| "Magoo was a big, playful Labrador
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| | Theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. So
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| retriever who often got himself into
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| | on Valentine's Day, you're actually being
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| sticky situations..."So begins a story in
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| | kind to your best buddy if you eat all
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| the latest report from the ASPCA on foods
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| | the chocolates yourself!
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| that may be toxic to dogs. It turns out
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| | Read my special report on chocolate at
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| that Magoo got into the pantry and
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| | to learn more, and see how different
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| snagged himself about a pound of raisins.
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| | types of chocolate have varying effects
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| He ate the whole thing, of course.The
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| | on dogs health.Cocoa MulchCocoa bean
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| ASPCA never mentions Magoo's fate. But
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| | shells are a by-product of chocolate
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| they do tell us that as little as a
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| | production (which is how mulch made it
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| handful of raisins can impair a dogs
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| | into the "foods" category) and are
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| health and has been fatal for some. Ditto
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| | popular as mulch for landscaping.
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| for the grape.Who Knew?Growing up, I
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| | Homeowners like the attractive color and
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| regarded our family dogs as "the first
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| | scent, and the fact that the mulch breaks
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| cycle of the dishwasher". They were good
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| | down into an organic fertilizer. However,
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| about waiting their turn for whatever we
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| | some dogs like to eat it and it contains
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| left on our plates, and we weren't too
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| | Theobromine.Fatty foodsFatty foods are
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| concerned about offering them "people
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| | hard for a dog to digest and can can
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| food". It never crossed our minds that
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| | overtax the pancreas, leading to
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| our dogs health could be affected by a
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| | pancreatitis. This can threaten your dogs
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| few measly table scraps. What was safe
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| | health and is potentially
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| for us, we figured, was safe for our
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| | fatal.NutsMacadamia nuts should be
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| pets.What's more, whenever I ate grapes,
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| | avoided. In fact most nuts are not good
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| I liked to give one or two to our German
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| | for a dogs health since their high
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| Shepherd "Tiffany". The grapes always
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| | phosporus content is said to lead to
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| popped out of her mouth when she tried to
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| | bladder stones.MulchMulch isn't food, but
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| bite into them and Tiffany, ever the good
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| | there's one type tempting enough for dogs
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| sport, refused to give up until she'd
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| | to eat. Some dogs are attracted to cocoa
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| squashed each one into submission. It
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| | mulch, and will eat it in varying
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| guaranteed at least 60 seconds of
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| | quantities. The coca bean shells can
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| harmless fun.Tiffany was also fond of
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| | contain from 0.2% to 3% theobromine (the
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| chewing gum (she chewed it -- wrapper and
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| | toxin ) as compaired to 1-4% in
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| all -- but didn't swallow it!) We had the
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| | unprocessed beans.OnionsOnions,
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| sugarless kind, which is often sweetened
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| | especially raw onions, have been shown to
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| these days with xylitol.Little did I know
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| | trigger hemolytic anemia in dogs.
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| that I might have been poisoning our
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| | (Stephen J Ettinger, D.V.M and Edward C.
