-By Libby

Good Dog Nutrition: Snack No-No's and Foods to Avoid

Many dog lovers want to know more about dog nutrition. "What's good to feed my dog, and what's not?"

Below is a list of items to avoid feeding your dog.

By the way, I'm working hard trying to find evidence against the widely known "fact" (please notice the quotation marks) that chocolate is bad for dogs. I spend several hours every week down at the University Library looking for evidence to the contrary. I believe the theory is an attempt by dog owners to have more chocolate around the house for themselves.

~ Very Rich or Fatty Foods ~

These foods can trigger pancreatitis (inflammatory disease of the pancreas) in pets. Pancreatitis is more common in dogs than cats and signs include vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and loss of appetite.

~ Chocolate ~

Most people know that chocolate can be deadly for dogs. It can cause increased heart rate, tremors, and over-excitedness, depending on the type and the quantity ingested.

Carob is a safe and delicious alternative to chocolate, and is widely used in dog treat recipes.

~ Raw or Undercooked Meat ~

Raw or undercooked meat may contain bacteria such as Salmonella or E. Coli which, when consumed, can cause vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. It's as dangerous for pets as it is for humans.

~ Moldy foods ~

I seriously doubt that you, a dog lover, would ever feed your dog moldy food in the first place. But you should know anyway that moldy foods may contain certain mycotoxins, which, if ingested, can cause tremors, shaking, or seizures.

~ Onions ~

True, onions make for bad breath. But worse, they're bad for the health of your dog. (Cats too.) Onions contain a substance called N-propyl disulphide, and pieces of raw or cooked onion - even onion powder - can cause damage to red blood cells, which could result in anemia.

~ Garlic ~

Garlic is still safe for your pet to wear around her neck to ward off those pesky vampires, but it can be dangerous for her to eat. Garlic is in the same plant family as onions, so it contains a similar offending substance, although to a lesser degree. Best to avoid it.

~ Macadamia Nuts ~

When picking out a souvenir for your dog on your next trip to Hawaii, leave the macadamia nuts on the shelf - go for the hand painted Hawaiian shirt instead. Macadamia nuts can cause muscular weakness and tremors in dogs.

~ Rising Bread Dough ~

Move your rising bread dough out of the reach of your dog! Eating it could be deadly. If your dog helps himself, his body heat will cause the dough to rise in his stomach. Alcohol is produced during the rising process and the dough may expand to several times its original size. Signs of bread dough ingestion include: severe abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, loss of coordination and depression.

~ Grapes and Raisins ~

Some types of grapes and raisins have been shown to cause kidney failure in dogs when eaten in quantity. The connection between grapes or raisins and kidney failure is unclear right now, but the issue is being studied closely in the veterinary community.