Foods not suitable for Dogs?

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

I came across this q & answer on Y!A and decided that it may or may not be of interest to some of the viewers in this section, so here goes:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060614032249AALjwi4

The answerer goes on to list that certain nuts, vegetables and fruits may be toxic or detrimental to dogs.

Please read.

I don't own a dog, but I would like to know what people think of it, was it helpful? Does anyone agree and/or disagree? Not looking for a debate, so much as to see if I could help anyone!

-Alva-

[glamazon]

Thanks for sharing the link. I used to go to a holistic vet in NV but haven't found one on this coast. The canned food she sold was Spot's Stew and it had lots of veg in it. I juice celery, carrot, beet and cucumber and give to my baby at few times a week. She has collapsing trachea so she sometimes struggles with getting enough air...I truly believe the juice helps get more oxygen to her cells.

I have been reading about BARF but I'm not sure about making that big of a change now that she is already 15 and has helath issues along with not the greatest teeth. I am going to get some free range chicken tomo and see if she likes it and if I notice a difference in her or not. IDK what will be best for her. I know she loves sauteed chicken. When she wasn't eating at one point long back, my vet had told me to give her brown rice with ground ground turkey or low sodium cottage cheese for a couple of days.

I have been buying INNOVA dry food and wellness canned food for a long time...they both have healthy proteins, fruit and veg, along with minerals and fats. But like our diet I'm sure there is alot of misconceptions and half truths...as it is a money maker too!!

I too am interested to hear from others about their pet's feeding regimens.

[circle]

dogs can't digest anything with fiber in it. fruits and veggies are not good for dogs. notice when you feed them it they poop it out and it looks the same as when it went in. it's not ideal for carnivores.

raw flesh is ideal.

[glamazon]

Actually no...her stool does NOT look like undigested anything...when she eats sweet potatoes and oats and does green juice her stool has no odor and she doesn't struggle to go either. So I'm not really understanding your comment cirlce.

[rockstar135]

Fruits and veggies in moderation are good for dogs. What's bad for dogs are grains. Whole, raw flesh is best.

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

dogs can't digest anything with fiber in it. fruits and veggies are not good for dogs. notice when you feed them it they poop it out and it looks the same as when it went in. it's not ideal for carnivores.

raw flesh is ideal.

That's the first time that I have heard that, have you tried it with a/your dog?

How come so many dogs live healthfully on a diet of raw fruits and veggies?:confused:

[circle]

dogs have a different digestive system then humans do, different teeth, and no opposing thumbs. in nature, naturally humans would eat fruits and veggies. our bodies are designed for it. in nature, a dog wouldn't really be picking fruits and veggies off a tree or peeling a banana or something. lol. their digestive systems are much shorter as opposed to humans, and they do not have expandable stomachs for fiber foods like humans do. their teeth are jaggie not flat like humans so they don't chew their foods they just kind of chomp and swallow. they have a higher stomach acid content then humans do, so for a dog, it would be ideal to eat flesh. for a human on the other hand, since a human's digestive tract is too short it would go bad in a human's stomach.

i used to feed my dog raw veggies. my dog had mange. as soon as i switched him over to 811 raw food meal plan (meaning 80% raw meat, 10% raw organs, 10% raw bones in a ratio according to his weight), he pretty much immediately got better. I was a little weirded out by it at first. i joined this yahoo group, and read everything i could about raw flesh for dogs over and over again. just everything i could (as a vegan for 6+ yrs and raw vegan for 4+ yrs) possibly get my hands on for info. Of course I did not want to handle meat. My dog made the switch about a year ago, and we have never looked back. I'm so happy we made the switch.

I don't know why so many dogs live okay on a diet of fruits and veg. my grama is very old and she lives off of cake and cookies, and seems to be perfectly healthy. I don't know why that is, but it is.

I know you're not going to change your mind, but i thought i'd put the info out there for you. From my research, as a stubborn vegan, I found for my loved one that flesh is the best for him and his body. Sometimes I think things are better for other individuals just cuz they are the best for me. sometimes that's not always the most justified way to think.

[Irish_Vegan_Girl]

dogs have a different digestive system then humans do, different teeth, and no opposing thumbs. in nature, naturally humans would eat fruits and veggies. our bodies are designed for it. in nature, a dog wouldn't really be picking fruits and veggies off a tree or peeling a banana or something. lol. their digestive systems are much shorter as opposed to humans, and they do not have expandable stomachs for fiber foods like humans do. their teeth are jaggie not flat like humans so they don't chew their foods they just kind of chomp and swallow. they have a higher stomach acid content then humans do, so for a dog, it would be ideal to eat flesh. for a human on the other hand, since a human's digestive tract is too short it would go bad in a human's stomach.

i used to feed my dog raw veggies. my dog had mange. as soon as i switched him over to 811 raw food meal plan (meaning 80% raw meat, 10% raw organs, 10% raw bones in a ratio according to his weight), he pretty much immediately got better. I was a little weirded out by it at first. i joined this yahoo group, and read everything i could about raw flesh for dogs over and over again. just everything i could (as a vegan for 6+ yrs and raw vegan for 4+ yrs) possibly get my hands on for info. Of course I did not want to handle meat. My dog made the switch about a year ago, and we have never looked back. I'm so happy we made the switch.

