Good and bad food for dogs

Every now and again we see dogs that have eaten something they shouldn’t have done. Sometimes it’s something random like stones or a sock, but mostly its food that is dangerous to their health.

Recently, we had a few cases in where dogs had either snuffled something without the owner knowing or the owner wasn’t aware the feed was bad for them. In this blog we will go through some of the foods that are not suitable for dogs and we will include some that are.

Foods for your dog to avoid

Chocolate – Chocolate is definitely bad for dogs. Whether it’s, white, milk or dark chocolate (darker chocolate is the worst); it can make your dog seriously ill, even leading to death. You can read more about the dangers of chocolate in our blog – click HERE

Xylitol – This is an artificial sweetener that can be found in various types of sugar free food such as diet foods, chewing gum, diet drinks. The amount of Xylitol in foods can vary, but if your dog eats enough it can cause life threatening low blood sugar and even liver failure. You can read more about this in our blog – click HERE

Grapes and Raisins – It is well known that dogs should not eat grapes or raisins. Even a small handful can be dangerous.

Caffeine – If your dog has had a couple of laps of tea or coffee then it’s unlikely to cause any harm. However, if your dog swallows a tea bag it can cause harm and, in small dogs, it can be fatal.

Alcohol – Make sure any alcohol is kept out of reach. Dogs are a lot smaller than humans so it doesn’t take a lot to make them ill.

Macadamia Nuts – Do not feed your dog these nuts or foods containing them as they can become really ill. Even as few as 6 nuts can be really bad for them

Fruit pips and seeds – Did you know pips and seeds contain cyanide? They can also cause blockage in the digestive system. Larger pips such as an avocado stone can get lodged in the oesophagus, stomach or intestinal tract

Leftovers – As long as the food it suitable for dogs, having leftovers from the table is not a bad thing. However, in most cases the food will contain high amounts of fat. We see a lot of overweight pooches at Cherrydown and it is usually caused by eating their own food followed by leftover food. If a dog is over- weight it can lead to various health issues. You can read more about it in our blog – click HERE

Onions – Onions have a chemical that can damage a dog’s red blood cells. This can cause problems such as anaemia, weakness and breathing difficulties. Do not give a dog any sort of onion including raw, dried, cooked, or dehydrated

Food that is good for your dog

Eggs – Boiled eggs are a great source of protein and it is easy to digest.

Fish – Oily fish in particular is a good food. It contains Omega 3 fatty acids which are good for their immune system; it can help with allergies and help keep their skin and coat in good conditions.

Vegetables – Veggies such as Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots and sweet potato are great for a dog. They contain anti-oxidants, vitamins and other nutrients that can be beneficial to your dog’s overall health and well-being.

Berries – Blackberries, Raspberries and Blueberries in particular. They are filled with anti-oxidants which can help fight cancers, help with the heart function and they also have anti-inflammatory benefits too.

We could write pages and pages of information regarding this subject. However, you would probably not have the time to read it. To make it easier, you could book in to one of FREE health clinics and talk to a nurse about pet health and diet. The benefit to you is that you spend some one on one time with a nurse to discuss your pet’s diet and health and the benefit to the nurse is they get to spend some time with you and your dog. It’s a win/win.

If you have any questions about this please call us at the clinic or you can post a question on our Facebook page