Treats and Human Food: Safe, Unsafe and Toxic

Feeding pets from the table is one of the most common household habits, and most of the time it does no harm.

Some foods, however, are genuinely dangerous, and a few can kill. Knowing which is worth ten minutes of anyone's time.

This is general information. If your animal has eaten something on this list, contact a vet immediately rather than waiting to see what happens.

Chocolate is the best known.

Chocolate contains theobromine, which dogs metabolise far more slowly than people. It affects the heart and nervous system.

The risk depends on the type and quantity relative to the animal's size. Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain far more theobromine than milk chocolate, and white chocolate contains very little.

Signs can include vomiting, restlessness, rapid breathing, tremors, raised heart rate and seizures, and may take hours to appear.

Do not wait for symptoms. Contact a vet with the type of chocolate, the amount and your dog's weight, and keep the wrapper.

Xylitol is more dangerous and less known.

Xylitol, an artificial sweetener, causes a sudden and severe drop in blood sugar in dogs and can cause liver failure. Very small quantities are dangerous.

It appears in sugar-free chewing gum, mints, some peanut butters, sugar-free baked goods, certain medicines and some toothpastes.

Critically, it is now frequently labelled as birch sugar, which sounds natural and harmless and is the same substance. Checking labels matters, particularly on peanut butter, which is widely used to fill enrichment toys.

Suspected xylitol ingestion is an emergency.

Grapes and dried vine fruit cause kidney failure.

Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants can cause acute kidney failure in dogs. The mechanism is not fully understood, and the toxic dose appears to vary enormously between individuals.

Because sensitivity is unpredictable, any ingestion should be treated as potentially serious.

Dried fruit is the greater risk because it is concentrated and appears in a great many foods: Christmas cake, mince pies, hot cross buns, fruit loaf, cereal bars and trail mix.

Onions and their relatives damage red blood cells.

Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots and chives all belong to the allium family and can damage red blood cells, causing anaemia. Cats are particularly sensitive.

Cooking does not remove the risk. Onion gravy, stuffing, casseroles, curry, onion powder in crisps and many ready meals all contain enough to matter with repeated feeding.

Signs may develop over several days rather than immediately, and include lethargy, weakness, pale gums and rapid breathing.

Other risks worth knowing.

Cooked bones splinter and can cause obstruction or perforation. Never give cooked bones of any kind.

Corn on the cob is a classic cause of intestinal obstruction, since the cob does not break down and frequently requires surgery.

Macadamia nuts cause weakness and tremors in dogs. Alcohol is toxic. Caffeine affects the heart and nervous system. Very fatty foods can trigger pancreatitis, which is why Christmas and barbecue leftovers cause a spike in veterinary admissions.

Blue cheese contains a substance that can cause tremors and seizures in dogs. Raw bread dough expands in the stomach and produces alcohol as it ferments.

Lilies are a cat emergency.

Not a food, but it belongs here because it arrives in the house as a gift.

All parts of lilies, including pollen, are highly toxic to cats and cause acute kidney failure. A cat brushing past a lily and grooming pollen from its coat is sufficient.

If you have cats, do not have lilies in the house, and tell anyone who might send flowers. If a cat has contact with one, treat it as an emergency.

Safe options exist.

Plenty of human foods are fine in moderation for dogs: plain cooked chicken or turkey without skin, seasoning or bones; plain cooked fish with bones removed; carrot, cucumber, green beans, plain cooked sweet potato, apple without pips, and banana.

Xylitol-free peanut butter is useful for enrichment toys and for hiding medication.

Cats are less interested in most human food, and plain cooked chicken or fish is the usual acceptable option.

Introduce anything new in small amounts, and remember that anything given regularly should count towards the daily intake.

Treats need counting.

Treats should form a small proportion of daily food rather than being additional to it, and reducing the main meal slightly on days with heavy treat use keeps the balance right.

For training, use very small pieces. Dogs respond to the frequency of reward rather than the size of it, and a pea-sized piece works as well as a large one.

Dental chews, filled toys and puzzle feeders provide enrichment as well as food, and slowing eating is beneficial in itself.

If something has been eaten.

Contact your vet or the emergency service immediately, with the substance, the estimated quantity and the animal's weight.

Do not attempt to make an animal vomit at home. Some substances cause further damage on the way back, and vets have safe methods.

Keep packaging. The Animal PoisonLine, a service run by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service, provides advice to owners for a fee and can indicate whether veterinary attention is needed.

Share your experience.

Are there any other foods that you're aware of that our pets should not be eating?