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| family pet! (More on xylitol below).Why
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| | Fieldman, D.V.M. 's book: Textbook of
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| are grapes harmful?As far as grapes and
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| | Veterinary Internal Medicine vol. 2 pg
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| raisins go, no one is sure why they're
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| | 1884.) Stay away from onion powder
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| harmful. It's been confirmed that even
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| | too.PotatoesPotato poisonings among
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| grapes grown without fertilizers or
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| | people and dogs are rare but have
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| pesticides can be toxic to dogs. But not
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| | occurred. The toxin, solanine, is poorly
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| to every dog, and not every time. It's
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| | absorbed and is only found in green
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| also not known whether small amounts
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| | sprouts (these occur in tubers exposed to
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| eaten over a long time period could have
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| | sunlight) and green potato skins. This
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| a cumulative effect.What we do know is
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| | explains why incidents seldom occur. Note
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| that the end result in nearly all
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| | that cooked, mashed potatoes are fine for
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| reported cases of grape or raisin
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| | a dogs health, actually quite nutritious
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| toxicity is acute kidney failure. (The
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| | and digestible.Artificial
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| term "acute" means that the condition is
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| | SweetenersXylitol is used as a sweetener
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| severe and comes on quickly.) The dog
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| | in many products, especially sugarless
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| ultimately can't produce urine, which
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| | gum and candies. Ingesting large amounts
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| means they can't filter toxins out of
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| | of products sweetened with xylitol may
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| their systems -- a process essential to
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| | cause a sudden drop in blood sugar in
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| life.During the twelve-month period in
| |
| | dogs, resulting depression, loss of
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| which the effects of grapes were studied,
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| | coordination, and seizures. According to
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| the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
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| | Dr. Eric K. Dunayer, a consulting
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| handled 140 cases involving one or more
| |
| | veterinarian in clinical toxicology for
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| dogs. Over a third of the dogs developed
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| | the poison control center, "These signs
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| symptoms ranging from vomiting to kidney
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| | can develop quite rapidly, at times less
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| failure, and seven dogs died. The ASPCA
| |
| | than 30 minutes after ingestion of the
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| based their study on reported cases, so
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| | product" states Dr. Dunayer,
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| naturally there may be cases where a dogs
| |
| | "...therefore, it is important that pet
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| health is entirely unaffected by eating
| |
| | owners seek veterinary treatment
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| grapes. But until they know all the
| |
| | immediately."TurkeyTurkey skin is
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| facts, the Society advises against
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| | currently thought to cause acute
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| feeding pets grapes or raisins in any
| |
| | pancreatis in dogs, partly due to it's
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| amount.An ounce of preventionSo, your dog
| |
| | high fat content.Other foods listed by
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| just scored himself a big box of raisins.
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| | the ASPCA as harmful:Alcoholic
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| What's a pet owner to do?The first line
| |
| | beveragesAvocado (the only "fatty" member
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| of defense, if the grapes or raisins were
| |
| | of the vegetable family)Coffee (all forms
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| eaten recently, is to induce vomiting and
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| | of coffee)Moldy or spoiled foodsSaltYeast
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| administer activated charcoal (it absorbs
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| | doughGarlicThe Bottom LineThanks to a
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| toxins in the GI tract). Vomiting is also
| |
| | more educated public, fewer fatalities
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| the first sign that your dog is in
| |
| | from foods like chocolate are being
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| trouble, so skip right to the activated
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| | reported these days. But it's important
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| charcoal if vomiting has already
| |
| | to keep up with what's currently known
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| occurred. (In a pinch you can make your
| |
| | about foods and their effects on dogs
|
| own activated charcoal by charring a
| |
| | health. Grapes and cocoa mulch, for
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| piece of toast until it's blackened and
| |
| | example, were only discovered very
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| crumbles easily.) Then call your vet
| |
| | recently to have harmful effects.
|
| right away.Can't reach the vet? Call
| |
| | Check frequently with sources like the
|
| ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435The vet
| |
| | ASPCA, or sign up for the "Cold Noses
|
| will keep your dog on intravenous fluids
| |
| | News" and we'll keep you informed.
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| for at least 48 hours and monitor blood
| |
| | (You'll also get a bunch of cool dog
|
| chemistry daily. Normal blood work after
| |
| | stuff along with your free
|
| 3 days usually means your dog is in the
| |
| | registration).Of course, being alert and
|
| clear.Keeping a watchful eye out, of
| |
| | getting your pet to the vet promptly will
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| course, is the best way to keep your pet
| |
| | help assure a happy outcome if something
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| out of trouble. Like children, dogs (and
| |
| | unfortunate should happen.
|
| other pets) have a knack for getting into
| |
| | Here's to your dogs health and good
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| mischief when we're not looking.It's Not
| |
| | nutrition!Carolyn Schweitzer, a former
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| Just the Grapes...There are other foods
| |
| | family dentsit, is owner and editor of
|
| your dog should be kept away from, and
| |
| | several websites, including to view the
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| some of them may surprise you.Here are
| |
| | full illustrated article with links to
|
| some other foods that can put a dogs
| |
| | resource articles from the ASPCA such as
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| health in harms way:ChocolateWho can
| |
| | "How to Poison Proof your Home".Sign up
|
| resist chocolate? Like it your not, your
| |
| | for the "Cold Noses News" at to have
|
| dog.
| |
| | information like this delivered to your
|
| Chocolate is made with cocoa beans and
| |
| | mailbox.
|
| cocoa beans contain a chemical called
| |
| |
|
