Animal Health: Ten Things You Should Never Give A Companion Animal

SOURCE: http://www.nbc4.tv/news/2350037/detail.html, Copyright 2003
by NBC4 tv, By Dr. Karen Halligan (reprinted for educational purposes
only)

1. Make no bones about it -- bones are bad for animals! Every year
countless numbers of animals end up in the emergency room from being
given bones by their owners, usually as a treat. The fact is that
dogs are omnivores, not carnivores and most dogs and cats cannot
tolerate bones. They can splinter or lodge in the intestinal tract
with disastrous results, usually requiring surgery. They can also get
stuck in their mouth or throat, which is just as dangerous. All bones
are bad, including pork, chicken and beef. The next time you feel the
urge to give your dog a bone, just make sure it's a milk bone or a
nylabone. Your pet will love you for it.

2. Chocolate can be lethal to pets because it contains theobromine,
which causes increased heart rate, central nervous system stimulation
and constriction of arteries. Clinical symptoms range from vomiting,
diarrhea, restlessness, and excitability to cardiac failure, seizures
and death. This can occur as quickly as four to six hours after
ingestion. Baking chocolate is the worst because it contains the
highest amount of theobromine.

A potential lethal dose is only one pound of chocolate in a 16-pound
dog. If your pet has gotten into chocolate you should contact your
veterinarian immediately.

3. Alcohol is also very bad for cats and dogs. It doesn't take much
alcohol to intoxicate a pet. Animals will stagger and bump into
things,
hurting themselves, and it also causes them to urinate uncontrollably.

In high doses, alcohol will suppress the central nervous, respiratory
and cardiac systems and can lead to death. It is best to just give
your pet water.

4. Milk is also not good for animals because many of them are lactose
intolerant and will develop diarrhea. Pets often lack the enzyme that
is required to break down the sugar in milk and this can cause them
to develop vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Even though they like it, especially cats, refrain from giving your
pets milk.

5. Ham and other salty meats and foods are very dangerous to pets. In
addition to being high in fat, they are also very salty which can
cause serious stomach ache or pancreatitis. Also, large breeds of
dogs that eat salty food may drink too much water and develop a life-
threatening condition called "bloat." This is where the stomach fills
up with gas and within several hours may twist, causing the pet to
die. Please avoid giving ham and salty foods to your pets.

6. Onions are toxic to pets. They contain allyl propyl disulfide,
which damages their red blood cells and can cause fatal consequences
in animals. They may become anemic, weak and have trouble breathing.
The best thing to do if your pet ingests onions is to get them to the
vet right away.

7. Caffeine is also bad for pets. It contains methylated xanthine
that, like chocolate, stimulates the central nervous and cardiac
systems and within several hours can cause vomiting, restlessness,
heart palpitations and even death. So make sure your pets stay away
from that early morning brew.

8. Avocados are also bad for pets. First, they are really high in fat
and can cause stomach upset, vomiting and even pancreatitis. Second,
the pit is also toxic and can get lodged in the intestinal tract
leading to a severe blockage, which may require surgery.

9. It may come as a surprise to many that tuna fish is bad for cats.
The feline heart muscle requires an amino acid called taurine to
maintain normal strength and function. Regular tuna fish for humans
does not have this amino acid and cats that eat too much tuna fish
will develop heart problems. If you want to give your cats that taste
of tuna that they love, just make sure it is tuna fish for cats which
has this amino acid added.

10. The latest study has found that raisins and grapes can lead to
kidney failure in pets. Small dogs can also choke on grapes so it is
best to just make sure that your pets eat a well-balanced diet that
is formulated for their life stage.

Posted on SHARE Yahoo group Jun 5, 2004