People (and pets) love to eat! Most of us spend at least
part of our day thinking about or planning our meals. While some of the
delicious things we prepare are safe for our pets other common kitchen items
can be harmful to them. Here are some things to avoid giving to you pets!
Many people chew gum regularly and with the growing concern
for sugar intake sugar free varieties have become quite common. The active ingredient
Xylitol can actually be hazardous to our pets. If you gum has this it needs to
be kept away from your pet! An even better way to avoid this would be to stick
to gums without Xylitol in it. While perfectly safe for us it can cause life
threatening changes in glucose or liver values in cats and dogs.
Grapes and Raisins have been known to cause kidney disease
in pets. It is unknown why this is and even what amount will cause an issue but
there are many pets that can be affected by this. Not all pets have a severe
reaction but there is no way to screen those who might so it is best to avoid
them all together.
Chocolate is probably one of the better known toxins in
pets. However there are varying levels of chocolate that can cause issues.
White chocolate and milk chocolate are least likely to cause toxicity issues,
true they may cause upset stomach but not generally the critical condition that
needs immediate attention. Dark chocolate and even worse baking (unsweetened)
cocoa pose a much greater risk to our pets and are more likely to have serious
consequences. It is best to contact the vet right away if you think there has
been an exposure.
If you are cleaning out the refrigerator or cabinets you
will want to make sure your pet does not have access to the garbage can. Moldy
foods can cause a range of issues from vomiting to seizures. It is best to
eliminate these hazards right away, while it may seem unappealing to us, it can
be very appetizing to our furry friends.
This is just a brief overview of some of the common kitchen
hazards there can be many more that could cause issues. If you are ever in
doubt always contact your veterinarian for assistance.
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