I don't know why so many dogs live okay on a diet of fruits and veg. my grama is very old and she lives off of cake and cookies, and seems to be perfectly healthy. I don't know why that is, but it is.

I know you're not going to change your mind, but i thought i'd put the info out there for you. From my research, as a stubborn vegan, I found for my loved one that flesh is the best for him and his body. Sometimes I think things are better for other individuals just cuz they are the best for me. sometimes that's not always the most justified way to think.

Well, I will definitely keep an open mind on the subject, and see what else I learn. Thanks for the info :) I really do see where you're coming from and I will take it all on board.

alva

[Yana]

taken from http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yorkie-health-diet/43555-list-dangerous-foods-dogs.html, if you go to the link there is a printable chart at the bottom of all foods and their effects:

"Toxic Foods:

Chocolate/Caffeine:
Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic.

After their pet has eaten a large quantity of chocolate, many pet owners assume their pet is unaffected. However, the signs of sickness may not be seen for several hours, with death following within twenty-four hours. Symptoms include Staggering, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, tremors, fever, heart rate increase, arrhythmia, seizures, coma, death.

Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate are the most toxic forms. A 10-kilogram dog can be seriously affected if it eats a quarter of a 250gm packet of cocoa powder or half of a 250gm block of cooking chocolate. These forms of chocolate contain ten times more theobromine than milk chocolate. Thus, a chocolate mud cake could be a real health risk for a small dog. Even licking a substantial part of the chocolate icing from a cake can make a dog unwell.

Semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate are the next most dangerous forms, with milk chocolate being the least dangerous. A dog needs to eat more than a 250gm block of milk chocolate to be affected. Obviously, the smaller the dog, the less it needs to eat.

Onions/Garlic:
Onions and garlic contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Onions are more of a danger.

Pets affected by onion toxicity will develop haemolytic anaemia, where the pet’s red blood cells burst while circulating in its body. Symptoms include Hemolytic Anemia, labored breathing, liver damage, vomiting, diarrhea, discolored urine.

The poisoning occurs a few days after the pet has eaten the onion. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions and/or garlic. Left over pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial baby food containing onion, sometimes fed as a supplement to young pets, can cause illness.

While garlic also contains the toxic ingredient thiosulphate, it seems that garlic is less toxic and large amounts would need to be eaten to cause illness.

Mushrooms:
Mushroom toxicity does occur in dogs and it can be fatal if certain species of mushrooms are eaten. Amanita phalloides is the most commonly reported severely toxic species of mushroom in the US but other Amanita species are toxic. Symptoms include Abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting diarrhea, convulsions, coma, death

Grapes/Raisins:
As few as a handful of raisins or grapes can make a dog ill; however, of the 10 cases reported to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), each dog ingested between 9 ounces and 2 pounds of grapes or raisins. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and lethargy.

Macadamia Nuts:
Macadamia nuts are another concern, along with most other kinds of nuts. Their high phosphorus content is said to possibly lead to bladder stones. Dogs develop a tremor of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen limbs and show pain when the limbs are manipulated.

NOTE: Pets owners should not assume that human food is always safe for pets. When it comes to chocolate, onions, garlic and macadamia nuts, such foods should be given in only small quantities, or not at all. Be sure that your pets can’t get into your stash of chocolates, that food scraps are disposed of carefully to prevent onion and garlic toxicity and that your dog is prevented from picking up macadamia nuts if you have a tree in your garden.

Baby Food:
Can contain onion powder, which can be toxic to dogs. Can also result in nutritional deficiencies, if fed in large amounts.

Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources:
Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.

Cat Food:
Cat food is generally too high in protein and fats.

Fat Trimmings:
Can cause pancreatitis.

Milk and other dairy products:
Some adult dogs and cats do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea. Lactose-free milk products are available for pets.

Raw Eggs:
Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.

Raw Fish:
Can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly.

Toxic Plants:
As we let our dogs roam freely in and out of the house, we need to be aware of what we are exposing our pets to. There are various plants that are poisonous to dogs both inside and outside of our homes. See the attachment for a chart of some of the more common plants our dogs may come in contact with.

