Dog Safety For Your Furry Friends

I received this information from my kids' school some time ago.  I definitely figured it was something I needed to share.  I am a HUGE dog lover.  When I was helping my husband install satellites for a short time I was always quick to befriend their four-legged family members and I'd know the names of every dog before I knew the names of every human.  lol.  We have three Chihuahuas and two puppies right now in our home.  I don't just have 4 children... right now I have NINE!!  So taking care of my dogs and making sure they're safe is just as important to me as taking care of my two-legged children.

Dog Safety and Food to avoid ~

Even though we're "not supposed to" give our dogs table scraps, we do it anyway.  I love my dogs and I enjoy treating them like family.  We all know that chocolate is dangerous but what else should you avoid sharing with your pets?
Some Foods dogs should not eat:

1. Grapes or Raisins - Can cause kidney failure in dogs
2. Onions - Destroy red blood cells and can cause anemia
3. Chocolate - Can cause seizures, coma, and/or death.  Baker's chocolate is especially dangerous.  A dog can consume milk chocolate and appear fine because it is not as concentrated, but it is still dangerous and should be avoided.
4. Coffee, Coffee grounds, tea and tea bags - Anything containing caffeine can cause many of the same symptoms as chocolate.
5. Macadamia Nuts - Can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis.
6. Animal fat and friend foods - I know we enjoy giving our dogs some french fries but excessive fat can cause pancreatic.
7. Bones - Can splinter and damage a dog's internal organs (only give COOKED bones)
8. Tomatoes - (never heard this one before but I don't think I ever had a dog like tomatoes) can cause tremors and heart arrhythmia.
9. Avocados - Is entirely toxic.  They can cause difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen, and heart.
10. Nutmeg - Can cause tremors, seizures, and death.
11. Apples, Cherries, Peaches, and similar fruits - Anything with a pit or seed.  Just like with humans, the seeds are poisonous.  Unlike humans, dogs do not know to stop eating when they get to the seed or pit.
12. Raw eggs - Also just with humans, eggs can cause salmonella poisoning in dogs. Food poisoning isn't as likely with dogs but it's still possible.
13. Salt - Excessive salt intake can cause kidney problems.

Keep your dogs safe and help them live a long healthy life!