Say No To Fido!

Human snacks are not always safe for our pets.

Should your dog have snacks? Of course they should!! To pet lovers, our fur babies are family and we want to spoil them just as they do us with their unconditional love. Being our constant companion is worthy of goodies, treats and so much more, but extra care must be taken when choosing safe snack options for our beloved pets.

Pets are like humans in that they can have food sensitivities. There are foods that are toxic to dogs and should never be eaten by them. Your vet will have the best knowledge of safe snacks for the breed of your fur baby, but I’ll list a few snacks I made for my allergy ridden bundle of lovable joy.

Rottweilers are loyal, loving and obedient.

My Rottweiler would suffer through recurring ear infections. No matter how carefully I cleaned his and monitored his ears, there were constant, red, swollen flair ups. I began tracking and monitoring when these episodes would occur. I gave this detailed information to my veterinarian who worked to resolve these painful infections once and for all.

My veterinarian eventually narrowed my dog’s allergies down to meat based food products with fish based foods being the exception. After switching my dog to a fish based diet, the ear infections ceased.

When it came to treats, I closely monitored what I gave to my giant fur baby. At a young age, I began giving my beloved dog, Zeus, carrots to help with his dental care and to keep him snack-happy. I was able to spoil him with low calorie treats that kept his teeth clean and I had the joy of seeing his face light up when he received them. Although carrots are a healthy snack option, they are not a meal for your pet. All edibles should be given in moderation and in proportion appropriate to the size and age of your dog to avoid choking or other issues.

What a gorgeous, healthy smile!

Keeping raw, sliced sweet potatoes refrigerated in a container is another yummy, tasty treat that my Zeus enjoyed. Some dogs prefer them oven baked although it’s perfectly ok to give your dog washed, raw slices of this sweet treat. It is important to note that sweet potatoes should definitely be given in moderation due to the high sugar content. Too much sugar has the same effects on dogs as it does humans. In dogs, it could lead to bad dental health or even diabetes.

If your pet enjoys the taste of chicken or beef, a cool treat that pets L-O-V-E are broth cubes. Simply, pour low sodium broth mixed with water into an ice tray, freeze and sparingly place cubes in your pets bowl and watch the joy on their faces as they consume this savory snack.

Another chilled option is non-dairy pet brand ice creams that are sold at some major grocery stores. They are totally pet safe, but NEVER feed your dog real dairy products, especially cheese!

A sneaky but tasty way to get your pooch to take a pill if they are being medicated is to insert the pill in a tiny amount of low sugar or sugar-free peanut butter to get them to swallow it. There are numerous pet toys on the market that allow for peanut butter insertion, such as “Kong”. Please note that peanut butter can be high in sugar and fat. Please give it to your pet in moderation.

While we consider pet’s family, they are not human and can’t eat as humans do. Below, I’ve listed a few human edibles that you should NEVER feed your pet:

This delicate treat is toxic to dogs.

CHOCOLATE

This delectable favorite of many humans is downright deadly to your dog. Due to an ingredient called “Theobromine”, your beloved pooch could experience severe side effects including death, so keep this tasty sweet safely out of the reach of your dog.

GRAPES

Mother Nature created this bite-sized burst of juicy goodness to be almost irresistible to humans, but keep it out of the mouths of your adorable fur baby. Renal failure is one of the more severe side effects in dogs caused by eating grapes so let’s save this treat for humans.

CHICKEN OR TURKEY BONES

Thin pieces of bone shards could easily become stuck or embedded in the throat of your dog which could lead to choking or worse.

GARLIC

While dogs can safely consume garlic “powder” in some pet safe recipes, NEVER feed your dog actual garlic and while you are at it, leave onions off the list also.

Who could say no to this face?

So say no to "Fido" when it comes to feeding him snacks that are harmful to him. For a more extensive list of foods that are harmful to your pet, please consult your veterinarian and consider performing an internet search of pet toxic foods until your next vet visit.

My wish is that your pet lives a long, happy and healthy life. They can’t tell us when something is wrong or hurting them so if something doesn’t seem normal, please contact a veterinarian. Many facilities provide 24 hour care.

Please consider pet adoption. Open your heart and home to a loving, loyal dog.