We cannot list ALL things that are dangerous to dogs, but here are a few.
By taking the time to understand the various plants and their levels of
toxicity for dogs you can avoid costly vet bills and even more serious conditions.
Depending on the type of plant either the leaves, stems, bark, roots or fruit can be
toxic. Some plants are only toxic at various times in their growth stage whereas others
are always poisonous. For information on each type of plant the Internet, your vet, or
even a plant and gardening book is great resource.
Garden Plants
Believe it or not some of the most common garden plants are also the most deadly.
Tomato plants, both the leaves and the stems, can be toxic to dogs. St. John’s Wort,
an herbal plant, is very toxic leading to vomiting and seizures. Other garden plants
that can be problematic include:
· Apricot
· Avocado
· Black Cherry
· Black Walnuts
· Castor Beans
· Catnip
· Chokecherry
· Eggplant
· Garlic
· Mushrooms
· Mustard plants/greens
· Onion
· Peach
· Plum
· Potato
· Pokeweed
·Raisins - Cause acute Renal Failure
· Spinach
Fencing the garden area or monitoring if the dog is actually eating the plants within
the garden is important. When in doubt completely isolating the garden from the area
the dog is kept is a great idea.
Ornamental Outdoor Plants
Everyone loves to have their yard area looking great, but not at the expense of his or
her animals becoming ill. Some of the showiest of the flowering plants are also the
most deadly, including Oleander and many of the flowering shrubs. The list of the
most common flowering and ornamental plants that are frequently found in gardens
are:
· Amaryllis
· Baby’s Breath
· Bird of Paradise
· Black Eyed Susan
· Bleeding Heart
· Bluebonnet
· Boston Ivy
· Calla Lilly
· Chrysanthemums
· Cyclamen
· Daffodil
· Daisy
· Elephant Ear
· Easter Lilly
· Ferns
· Flamingo plant
· Geranium
· Honeysuckle
· Hyacinth
· Hydrangea
· Ivy
· Jade plant
· Lantana
· Larkspur
· Marigolds
· Morning Glory
· Peony
· Primrose
· Rhododendron
· Tiger Lily
· Yucca
There are many other beautiful garden flower that can also be deadly, so be sure to
check with the nursery or garden shop before planting them in the same area that you
are planning on keeping your dog.
Indoor Plants
Many of the house plants including ferns, dieffenbachia, pothos, ivy, philodendron,
and even poinsettias are very toxic to dogs. Corn plant, peace lilies and any of the
ornamental tobacco plants can be very dangerous for both full-grown dogs and
puppies.
If you think that your dog may have consumed a poisonous or potentially poisonous
plant immediately get them to the vet. Bring a small amount of the plant with you,
including the leaf and the flower, to help with identification
Alcohol
Just because alcohol may be all fun and games for you, doesn't mean it is for
Fido. You may find it entertaining to watch your dog get drunk and stagger
around, but because they get drunk quicker than humans, they can consume
enough alcohol to cause alcohol poisoning unexpectedly fast. It is recommended
that no alcohol at all should be given to your dog (not even beer).
When drunk, dogs may become disoriented and possibly cause themselves and/or
others injury. They may also throw up. (Sound familiar?)
If your dog drinks too much alcohol and gets alcohol poisoning, he or she may
slip into a coma or even die. It's not worth it.
Anti-freeze
Okay, if this one comes as a surprise, you probably shouldn't be allowed to own
a pet at all. It may seem strange to include anti-freeze on this list, but dogs love
the taste of it. Obviously, it has some serious negative effects, including kidney
damage, so be sure to keep it out of paws' reach.
Avocado
Avocados are high in fat, and so, may cause an upset stomach, vomiting, or in
extreme cases, pancreatitis (see Fatty Foods).
The other dangerous element in avocado is persin. This can be more harmful
than the fat content, and causes heart and lung damage. This warning also
applies to guacamole.
Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the least dangerous things on this list; it only harms dogs
when it makes up more than 10% of their diet. After that, the isothiocynate in it
causes a upset stomach.
Caffeine
Caffeine can be harmful to humans as well as dogs. Canines, however, can react
to caffeine not only by getting hyper, but can also develop a rapid heartbeat,
tremors, and even seizures. So be sure to store your caffeinated pop, tea, and
coffee carefully.
Chocolate
As the previous two write-ups have already mentioned, chocolate can easily
become deadly for dogs. The risky ingredients in chocolate are caffeine and
theobromine. If ingested, it can cause hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea,
increased urination, rapid or irregular heartbeat, tremors, and seizures.
Just because your dog doesn't react right after he or she has eaten chocolate,
doesn't mean there isn't going to be a problem. Many times, there aren't any
visible effects for hours. Since death can occur within 24 hours, it's better not
to take any risks. Bring your dog straight to a vet.
Wondering what amount of chocolate can be harmful for dogs? Moore's Haven1
says:
1 ounce per pound of body weight (56 grams per kg of body weight) for milk
chocolate.
1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight (28 grams per 1.5 kg of body weight) for
semi-sweet chocolate.
1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight (28 grams per 4 kg of body weight) for
baker's chocolate.
Dairy
Like lactose-intolerant humans, dogs lack the enzyme to digest dairy. Believe
me, if you ignore this, you'll be punished. Dairy causes gas build-up and will be
extremely bad smelling. It can also cause just as fragrant diarrhea.
Eggs (Raw)
As you may already know, salmonella thrives in this kind of environment, and
that can be harmful for your dog. The other danger of raw eggs is the avidin in
it. This deprives your dog of a B vitamin: biotin. Biotin deprivation can lead to
weakness and hair loss, or worse, retardation of growth and skeleton deformity.
Fatty Foods
Dogs vulnerable to pancreatitis can have attacks triggered by fatty foods. Dogs
with weight problems, of course, should avoid them. Other than that, dogs can
usually handle more meat and fat than humans are used to. Consult your vet if
you're not sure.
Grapes and Raisins
Just six grapes can put your dog in serious danger. Although no one has
determined exactly what makes dogs sick, it has been documented to cause
vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, lethargy and kidney failure.
It is not unusual for dogs to die from grape or raisin consumption.
If your dog has eaten them, induce vomiting and administer activated charcoal.
Hospitalize the dog immediately.
Liver
Liver does not sound like it should be included here, but it can actually be pretty
damaging for dogs. Liver contains a ton of vitamin A, and too much of it causes
hypervitaminosis A: vitamin A toxicity. To avoid this, no more than three
servings of liver should be given to a dog, and never raw. If your pet is already
taking vitamin A supplements, he or she shouldn't have any.
Vitamin A toxicity leads to loss of appetite, weight loss, and deformed bones.
Macadamia nuts
Macadamia nuts' effects on dogs also have not been thoroughly researched, but
it has been determined that dogs may react after only 6 nuts. Some reactions
can be fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, swollen limbs, muscle weakness
(especially concerning the hind legs) and paralysis in the hind legs. Luckily, dogs
recover without treatment and with no long-term effects.
Medications
Just like humans, dogs shouldn't be given any medication not prescribed to
them. Even drugs like aspirin and Tylenol shouldn't be given to him or her
unless a vet has recommended it.
Mistletoe
This is obviously something that shouldn't be ingested. Dogs who manage to get
at and eat mistletoe experience vomiting and abdominal pain.
Mothballs
You would probably never knowingly feed your dog mothballs, but you should
take special precaution in keeping them away from your pet. The naphthalene in
them can cause muscle tremors and seizures.
Mushrooms (Wild)
Some kinds of mushrooms can be poisonous. If you allow your dog to eat the
wrong kinds he or she can experience abdominal pain, anemia, and liver and
kidney damage, so keep an eye out while you're walking him or her.
