It’s a simple pleasure to share a meal with your dog. They love human food and you love spoiling your pet. However, that “treat” may actually be causing harm to your best friend; adding up to vet bills later and even a shorter life.
The Dangers
We don’t think too much about how much fat is in that bite of bacon or the amount of sugar in that spoonful of ice cream when we hand it over to the big brown eye staring at us beneath the table. And while your dog doesn’t have to fit in that dress for the wedding next month, in most cases your dog is a lot smaller than you with a body that is not used to eating all that “junk” we put in our own bodies every day.
Here’s a snapshot:
- 1 slice of bacon can have as much as 28g of fat and 175mg of sodium
- ½ cup of vanilla ice cream can have 14g of sugar, imagine what double mocha chip fudge has
- ¼ of a McDonald’s® regular hamburger has roughly 133mg of sodium, 3g of fat, and 2g of sugar
- 10 French Fries from frozen department can have 194mg of sodium and 3g of fat, if you buy them from McDonald’s, sodium goes up to 266mg and fat 19g
(source: Nutritiondata.self.com)
In addition to the fat, sugars, and sodium that can wreck havoc on your poor dog’s digestive system, many things we eat are poisonous to dogs and they may be hidden in something you think is safe.
“Most table scraps have empty calories, which can lead to obesity. They can also contain spices and flavorings which are potentially dangerous to your dog,” cautions Katie Pottenger, pet nutrition expert and CEO of Parker’s, A Natural Dog & Cat Market. “High fat foods can cause pancreatitis which can be fatal. Cooked bones can splinter and puncture the intestines. While sugary foods can lead to diabetes, and sugar-free foods can contain xylitol which is poisonous. Grapes and raisins, macadamia nuts, onion, chocolate and caffeine are all very poisonous to dogs.”
“In addition to high amounts of fat and sugar, you should also avoid salty foods,” adds Dr. Denise Petryk, DVM, Trupanion’s Director of Veterinary Services. “Too much salt can cause excessive thirst, urination, and in some cases, sodium ion poisoning.”
Even Dr. Oscar Chavez, Chief Medical Officer for JustFoodForDogs™ and an advocate to feeding human-grade “real” food to dogs, warns about the health issues that can associated with common table scraps.
He says above all else, do not give your dog:
- Onions and garlic
- Most nuts, but especially walnuts and macadamia nuts
- Chocolate
- Grapes and raisins
- Fatty Foods or anything deep-fried: chicken skin, fried chicken, french fries, and fat trimmings from our leftovers. These can promote pancreatitis or obesity.
- Some cheeses may be too rich or contain molds and aren’t recommended for dogs.
- Moldy breads and baked goods
- I would avoid raw tomatoes as they may contain a toxin for dogs
- I would avoid raw potatoes or potatoes that have sprouted as they too can contain a toxin
What’s Safe
Of course, you can give your dog special treats, just make sure they are good for them and in moderation.
“As treats, people food can include table scraps, however, relying solely on a diet of table scraps could also be dangerous (just as you wouldn’t give a diet solely of treats),” explains Dr. Chavez. “It would not be balanced long term and could lead to deficiencies. Just like in our own nutrition, there are good and bad people foods. The table scraps cannot make up more than 10% of the pets’ daily calories, the other 90% should from a complete and balanced recipe, DIY kits, for example.”
Dr. Petryk recommends the following foods that are pet-friendly and low in fat and sugar (as long as you haven’t smothered them with butter, sugar, or fat!):
- Carrots
- Watermelon
- Peanut Butter
- Yogurt
- Sweet Potatoes
- Apples
- Bananas
- Green Beans
- Asparagus
- Pumpkin
The Trupanion blog has several great resources about foods safe for pets and foods you can share with your dog. Above all, talk to your vet about what your dog needs for her specific health needs.
