Doggie Dangers

OK, I admit it. I’ll eat anything. I think it’s the Labrador in me but it might just be because I’m curious I might be missing out on a tasty treat. My daddy is always putting his hand in my mouth while we are out walking and dragging half swallowed substances from my oesophagus and telling me off when I eat conkers, foxes poo, dirt and other stuff I find lying around. He does feed me blackberries though which are lush.

Anyway, I’ve had a little read and come up with a list of things to avoid your doggie eating:

Chocolate – especially dark chocolate, as it contains a stimulant called theobromine which is poisonous to dogs
Raisins – grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas can cause kidney failure in dogs so no hot-cross buns!
Spring flowers – daffodils, crocuses and tulips
Ivy – eating ivy can cause all sorts of nasty problems
Bluebells – dangerous for our hearts
Adder bites – the European adder (viper) is the only venomous snake in the UK but can kill a doggie that gets bitten on his inquisitive nose
Anti-histamines – large amounts of anti-histamines can put me in a coma
Xylitol – Xylitol is an artificial sweetener commonly found in sugar free chewing gum, nicotine replacement gum, sweets and as a sugar substitute in baking. If we eat it we can get liver damage and brain damage
Ant powder – can produce respiratory depression, convulsions and coma
Slug & snail pellets – even small amounts of pellets can cause significant poisoning and death
Toads – the Common toad and the Natterjack toad might look tasty but we must not lick or eat them
Conkers – cause gastro-intestinal pain, drooling, retching, vomiting and diarrhoea
Rat poison – repeated exposure to these products can cause internal bleeding
Acorns – tannic acid can cause damage to the liver and kidneys
Food hazards – chocolate, onions, nuts, blue cheese, fruit cakes, puddings and mince pies can all be toxic to dogs
Christmas plants – holly, mistletoe and poinsettia are all toxic to us
Batteries – can cause chemical burns and heavy metal poisoning
Antifreeze – ingestion is very dangerous. It is sweet-tasting but can cause serious kidney damage and can be fatal
Painkillers – human tablets such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen or aspirin are all poisonous to us
Mushrooms / fungi – can be deadly to doggies as well as their owners
Salt – too much salt is bad for me no matter where I ingest it