Don't feed it to the dog!

Goldie in December 1998.  This is one of my favorite pictures of her.  She's less than happy about being in her Christmas outfit.  

Our cockapoo, Goldie, is 16 years old.  Since she's an old lady now, I've been giving her lots of human food.  This is a real treat for her since I've never been one to routinely feed dogs people food.  I figure at this point, she's earned it.  As most of us know, some foods can't be given to dogs.  I was really surprised to find out about some things that I would've never thought could be bad for a dog.

1.  Chocolate -  This is the one most of us know.  All chocolate is bad for dogs, but dark chocolate is the most dangerous.

2.  Grapes and raisins -  I was shocked to learn that these can cause kidney failure.

3.  Xylitol -  A sweetner found in gums, like Spry, can cause liver failure.

4.  Garlic -  Can destroy red blood cells and cause anemia.

5.  Onions -  Same as above.

6.  Avocado -  Large amounts can be toxic to dogs.

7.  Macadamia nuts -  Can be fatal if ingested.

8.  Tomatoes -  Vines, leaves, and stems of the plant are toxic.  Very ripe tomatoes are less dangerous.  

9.  Nutmeg -  Large amounts can be fatal.

10.  Alcohol -  It's not great for us in large doses either.  Remember, they are smaller than us and are more susceptible to damaged organs as a result of alcohol.

11.  Dairy products -  Can cause digestive problems and allergies.  (FYI, they're not good for humans either.  More on that later.)

12.  Fat trimmings -  Can cause pancreatitis in dogs.

13.  Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) -  Can cause kidney failure in dogs.