by Jaime McKittrin

A recent report on the news got me thinking about substances that are toxic to our pets; you know – the foods dogs should not eat.

The subject of the report was xylitol, the active agent in TicTacs™, as well as many other sugar-free candies. Apparently, a woman’s black lab had a propensity to sneak tasty morsels out of his master’s purse, including TicTacs™ and Tums™.

Now, I don’t know about your four-legged friends, but I know for a fact that if I stuck a handful of Tums™ in my 90-pound Briard’s food dish, she would turn up her aristocratic little French muzzle at me and walk away – no doubt muttering under her less than fragrant doggy breath.

Or, er, the doggy equivalent of muttering.

The idea of a dog wolfing down (no pun intended) a container of breath mints might seem humorous until you consider this particular dog almost died as a result.

Apparently xylitol, which is a natural substance and quite acceptable sugar substitute for humans, can adversely affect a dog’s insulin levels, as well as his liver.

Although I am not in the habit of slipping Allie breath mints of any kind, tempting as it has been at times, I have to admit I wasn’t aware of the dangers – so I wanted to pass it along to you.

If you suspect your pet has ingested xylitol, contact the National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC) at 1-888-426-4435. This information is recent enough, even your vet may be unaware of the danger.

After hearing this news item, I decided to research other edibles that are toxic to our canine companions. I’m sure most dog owners are well aware of the dangers of chocolate to a dog, as well as onions. But maybe a few on the list of foods dogs should not eat will be new to you.

Here they are:

• Alcoholic Beverages — goes without saying, right?
• Avocado — those Omega-3s are great for your heart, but don’t give avocado to your dog!
• Coffee / Chocolate — caffeine, caffeine, caffeine!
• Macadadamia Nuts  — my favorite, but not for Fido
• Grapes and Raisins — can cause kidney failure within 24 hours!
• Garlic and Onions in the raw form — worse for cats than for dogs
• Salt
• Yeast Dough
• Moldy and/or spoiled food — goes without saying
• Raw Salmon — if you your pooch eats raw food, NO SALMON

This is a pretty basic list. Please feel free to add to it if you are aware of other foods that can be fatal to a dog. Just leave a comment.

After all, the welfare of our pets is what this blog is all about.

Here is a video of Martha Stewart discussing this very subject with a veterinarian on her show.  It’s worth a look:

A FEW OTHER THINGS DOGS SHOULD NOT EAT ARE:

1. Old Flea Collars
2. Putrid flesh of other dogs and cats
3. Road Kill

You probably think this is a joke in poor taste (no pun intended).

Actually, it isn’t. This is what your dog is eating with most commercial dog food brands. Don’t believe me?
Look here.