| Compared to their sense of smell, dogs seem to pay a lot less attention
to their sense of taste. Apparently, they believe that if something fits into
their mouths, then it is food, no matter what it tastes like. In this, however,
they are wrong. Several common forms of people food are bad for dogs. Probably
one of the worst offenders is chocolate, in part because people think that they
are being nice to their dogs by giving them a bit of chocolate as a treat. (In
addition, chocolates are everywhere during holiday seasons, and it is easy to
leave an open box of chocolates on a low table within easy reach of a dog's mouth.)
The caffeine and theobromine (a related compound) contained in a single milk chocolate
bar can make a ten-pound dog very sick. Because darker chocolate means a higher
concentration of these compounds, an equal amount of baker's chocolate can kill
that same ten-pound dog. Onion and garlic are also on the banned list of dog foods.
The large amount of sulfur in these vegetables can destroy red blood cells in
dogs, causing severe anemic reactions. Even things that are not food can
be tempting to dogs. In Australia, an eighteen-month-old boxer named Kitty had
been eating poorly, and the medications prescribed by her veterinarian didn't
help. Kitty's owners brought her to another veterinarian, who decided to operate.
He re removed a twelve-inch bread knife from the dog's belly! Amazingly, there
was no serious damage, and at last report Kitty was recovering well. -------------------------------------------------
// ------------------------------------------------ Reprinted with permission
by Stanley Coren |
