Treats That Can Kill Pets

If you are like most pet owners, you love to give your pets treats and want to make sure that they have the best in nutrition. As humans, we commonly enjoy our fair share of treats and may be tempted to offer some to our pets, but there are some that are dangerous. And some treats that you may give your pets can be very harmful, even fatal to them. It is important for you to know what treats are safe and healthy for your pets, and what you should always avoid giving your dog as a treat and what household items you should always keep away from your pets.

One item that you should always make sure that your pets do not ingest is alcohol. Pets are even more apt to experience adverse affects to alcohol than humans and there are many signs that your pets may have ingested alcohol that include the following:

• Changes in behavior

• Depression

• Excitement

•Increased amounts of urination

• Decreased respiratory rate

• Cardiac arrest

• Death

Other substances that you should always avoid your pets from getting into include chocolate. Chocolate can be dangerous to your pets and not because of the high fat content. It contains caffeine, which is dangerous to your pets and also contains the ingredient theobromine, which is dangerous to pets. Some of the signs that your pet may have ingested chocolate include:

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Restlessness

• Hyperactivity

• Muscle twitching

• Increased urination

• Excessive panting

• Increased heart rate

• Increased blood pressure

• Seizure

Artificial sweeteners are also very dangerous to your pets. They contain the ingredient xylitol, which can be harmful to them. Some signs that your pet may have ingested artificial sweeteners include:

• Drop in blood sugar

• Weakness

• Lethargy

• Loss of coordination

• Collapse

• Seizure

Try to make sure that you are doing your best to protect the health of your pets by keeping them away from these dangerous ingredients. If you feel that your animal may have ingested any of the ingredients, seek help from your vet as soon as possible. Some animals depending on their size may take longer to react to certain ingredients than others so it is important to watch them carefully and keep them away from substances in your house that humans enjoy as treats but are dangerous to pets.