A Quick Reminder About Dog Diets - Pet Parenting Quandaries #4

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If you’ve been following the blog, you’ll already know that I am a proud dog parent. I like to remind friends and family as the seasons change that certain foods aren’t good for their pups. Some of the people I encounter are stubborn, with responses of “I’ve always fed them X.” Those are a variation of the most dangerous words ever spoken: We’ve always done it this way.

Let me be blunt. I don’t care what you’ve always done, and that your dogs were fine back then. I care about the dogs living now, and the science that proves that certain foods are detrimental to their health. What if you could extend your dogs life? What if you hadn’t fed your other dogs those foods their whole lives and you got more time out of it? Wouldn’t you want more time?
Sometimes, understanding people’s logic is like smelling the color 9.

Did you know that macadamia nuts, nutmeg and walnuts are neuro toxins? That means if your dog eats them, they could have a seizure. You wouldn’t always see it happen, either. Once an animal, even a human, has a seizure, they are likely to have more. Each seizure causes brain damage.

Still think it’s worth the risk?

Onions cause the blood cells of dogs to explode.

Chocolate causes the heart to race, and could result in a seizure.

Grapes, apple cores, stone fruits, and many other foods are hazardous. But it doesn’t stop there.

Have you checked the ingredients of your snacks? Onion is literally in just about everything savory that we snack on. Some vets tell you not to allow your dog to have garlic, because it is related to the onion plant.

I mentioned nutmeg above. I’ve seen a number of dog cookie recipes that include this. It’s in pumpkin pie, and pumpkin spice flavored treats.

If you think handing your bud a piece of cookie is fine, because it doesn’t have the nut or other toxin in that spot, don’t forget that many of these substances have oils or break down and their essence spread through the rest of the ingredients in the treat. So, in the case of nuts, none of the cookie is safe. Would you give a piece of cookie to a child who is allergic to such things? No! That’s crazy to even ask. Then, why would you dare give it to your dog?

Certainly the size and weight of your dog is a factor, but only if they accidentally ingest the substance, and you need to treat them for poisoning. Onion, for instance, is a toxin that remains in their system their whole lives, and each bit adds up, poisoning slowly with increasing levels.
Just because they are giving you those big eyes, it doesn’t mean you need to cave. Be the pet parent they need you to be. As with children, you are there to take care of them, and they rely on your good sense to keep them safe.

♥

I tell Sadie, when she begs for things she can’t have, that I love her too much to bedamn her. (Bram Stoker’s Dracula – 1992)
Here’s a great list to get you started. It’s up to you to do more research. You want that extra time with your pooch.