Dogs will pretty much eat anything at any given time, but not all edible items are healthy. Even ingredients you see often in dog food and treats should either be given in cautious moderation or not at all. Despite their delicious taste and enticing smell, there are several food items that you should avoid when sharing table scraps or treats with your dog.
#1 – Cooked Bones
Cooked bones can be very dangerous for dogs to eat. Not only were they often cooked in such a way that is unhealthy and even harmful to dogs, the bones can break and splinter, puncturing the digestive tract. Dogs can also choke on broken pieces of bone or have larger pieces become obstructed in the intestines. No matter how tasty you and your dog think cooked bones are, do not feed them to your pooch.
#2 – Fat Trimmings
Fat trimmings are bad for humans so it should go without saying that they’re bad for our dogs too. Excess fat can lead to more than just obesity in our canine companions. Pancreatitis is a real problem for many dogs and can be a very deadly disease and fat trimmings are known for being a culprit.
#3 – Cat Food
For whatever reason, most dry and wet cat foods smell and taste delicious to dogs. While they certainly won’t be harmed by getting into it every so often, continuous consumption is unhealthy. Cat foods are much higher in fat and protein and low in nutrients necessary for dogs, so eating it frequently can lead to obesity and malnutrition.
#4 – Marrow Bones
Marrow bones are perfectly fine for some dogs, but many heavy chewers will break their teeth on these bones. Raw, untreated marrow bones are your best option if you’re going to give them to your dog, as the added artificial flavors and colorings are typically unhealthy and toxic over time. Be careful to make sure your dog doesn’t break off any pieces of the bone, because they can become obstructed in the intestines.
#5 – Pig & Beef Ears
Like marrow bones, pig and beef ears can make a perfectly healthy treat choice for our dogs. Unfortunately, swallowing them whole or in large chunks can pose a choking and obstruction hazard. Plain, untreated ears are relatively healthy, but those with added flavors are much less so.
#6 – Salt
Salt doesn’t seem like something your dog craves, but it’s in a lot more dog foods and treats than you might imagine. Just like humans, dogs can start to crave salt in their food and if you decide to switch to a healthier option, they may be hesitant at first.
#7 – Sugar
Sugar is also surprisingly found in a lot of dog foods and treats and is completely unnecessarily added. Sugar is not good for dogs and just like people, they will start to crave it when it’s removed from their diet.
#8 – Bacon
Bacon is known for its delectable scent, its delicious flavor and its unhealthiness. Although many dog foods and treats are bacon flavored, it’s not healthy to give often and you should never share cooked bacon with your dog.
#9 – Rawhide Treats
Rawhide can also be safe for many dogs to consume, but swallowing large chunks or whole treats can be very dangerous. This can lead to obstructions, choking and other issues. Like other chews made specifically for dogs, avoid added flavors and get only plain, untreated treats.
#10 – Cow Hooves
Cow hooves are dangerous for moderate to heavy chewers because, like cooked bones, they splinter into sharp pieces. This can puncture your dogs mouth, throat and digestive tract and lead to serious issues. Swallowing large chunks can also pose a choking and obstruction hazard.
