Bark with Me

Known Food Toxins To Dogs
Fruits, Vegetables, Food

Apple, Almond, Apricot, Peach, Wild Cherries, Plum, Balsam Pear, Prunes and similar fruit: Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, (Stem, Seeds and Leaves) The seeds of most fruits contain cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs as well as humans.

Avocados: The fruit, pit and plant are all toxic. They can cause difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart

Broccoli: reported to be pretty potent gastrointestinal irritant

Cherry: rapid breathing, shock, mouth inflammation, heart rate increase

Chocolate: seizures, coma, hyperactivity, rapid heart beat, tremors, death. Bakers chocolate is the most dangerous. A dog can consume milk chocolate and appear to be fine because it is not as concentrated but is still very dangerous.
• 1 oz per lb of body weight for (2 oz per kg) of body weight for bakers chocolate
• 1 oz per 3 lbs of body weight (1 oz per 1.5 kg body weight) for semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 oz per 9lbs of body weight (1 oz per 4 kg) for bakers chocolate
• Please keep in mind that these are only guidelines, and if you suspect your pet had ingested chocolate, please keep an eye out for ANY signs of poisoning! Every dog reacts differently to quantity.
Coffee/Tea: Drinks/Foods: containing caffeine or sugar may cause many of the same symptoms chocolate causes

Cooked Bones: uncooked bones should be safe but if they are cooked you should refrain because they deteriorate and easily splinter. Can cause extensive damage to internal organs and passage ways, may times resulting in death.

Mushrooms: acute gastric effects, liver and kidney damage, abdominal pain, nausea, salivation, vomiting

Nutmeg: tremors, seizures and death

Tobacco: nausea, salivation, vomiting, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)

Onion: (cats are more sensitive), gastrointestinal upset, hemolytic anemia, heinz body anemia, hemogloinria, destroys red blood cells

Grapes, Raisins, Prunes: kidney failure, as little as a single serving of grapes or raisins can kill a dog. It takes anywhere from 9 oz to 2 lbs of grapes and raisins (between .041 and 1.1 oz/kg of body weight), to cause severe vomiting and diarrhea, and possible kidney failure

Salt: excessive intake can cause kidney problems

Scratching is a common symptom in dogs, and a whole range of underlying causes can be responsible. If your dog is scratching, it is advisable to seek treatment as soon as possible, as self trauma can cause secondary injuries that may extend the duration, and cost, of treatment. So, if you have noticed your dog scratching, what should you do about it?

Firstly, ask yourself when was the last time I put anti-flea medication on him/her? Most spot-on flea products only provide protection for a month, so if it has been longer than this then you should re-apply the medication. Be aware that anti-flea products that are on sale in supermarkets and pet shops are general sales list products, and are not as effective as the products available from your veterinarian. However, Frontline® has recently been made available on general sale and so can be purchased without a prescription.

If flea treatment is up to date, with a reputable product, the next step is to rule out mites. Most anti-flea products do not kill mites. The most common type of mite infection in dogs is sarcoptic mange, also known as scabies. This mite causes an intensely itchy dermatitis that can also be transmitted to humans. It is often spread by foxes, so if you have many foxes in your area, this is one to be especially aware of. This is one you have to approach your veterinarian for. Scabies is diagnosed either by doing skin scrapes (using a scalpel blade to scrape debris from one of the affected areas, placing it on a microscope slide, staining it and examining it under a microscope) or via a blood test. Many vets though will choose to simply apply the appropriate drug and if the itchiness stops, a presumptive diagnosis is made. If your dog does have scabies, your vet might give a one off steroid injection to alleviate the itchiness in the short term until the anti-parasitic drug kicks in.

If external parasites have been ruled out, the next step is to rule out a bacterial infection, a yeast infection or ringworm. Of these, only ringworm is potentially transmissible to humans. Ringworm is not actually a worm, but a type of fungus. It is usually tested for by examining the affected area with an ultraviolet light, which causes a certain type of ringworm spore to glow green. If ringworm is diagnosed, your vet will dispense either oral or topical medication to cure it. Bacterial infections are treated with a 2-3 week course of antibiotics, whereas yeast infections are usually treated with a medicated shampoo.

If parasites, bacteria, yeasts and ringworm have all been ruled out then your pet probably has an allergy. This could be a food allergy, a contact allergy or an environmental (e.g. pollen) allergy.

Source: ArticlesAlley