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Whilst
there are many items that we would all understand may be harmful to our
dogs, there are a few everyday items in particular that are less commonly
known for their potentially lethal effects;
chocolate, raisins/grapes, onions and some common house/garden plants.
Chocolate
The toxicity of chocolate is dose-dependent, so the larger the dog, the
greater the tolerance, but that doesn’t make this innocent sweet any
less fatal in the canine! Plain
chocolate (pure, unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder, sometimes known
as ‘bakers chocolate’) is the most dangerous.
Chocolate to which milk or other ingredients have been added is
less toxic. The toxic substance which chocolate contains is called
theobromine, a compound that is very similar to caffeine. Smaller
quantities of chocolate may cause only a little hyperactivity, similar
to what we might experience if we drank a bit too much coffee. If your
dog is showing signs of agitation, heavy panting, muscle tremors,
vomiting, hyperactivity, or even marked lethargy, consult a vet right
away. If you know your dog
has ingested chocolate that may have caused this condition, be sure to
explain this to the vet. Theobromine
does not ever completely leave the dog’s system, as do most other
foods. Research
shows that theobromine has a half-life of 17.5 hours. This means that
half of it has gone in 17.5 hours; in 35 hours another half of the half
that was remaining will have gone; and so on. We can go on and on for
ever and ever getting less and less, to be silly about it, but it never
gets to zero! So be careful about any amounts that may top-up the residue
from previous ingestion, as this could total an overdose for your dog.
A total ingestion of as little as 12oz of milk chocolate, or 4oz
of plain chocolate, could prove fatal to your dog.
Some Common Garden and Decorative House Plants
According to data compiled in the USA, the most commonly reported plants
with the potential to produce life-threatening problems in pets were
Lily, Rhododendron, Oleander, Sago Palm and Castor Bean.
Lilies
rank number one in the dangerous plant list, while the poisonous
component in lilies has not yet been identified, it is clear that with
even ingestions of relatively small amounts of the plant, severe kidney
damage could result, or even fatalities.
One UK breeder has had first-hand experience of the tragic
consequences of this, when a healthy puppy sold by him was killed at the
age of just 12 weeks after eating a decorative houseplant lily.
Rhododendron (Azaleas) are indigenous to many parts
of the UK and are also commonly used in landscaping as an ornamental
plant. Rhododendrons contain substances known as grayanotoxins,
which can produce vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, weakness and central
nervous system depression in dogs. Severe rhododendron poisoning
could ultimately lead to coma and death from collapse of the
cardiovascular system.
Oleander, Sago Palm
(Cycas revoluta) and other
Cycas species are native plants of the Mediterranean and Asia, but they are
frequently used as an ornamental plant in UK households.
They contain toxic compounds that can potentially produce
vomiting, diarrhea, depression, seizures and liver failure.
As with Sago Palm, the beans or seeds of the Castor Bean plant (Ricinus
communis) are the most toxic portion, as they contain the highest
concentration of poisonous component and are particularly dangerous if
chewed or crushed.
Grapes and raisins
Also toxic to your dog
even in quite moderate quantities. Although
the odd one or two here or there are unlikely to present any harm,
you may wish to give careful consideration to the storage
location of these foods, as
junior will not be indisposed to sneaking away with a bag full of them
while you’re not looking! We
are aware of one (adult) boxer who sadly died after ingesting a bag full
of raisins.
ONIONS !!!
Most people do not realize
that onions can actually be toxic to dogs and cats when consumed in
quantity. Small
amounts of onion are not a problem for most animals, but large
quantities cause some changes to the red blood cells (which are the
blood cells that carry oxygen around the dog’s body) such that they
cannot perform their usual function. The resulting anemia (deficiency in
oxygen-carrying red blood cells) is called Heinz Body Anemia. Another
reason not to give onions is that the foods that contain them are often
rich and fatty (e.g. fried onion rings, onion gravy, turkey stuffing
with onions, curry, etc).
We don’t mean to instill fear, only to give you the information that
you may not otherwise be aware of.
As with all other things in life, a sensible and moderate
approach is probably the best option.
Finally,
don’t overfeed your boxer. Most
boxers are walking food incinerators, they will consume most things in
almost any quantity that you can supply!
Aesthetically, there is nothing looks much worse than an obese
dog. Medically, they become lethargic, under exercised, stressed
organs and a medical nightmare.
Killing your dog with kindness is still killing it!
So if junior starts to accumulate too much fat, gently ease back the
quantity of food that is given and reassess the exercise routine, until
a happy medium is reached. Conversely,
if junior is looking a little underweight, gently increase the food
allowance to compensate (not forgetting to ease back slightly when the
desired weight/appearance is achieved),
In a case where you are becoming concerned about too much weight
– or if you’re concerned about too little weight – consult your
vet for appropriate advice before the problem develops too far.
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