.org for updated information on foods that can be toxic to dogs, as well as other environmental substances and plants that you do not want them to consume. They also run a 24x7 poison control center at 888-426-4435. A small fee may apply to using this center.