Here is a link incase you can't read the attachment:
Toxic Foods and Plants for Dogs



Holiday Plants:
Pet owners need to take extra care with holiday plants. When the holidays roll around, we often get caught up in the festivities and don't realize that we may be bringing something very dangerous into your home for your pets. be aware of what holiday decorations may be toxic and avoid turning a happy occasion into a tragic one.

Poinsettias:
These plants are probably the most popular holiday plant and are easily recognizable by their large red, white, pink, or mottled leaves. These plants also contain a thick, milky irritant sap. In general, it would take ingestion of a large amount of this plant to see possible clinical signs in your pet. Signs could include vomiting, anorexia and depression. The symptoms are generally self-limiting and treatment is rarely needed. Your Vet may recommend limiting food and water intake for 1 or 2 hours if your pet is suspected of becoming sick after ingestion of poinsettias.

Easter Lilies:
Some members of the Lilly family of plants can result in serious illness in cats. Specifically, Easter Lilies, tiger lilies, Japanese show lilies, rubrum lilies, many lily hybrids and day lilies have been known to cause kidney failure.

Sugarless gum:
Extremely deadly, even in small quantities.

Xylitol:
Very dangerous; can cause liver failure. Found in sugarless gum and other items. Seek IMMEDIATE vet care!"

[Yana]

I feel a raw meat diet, BARF, prey-model, etc., is optimal. There are diets for dogs that include grains, but there are many views, regarding grains, fruits and vegetables.

i have to respectfully disagree with circle. the dog's digestive system contains a pouch at the junction of the small and large intestines. In humans it is quite small, in animals like horse, pigs, and dogs it is rather large. It serves the function of breaking down plant material and cellulose, therefore i believe dogs, did eat plant matter, you cannot always catch prey, wolves interestingly enough, do not have a ceacum. Our ancestors teeth were incredibly different than our, along with the jaw size, this changed following the discovery of fire and meat from then on was cooked and easier to eat, over time the jaw changed and shrunk as did the teeth.


**Biology major, does it show? lol

**eta** i have not done any research on the topic but i would hypothesize that different b reeds may have different size of ceacums or none at all.

[lost]

dogs have a different digestive system then humans do, different teeth, and no opposing thumbs. in nature, naturally humans would eat fruits and veggies. our bodies are designed for it. in nature, a dog wouldn't really be picking fruits and veggies off a tree or peeling a banana or something. lol. their digestive systems are much shorter as opposed to humans, and they do not have expandable stomachs for fiber foods like humans do. their teeth are jaggie not flat like humans so they don't chew their foods they just kind of chomp and swallow. they have a higher stomach acid content then humans do, so for a dog, it would be ideal to eat flesh. for a human on the other hand, since a human's digestive tract is too short it would go bad in a human's stomach.

i used to feed my dog raw veggies. my dog had mange. as soon as i switched him over to 811 raw food meal plan (meaning 80% raw meat, 10% raw organs, 10% raw bones in a ratio according to his weight), he pretty much immediately got better. I was a little weirded out by it at first. i joined this yahoo group, and read everything i could about raw flesh for dogs over and over again. just everything i could (as a vegan for 6+ yrs and raw vegan for 4+ yrs) possibly get my hands on for info. Of course I did not want to handle meat. My dog made the switch about a year ago, and we have never looked back. I'm so happy we made the switch.

I don't know why so many dogs live okay on a diet of fruits and veg. my grama is very old and she lives off of cake and cookies, and seems to be perfectly healthy. I don't know why that is, but it is.

I know you're not going to change your mind, but i thought i'd put the info out there for you. From my research, as a stubborn vegan, I found for my loved one that flesh is the best for him and his body. Sometimes I think things are better for other individuals just cuz they are the best for me. sometimes that's not always the most justified way to think.

^^ This is very true, also dogs cannot digest fruit and veg unless it is mashed into a pulp as they have different digestive symptoms. In the wild dogs get their necessary nutrients through eating the contents of the stomach of vegetable eating mammals they kill.

[Yana]

good point, i puree for my pups

[modesnoclon]

Hey I‘m the newbie here, just wanted to introduce myself, I’m Ken.

