The holiday season is a festive and joyous time of eating delicious new foods. It is especially delightful to think of sharing your beloved food as a yummy treat to your beloved pet. However, research has shown that there are some foods your dogs shouldn’t eat. From familiar foods like chocolate to a few less widely known ones like grapes, here are the top five foods dogs can’t eat.

1. Chocolate

The question “can dogs eat chocolate?” is asked fairly often. In short, the answer is “no,” but why is chocolate bad for dogs?

Chocolate and dogs don’t mix; at all. Dogs can’t eat chocolate foods and foods containing chocolate in any capacity. Even one drop of chocolate can make a dog sick to their stomach, but as the American Kennel Club explains, “Chocolate contains both theobromine and caffeine, both which can speed the heart rate and stimulate the nervous system of dogs.” The AKC also makes mention of the fact that some chocolates are far more fatal than others, with cocoa powder ranking in at number one. If you have a dog that mostly stays inside, the best option is to make sure that chocolate is out of reach and put away.

2. Avocado

Are avocados bad for dogs? Can dogs eat avocados? These questions aren’t always asked, but they should be. While avocados work great on toast, they don’t work well with dogs.

We as a human species have an undying love for avocados and as the fruit has gotten even more popular over the years, some dog owners may not be aware that it’s one of the many foods dogs can’t eat. Avocados and dogs stomachs aren’t friends for two main reasons, as the AKC also explains. Avocados contain persin, which is excellent for people but results in possible severe health complications that are not so good for animals. Another concern is the pit; its awkward size makes it easy for dogs to choke on and thus why it’s one of the foods you should not feed your dog.

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Want to know which foods are healthy for your dog? We can help with that:

The Best Diet to Keep Your Dog Healthy

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3. Coffee

It’s no secret humans love to start the day with a cup of coffee, but can dogs have coffee?

Sharing a cup of coffee before the business of the day is a great way to start your morning, but don’t share it with your dog. Coffee is another category of foods dogs can’t eat because of coffee grounds. If your coffee grounds are left out, and your dog gets to them, they are hazardous to your pup’s health. The Pet Poison Helpline tells us that just like chocolate, coffee grounds contain theobromine. Theobromine in large doses is fatal to your dog.

4. Chips

We all know it’s nearly impossible to stop after eating just one chip, but can your dog eat potato chips at all?

Chips aren’t the healthiest for people, and salt is precisely the reason why chips are labeled as one of the foods that are bad for dogs. In moderation, sodium can be a beneficial part of your dog’s diet, but too much of it can be dangerous, even deadly. An informational blog for pets, Cuteness, points out that too much salt can cause a dog to be thirsty and therefore urinate more, which can eventually lead to kidney problems. Talk to your veterinarian about how much sodium your dog’s diet needs.

5. Grapes

They are full of nutrients for humans and protect against a number of health conditions, so can dogs eat grapes as well?

The American Kennel Club list grapes (and raisins) as foods dogs can’t eat, but no one has yet to discover the exact reasons why. In small doses, these can prove to show no effect, but it’s different for each dog, and there’s no determining factor. Grape consumption by dogs has been linked to kidney failure in some cases and should be kept out of reach from your dogs.

All in all, it is important to be careful about what you feed your furry friend. While tossing some leftovers under the table seems fun and playful, it could lead to some serious health issues. Whether you are looking for some facts about dogs or need help keeping your yard free of dog waste, be sure to contact POOP 911 today!