For dog owners, it’s a nightmare scenario. While cooking a delicious meal, you turn your back for a second, and the next thing you know, one of your key ingredients has been eaten in one gulp by a four-legged bandit.
Not knowing what to do, you furiously start Googling, “Is _____ okay for dogs to eat?” and at the same time try to find your dog’s veterinarian number on speed dial.
All of us have been there one time or another.
To help you out, here’s a handy list of 10 potentially toxic items around the house you should make sure your dog can’t access. Since we already highlighted the ills of chocolate for dogs, here are 10 other things to look out for.
10 Common Household Items Toxic to Dogs
- Grapes and raisins
Your dog may be longingly looking at you while you nibble on a bowl of grapes but unfortunately, grapes and raisins are highly toxic to dogs.
Though the exact cause of the toxicity is still unknown, it can be fatal as ingesting the fruit in any form can cause sudden kidney failure.
There’s no specific reaction by breed, weight, age, or gender so avoid this fruit at all costs.
- Garlic, onions, and chives
Though members of the allum family (garlic, onions, chives, etc.) can really add something extra special to a number of recipes, they can be very harmful to dogs.
Thiosulfate, which is present in the allium family, can cause damage to dogs’ red blood cells.
Interestingly, garlic is significantly more toxic to dogs than other members of the allium family and affects certain breeds more than others, with negative effects primarily for Japanese breeds of dogs including the Akita and Shiba Inu.
If your dog has eaten some garlic, keep an eye on them as garlic poisoning can take days to show up.
- Alcohol
Dogs are also susceptible to experiencing issues with alcohol, with even small amounts found in ingredients or foods such as syrups or bread dough presenting them with issues.
Ethanol and hops (which you’ll find in beer) can lead to issues ranging from vomiting to high body temperature to muscle tremors.
- Macadamia nuts
Though dogs do not experience issues with all types of nuts, macadamia nuts pose toxic risks for our fur babies.
Again, even a small amount of macadamia nuts can be harmful to dogs though most occurrences can just be treated with home care and monitoring.
- Sugar-free candy and gum with xylitol
For a number of us humans, sugar-free candy, gum, and other items offer a healthier alternative to enjoy some sweet treats.
Unfortunately, the sugar substitute used in these products, xylitol, is extremely harmful to dogs and even one piece of sugar-free candy can potentially be fatal for a small dog.
In the case of any sugar-free human treats, keep these away from your dog and safely contained.
- Some types of lilies
Though lilies can be a beautiful addition to your apartment or home, certain types of lilies can be dangerous for dogs.
The peace lily, calla lily, amaryllis, lily of the valley, autumn crocus, and the common houseplant, giant Dracaena, or palm lily are all known to have a toxic effect for dogs.
Though the toxicity is usually just an upset belly, a dog eating a lily of the valley should be monitored as this flower has particular issues for dogs that can lead to hospitalization.
- Over the counter human medications
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as Advil or Aleve, can cause significant stomach issues and even kidney failure if just one to two pills are ingested by a dog.
In addition, acetaminophen, present in Tylenol, will harm dogs in large doses.
Other human medications have additional side effects so we recommend ensuring you keep all of your medications n a safe and secure location.
- DEET-based bug repellents
Yes, we all want to avoid getting bit by mosquitos especially as the weather starts to get warmer but mosquito repellents with DEET are toxic to dogs causing possible tremors and seizures based on the amount ingested.
- Laundry detergent
Similar to how we don’t want humans eating Tide Pods, we also want to make sure dogs don’t drink or eat laundry and dishwashing detergents.
A large number of detergents being ingested can make your pack member sick so avoid keeping laundry products and or other cleaning products within their reach.
- Coffee (and other products with caffeine)
Though humans can easily consume a couple of cups of coffee, dogs’ body chemistry reacts differently, and depending upon the size of the dog as well as the amount of caffeine consumed, there can be significant negative effects.
Ensure that tea bags, ground coffee, and diet pills, which routinely have caffeine are not within reach as even moderate amounts can due to a lot of harm.
As with all of these cases, we recommend first and foremost reaching out to your veterinarian to get a professional diagnosis on what to do in case a non-human member of your pack ingests any of the “Toxic Ten.” They will be able to provide the best course of action for you and pup.
In the meantime, take care and make sure to watch what you’re cooking with around the house!