Happy Pet Blog

photo by: ulrich himstedt

We’re coming up on the holiday season, a time of year in which many of us abandon our better dietary judgments and eat pretty much whatever we want. Unfortunately, some pet parents believe that this “free pass” on nutrition and overeating extends to their companion animals, too! I’d like to caution you against sharing any high-calorie or fatty foods with your lovable pets.

During this time of year, our companion animals generally spend more mealtimes with friends and family. You should make a special effort to alert guests at holiday meals that they should not share their food with your companion animal.

I’d like to tell you more about this…
Holiday Food For Your Pets

Hmmm, I don’t eat chocolate

Chocolates: How Toxic Can They Be For Your Dog?

By David P Lee - Guest Article

Very few would say they don’t love chocolates. Did you know that chocolate can be harmful to your pet dog? Chocolate can be toxic, but exactly how much chocolate must be ingested before an adverse reaction takes place?

Theobromine: The Offending Substance

A substance called theobromine is what makes chocolate a dangerous food to dogs. Theobromine is a xanthine compound that belongs to the same family that caffeine and theophylline do.

Read The Whole Article Here

Alert

Raisins - Grapes
Vomiting, Diarrhea and perhaps even kidney failure

Sugarless Gum - Sugarless Candy with Xylitol: This is a substitute sugar product and it can cause seizures in your dog. Xylitol will cause you dog’s blood sugar to suddenly drop.

Onions - Yes onions can cause irritation, anemia gastrointestinal damages and one whole small onion can even cause death!

Macadamia nuts can cause vomiting, mood changes, and even temporary paralysis of the hind legs. This usually does clear up on its own, but, they are terrible symptoms for your dog to have to go through.

And … nothing to do with food … but, a friend of mine has reported the temporary paralysis with his dog from drinking out of the local brook. He lives on a farm, and the farmer’s use of chemicals runs off into the brook, the free running dogs drink it, and bam … paralysis of the hind legs. Again, this is also temporary, but still…