Keep that off your dog's menu

When you see good ‘ol Oprah sitting with her pooches posing for a not-so regular family album you feel that’s it—that’s the relationship I want with my dog. It’s only natural that if you are a dog lover you will treat him/her like family, and inevitably pamper and spoil them silly. You will think because you are entitled to eat anything you want, so is your dog! Fact is, your metabolism and your dog’s operates on completely different levels. What you may deem fit to eat, can not only severely upset their digestive system but can be so hazardous that it can even lead to death. In a bid to cut the unintended overfed chord here’s a list of top five food items that you shouldn’t pass on to your dog regardless of his puppy dog face, and his Garfield-like appetite…

Onions and garlic: Strong taste elevators and a must-have in Indian cooking, powdered, raw, cooked, or dehydrated—basically any form of garlic and onion—can affect a dog’s red blood cells and lead to anemia. Both contain sulfoxides and disulfides that damage red blood cells. The immediate after-effect can be as visible as weakness and vomiting, to less visible ones such as disinterest in food, dullness, and breathlessness.

Chocolate, coffee, tea and anything that has caffeine: The toxic agent in chocolate known as theobromine can be toxic for your dog. Found in white and dark chocolate both, eating too much chocolate can cause your dog to vomit, have diarrhea and can leave them excessively thirsty. It can also lead to disrupted heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. Consumption of caffeine in any form in large quantities however can be fatal for a dog and has no antidote. Caffeine is usually found in cocoa, colas, and Red Bull.

Raw eggs: Forget the egg shampoos that are supposed to be good for your hair. Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin which decreases the absorption of biotin (Vitamin B) and can in turn lead to skin problems and loss of hair. Another problem with feeding your pet raw eggs is that it can possibly contain bacteria like Salmonella and E Coli, which can lead to food poisoning.

Salt: Too much of the white drizzle isn’t good for you or your dog and can lead to electrolyte imbalance. And therefore, chips, packaged nuts, basically anything that contains high amount of salt is poisonous for them. Too much salt intake can cause excessive thirst and urination which can in turn lead to vomiting, depression, tremors, seizures and a high temperature.

Grapes and raisins: Often used as chase-the-grape reward and treats, it’s best not to go there. An unknown toxin in both grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. And just a small amount can even make them violently sick. Repeated vomiting is a sign that all’s not well, followed by weakness and depression in dogs.

Alcohol: Anything that contains even the slighest amount of alcohol is a definite no-no, however amusing and egalitarian it may seem chugging down bottles while your dog laps up the intoxicant. Alcohol has the same effect on a dog’s liver and brain as it has on humans, and it takes far less to completely damage their liver. Central nervous system depression, problems with coordination, difficulty in breathing, coma and even death can be caused by liqor consumption in dogs. Moreover, the smaller the dog, the greater the effect.

So, no matter how exciting Bowser beer (one-of-a-kind homegrown beer from USA) seems for your dog, don’t buy the clever marketing gimmick that claims–‘bowser beer is for dogs…seriously!’

The safe bets however are lean meats, removed of all fat trimmings, apple, oranges, bananas, watermelons once you’ve removed the pips, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, zucchini, baked potatoes, and cooked white rice and pasta. That’s key to making sure your dog continues to stay a part of the happy family portrait.