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