1. Anything with Sweetener Xylitol

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that can be found in many sugar free products that can cause insulin release that would lead to liver failure, seizure and brain damage, to name a few.

2. Chocolate, Coffee and Caffeine

Contains the substance Methylxanthine that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, to name a few. Dark chocolate has more Methylxanthine than milk chocolate. Baking chocolate is the worst.

3. Onion, Garlic and Chives

In all forms (powdered, raw, cooked etc.), these foods can cause gastrointestinal irritation in pets and could lead to red blood cell damage. While cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if they consume enough of any of these foods.

4. Raw/undercooked meat, Eggs and Bones

Raw meat and eggs can often contain bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, which can be harmful to both pets and humans. According to medical sources, raw eggs also “contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems.”

Raw bones can also be very dangerous for domesticated animals, as they can choke on them, and the bone splinters can get stuck or puncture your pet’s throat and digestive tract.

5. Grapes and Raisins

Watch that glob of fruit salad you dropped on the ground, and keep the oatmeal and raisin cookies from Rover.

Although experts haven’t nailed down exactly what the toxic substance is residing in grapes and raisins, they say it’s best to avoid giving them to dogs, as they can cause kidney failure.

6. Salt and Salty Snack Foods

Salt, as well as salt-heavy foods like chips and pretzels, can lead to excessive thirst and urination, and even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Some signs that your pet may have consumed too much salt include vomiting, diarrhoea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death.

7. Nuts

Nuts, including almonds, pecans and walnuts, contain high amounts of oils and fats, which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and even pancreatitis in pets. 

According to medical sources, macadamias are especially dangerous for pets. They can cause weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia.

8. Alcohol

“Under no circumstances should your pet be given any alcohol,” according to medical sources. Alcohol has the same effect on your dog’s liver and brain as it does on a human’s — but it only takes a little to do a lot of damage.

If a dog consumes just a small amount of alcohol, it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, central nervous system depression, problems with coordination, difficulty breathing, coma and even death.

9. Medications

While these aren’t foods, common medications can cause serious health problems for your pets, so it’s important to keep them locked in a safe place. If common medicines like ibuprofen (fever) and acetaminophen (headache) are ingested by your dog, they can cause serious damage.