Moldy or Spoiled Food
Make sure to keep your garbage cans tightly sealed, because food that's gone
bad is also harmful for dogs. If they eat the wrong foods, they can get diarrhea,
start vomiting, have seizures, and damage internal organs.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg acts as a hallucinogen in large amounts, and can have serious
consequences, including tremors, seizures, and even death.
Nuts
Even when they are not macadamia nuts, the high phosphorus content can leave
your dog with bladder stones.
Onions (and Garlic)
One small onion can contain enough thiosulphate to prove fatal for your dog.
Although small amounts can be used safely in dog food, too much onion or garlic
(but especially onion) can cause loss of appetite, vomiting, confusion, diarrhea,
anemia, and increased heart rate.
Plants
Lilies, daffodils, and foxglove may look good in your garden, but they sure don't
go well with a dog's diet. Some more of the dangerous varieties of plants are
oleander, rhododendron, azalea, yew, rhubarb leaves, and cycads, but it's best
not to let your dog nibble any houseplants.
Potatoes (Green)
Cooked potatoes are actually healthy and nutritious for dogs, and even raw
potatoes aren't usually dangerous, but if the potato is a green colour, it probably
contains solanum alkaloids, which can be harmful. This is pretty rare, as these
alkaloids are not easily absorbed, but it is still something to watch out for.
Salmon (Raw)
Salmon Poisoning Disease is a serious disease that can kill your dog in a matter
of days. If he or she eats raw salmon, some reactions from it can include
lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, bloody diarrhea (which may also be bright
yellow) and death. If you have a suspicion that your dog may have had raw
salmon, get in contact with a vet immediately.
Salt
Too much salt is bad for humans and dogs. In the latter, it may cause
pancreatitis, stomach problems, and bloat (this can occur when dogs drink a lot
of water too quickly after having salty foods, which traps gas in the intestines
and may ultimately kill them).
Keep in mind that play dough, especially the home-made variety, contains a lot
of salt and may cause salt poisoning if your dog gets into it.
Sugarless Gums and Candies
Watch out for the sugar substitute "xylitol". If a dog eats much of it, it can cause
a dangerous drop in blood sugar as well as liver damage.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain atropine, which can negatively affect your dog. Ripe tomatoes
are the least dangerous of these, followed by unripe. The most unsafe part of the
plant are the leaves and stem.
Yeast Dough
As yeast dough is designed to rise, it can do so in your dogs intestines. When
the yeast dough expands, it can create uncomfortable gas, and even rupture your
pet's stomach or intestines. Even small amounts can rise dangerously.
More...
Some other things to watch out for are corn cobs, which can be choked on, and
any fruit with seeds or pits that can be swallowed. Some of these pits and seeds
contain toxins, such as arsenic in apple seeds and apricot pits.
Although it's good to keep your dog hydrated, he or she shouldn't be allowed to
drink stagnant water, as it may contain parasites and harmful bacteria.
Miscellaneous Feeding Tips
Plastic dishes may seem like a good choice, as they can't be broken, but they
can cause allergic reactions on a dog's chin. These dishes can also harbour
bacteria and hold onto to odours. Picky dogs may reject their food because of
this. Metal or ceramic dishes are a safer choice.
Bloat can be painful and even life threatening, so if your dog is susceptible to it,
be sure to raise his or her dog dish onto a stand or table so it is at shoulder
level. This way, a lot less air will be swallowed.
Let your dog have some time to digest his or her meal before exercising.
None of this should stop you from letting your dog enjoy a variety of foods, but
make sure to research the possible consequences before changing his or her diet.

Things that are Dangerous to Malamutes
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Copyright © 2005- - Elizabeth Chandler - Missouri Malamutes - Pucky Huddle Pups Farm
Alaskan Malamute Puppies
Missouri Malamutes
Alaskan Malamute Puppies
Missouri Malamutes
Jeff and Beth Chandler ~ Viburnum, MO 65566 573.743.3507 ~ 573.604.1290 beth@missourimalamutes.com
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