[the1stpsycho]

http://www.rawfed.com/myths/omnivores.html

"Dogs and cats have the internal anatomy and physiology of a carnivore (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pg 260.). They have a highly elastic stomach designed to hold large quantities of meat, bone, organs, and hide. Their stomachs are simple, with an undeveloped caecum (Feldhamer, G.A. 1999. Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, and Ecology. McGraw-Hill. pg 260.). "

[Boorchmen]

I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to create this internet website. It has been extremely helpful

[anneh]

I have done alot of research regarding best way to feed my dogs. I mostly feed raw meat that comes ground with the bones (Primal is best) and add some crushed raw veggies (btw dogs CAN digest veggies/fruits, thats what is in the stomach of prey) but veg does have to be either cooked or crushed so that the cellulose is broken down. I use my Greenstar juicer attachment. Sometimes Il buy chicken and cook it and add Animal Essentials calcium to it to balance the cal/phos ratio. I must admit I do add some flaked oats or barley that I have soaked overnight. I also highly recommend Honest Kitchen dehydrated human grade food for dogs, I use it often. Raw egg yolk is good for dogs also. The main clue is that if the meat is cooked then the bones are dangerous but calcium must be added and if its raw it can be given with the raw bone. I purchased a book on feeding dogs raw vegan diet, can't think of the name of the woman who wrote it, I got it through David Klein's raw food magazine. Well I sent it back, her recommendations were outrageously dangerous including feeding loads of macadamia nuts. When I pointed out that they are poisonous for dogs she claimed thats only if they are not organic which is ridiculous and has nothing to do with why they are dangerous. Her book is also dangerous because if a dog is fed her way its diet would be totally alkaline and a dog's short digestive tract etc is supposed to stay acidic. I would love to feed my dog a raw vegan diet but I don't want to harm him. On the other hand I don't think they need to eat a totally meat diet either. anneh

[ForexPype]

Nice! We truly liked this work .

[ruffsongraw]

i have to disagree wiht some of thisd thread too.
Dogs are NOT "true" carnivores. they are Opportunistic Carnivores, which means they would prefer meat but if they cant get it they will eat carrion, garbage, scraps--anything they can if hungry and meat isnt available. also, they do eat the gut content of prey, which contains grains/veggies/grasses.
Grains are OK in kibble IF it is used low on he list of ingreds and NOT as the primary protein source (like the first second or third ingred). i like Innova a lot.

BARF is great. also there is a gr8 book called Raw MEaty Bones. ground bones, while nutritous, will not satisfy the dog's natural urge to chew/gnaw amd therefore will not help in keeping teeth clean, or occupy them mentally/physically.

my cats are 100% raw and my 2 dogs are about 75%. i like to keep them on some kibble so if i travel with them i can juyst ffed that and not worry about a cooler and meat.

i have a holistic vet who is TOTALLY in favor of raw every time with every dog/cat and when in doubt, he advises to simulate as much as possible whatever a Wolf would eat in the wild. and vary the ingreds from week to week. he also suggests feeding ORGANIC organ meat once a week (liver or kidney) but this MUST be organic.

one good way to get fresh raw and helathy meat is to go to a local butcher that processes the deer and elk that hunters kill and ask for the organs, the bones--etc. most will give it away free but here you have to get there fast or it's gone.

my chihuahua gets raw chicken wings (without the pointy end pieces) and he LOVES them. he also loves elk meat or bones. my GSD wont TOUCH elk meat of any kind (why??) but gets chicken leg quarters and etc. i also give veggies about once every several days. and raw eggs about once a week. No dairy.

a GREAT site for raw feeding (& training!) is www.leerburg.com



jen

[smiley]

My 6 year old puppy eats 95% raw whole chicken, 3% lamb, and 2% veggies/fruit. I give lamb as a treat because it is more expensive. He has been eating this way since he has been 4 months old.

He has been checked by the vet a few times and has always checked out perfect. He has an ideal temperment, calm but with lots of energy when needed.

I check his bowel movements and they are perfect with the chicken and lamb. I notice that it is very different when I give him the veggies/fruit. It doesn't seem like it is digested well. But, I still give it to him for variety.

As far as fruits/veggies goes, he loves avocado and nut pates, and my cakes/pies.

[leannehammer]

i feed california natural to my 3 pitties. a 30 lb bag is 43.99 and lasts us almost 2 weeks. its good for dogs with allergies, the ingredient list is pretty short. im happy with the food. and they also occasionally get left over meat from dinner and veggies mixed in!

[christinajade]

Dogs can actually can digest small amounts of fruits, veggies and grains. I feed 70% raw meat and bones, 20% raw fruits and veggies and 10% organ meat. There are some days, however that they are just getting the meat, bones and organs. In the wild, these animals are actually getting a very small percentage of fruits, veggies and grains. When they eat the animal, they also eat what is left over in the animal's stomach. So in the wild, it is very natural to get small quanitites of fruits, vegges and grains. Their digestive tracts ARE used to it in small quantities. It is very important to include that at times and to remember that it is very small amounts and not an everyday thing. :)

[Shels]

The point of raw is to be natural, right? Why freak out so much, just give dogs what they would be eating in the wild. :) Nature knows what it's doing.