What your dog CAN & canNOT eat!

People tend to feed pets whatever they themselves r eating. My cat, raised on cat food pellets was lost for 30 days and managed to find his way home and developed a penchant for human food, ie. chicken curry. In an effort to give my dogs more fibre, we fed them carrots & lettuce for snack. Then I began to worry whether these may hurt them, in the long run.

After reading some posts & comments by various people who had bred dogs, I will caution mom that dogs have different digestive tract make-ups from humans.

This site gives a list of what & what not to feed them & why:

http://www.risingwoods.org/OURFAMILY/THEDOGS/knowntoxicfoodsfordogs.htm

For example:

• Table scraps (in large amounts)
  Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.
• Grapes and raisins
  Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys.
• Human vitamin supplements containing iron
  Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.
• Milk and other dairy products
  Some adult dogs and cats do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea. Lactose-free milk products are available for pets.
• Mushrooms
  Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.
• Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder)
  Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia.Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.
• Yeast dough
  Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.
• Fat trimmings
  Can cause pancreatitis.
• Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources
  Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
• Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine
  Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous systems.
• Tobacco
  Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.
• Marijuana
  Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.

See the full list...

http://www.risingwoods.org/OURFAMILY/THEDOGS/knowntoxicfoodsfordogs.htm