Human foods - dangerous for pets?
Proper nutrition for your animals is a very controversial issue. Some dog and cat owners like to cook for their pets, some feed canned food, some dry food, some organic, some chose store brands. Whatever you decide upon make sure to check the labels, as you would do with products you buy for yourself. Many animal food manufacturers are adding less than nutritious ingredients, some of which are even dangerous for your pet. See more information on that topic in previous discussed articles.
We have received numerous requests and emails and therefore today’s topic is if kitchen leftovers or occasional “human” treats can be/should be fed. Yes, they can, but limit these foods to about 10 - 15% of the daily overall food consumption.
Your pet might enjoy the following:
Vegetables: Most vegetables are fine, except onion and garlic. (Some people swear that garlic is a good flea repellant, we would not recommend it though. Besides the fact that it does not get rid of fleas - from our experience). Vegetables can be fed raw or cooked, and if you have never done so, you might be surprised how much your pooch likes them. Avoid adding spices (salt, pepper) and introduce slowly by adding them to the meat/canned food/kibbles.
Fruits: Most animals like fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, berries, watermelons, bananas. Avoid acid rich food (oranges, grapefruits, etc.). Grapes should only be fed in moderation; too much can be toxic. Stay away from raisins, they are too sweet.
Rice and Pasta: These are carbohydrates, and a good addition to balance a meal. If your animal is overweight feed in moderation. Again, try to cook without salt.
Oatmeal (uncooked, traditional): Add some to your dog’s diet, it contains many vitamins and is high in fiber. A special treat: mix raw oatmeal with peanut butter, form small balls, and give as treats. You can prepare a batch and freeze them. If your dog is overweight, limit these treats due to high fat content.
Dairy Products: Low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese are safe. Be careful with milk though. The lactose in milk cannot be digested by dogs and cats and will lead to diarrhea. If you want to offer milk, use lactose free milk or buy special “milk” in pet stores (also available in certain supermarkets).
Eggs: once in a while a hard-boiled egg is a welcome addition. Avoid raw eggs - salmonella danger!
Meats: Red meat, chickens, turkey, pork are ok, but COOK it! Do not feed raw meat. The risk of bacteria is high, and again salmonella danger in chickens, turkey and pork.
Fish: avoid tuna that can contain a lot of lead. Cook/broil fish before feeding and make sure it does not contain fishbones.
Bones: Dogs like to chew, but we still advise against feeding bones on a regular basis. Once in a while a cooked beef bone (flat bone, not the hollow ones that might splinter) might be o.k. Preferably though give your animal chew bones that come in various flavors. Never feed chicken or turkey bones. These bones are prone to splinter and cause a choking hazard for your pet.
What NOT to give your pet:
Sweets (candy, cakes, ice cream) and by all means - don’t feed chocolate or food that contains cocoa or chocolate. The chemical theobromine found in chocolate is highly toxic for your animals, even in very small quantities. (Dogs and cats).
Chicken and Turkey bones. See above, they splinter easily, don’t feed them.
Avoid very fatty meat, or cooked chunks of fat.
