Food is an integral part of our being. We eat food to survive and thrive. However, some food items are potentially harmful to our pets#39; They may cause a wide variety of problems which include mild diarrhoea to potentially fatal vomiting and hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Some foodstuffs are lethal, which may again lead to acute kidney injury, liver injury, bleeding, or worse, death.
In today’s blog, let us understand more about some of the common toxic foodstuffs found in our kitchens, what are the harmful effects of certain food items, what exactly happens, etc. Today’s blog aims to enlighten pet parents about the common foodstuffs available at a home that may lead to these problems, as mentioned above if accidentally ingested.
Let’s get straight to the blog-
1. RAW ONIONS & GARLIC
While most Indian households have onion and garlic at home, which is an integral part of curries and are responsible for making veggies and technically speaking all food dishes are tastier; they are incredibly harmful to our pet dogs and cats.
What happens?
It, leads to anaemia with less RBC, thus triggering a cascade of life-threatening problems.
Garlic, too, is somewhat similar to onions in the damage they cause to the RBCs. So, next time when you cook something tasty, which includes onions and garlic, ensure that your pets are pretty far away and that they do not accidentally end up eating onion/garlic as a whole or in the form of curries and veggies.
2. COCOA
Well, who doesn’t love chocolates and hot cocoa drinks? If you have a sweet tooth or if you are a chocolate lover who has a fair amount of Cocoa in powder form or in the chocolate form in your kitchen, read further-
What happens?
Cocoa powder comes from cocoa beans which contain the Theobromine compound. This causes cardiotoxicity and can trigger a cascade of life-threatening events as it can affect the respiratory system, central nervous system, and kidneys. Cocoa is present in the following % percentages in chocolates: Dark Chocolate: 45-80% (Dark chocolate comes in a variety of formulations and thus, cocoa% differs in each.)
3. Milk Chocolate: 30-40 % White Chocolate: It has cocoa butter rather than Cocoa in its pure form; thus, it can be said that these are safer as compared to the other mentioned chocolate categories yet, one cannot be taken lightly as they too can cause health issues.
4. COFFEE
While you may enjoy a nice cuppa in the early mornings, your pets may want something else which doesn’t contain caffeine as it has a similar action to that of Cocoa and chocolates. Also, it is interesting to note that some dogs and most cats can be lactose intolerant. Which means they cannot efficiently digest milk. If your pet is not lactose intolerant, they can enjoy a small amount of milk with a pinch of turmeric. Keep an eye out as large quantities of milk can cause indigestion and flatulence.
5. STALE BREAD/ROTIS
Some dogs might accidentally ingest old roti or bread, which could be left on the kitchen counter. It usually happens with younger puppies as they are inquisitive and have a minimal idea about good and evil. Stale bread kept outside overnight may contain fungus and bacterias. which can cause a wide variety of health derangements, including diarrhoea, vomiting, anorexia, and many such related health complications.
What you can do is –
1. Ensure your puppy is being trained and disciplined.
2. They are fed at regular intervals so that they don’t end up food-hunting in garbage bins or kitchens.
3. Make sure your pet is dewormed at proper intervals.
4. Provide good nutritional supplements during the growth period.
These food items are quite easily accessible in our kitchens and thus, pose a threat to our pets. Make sure that you have kept these items away from your inquisitive fun furry friend. Their safety is our duty. You can always give them dog/cat treats or dog food or home-cooked food which does not contain spices or any other items which
