I’m one that likes to give the Furkids human food and I know I’m not alone when it comes to this. Before I give them a new food, I check the Internet to find out if what I want to give them may be poisonous (toxic) to dogs.

There are just as many people that believe in feeding dogs human food as their are those that don’t. Then there’s the group of people that can take one food item and differ in their belief as to whether or not it’s toxic or not.  One web site link leads to another and another and another and suddenly it’s an hour later when all I wanted to know was “is this food ok to feed to my dogs?” Some days my head gets dizzy from trying to figure this all out.

I don’t always need to know what a toxic food does the a dog, I just need to know before I give it to them “Is this food poisonous, yes or no?” It’s time to make a simple, alphabetized no-frills reference list. I found this list on the Morristown-Hamblin Humane Society web site where their list also provides foods toxic to cats. The list below has been updated to include a few things that weren’t on the original list and modified on 03/17/2012.

Ultimately *YOU* ARE RESPONSIBLE!

Keep in mind that if a food is not listed here, doesn’t mean it’s ok to give to your dog. This list is not complete and may never be complete because new things are found out all the time through research. I don’t believe there’s any way that anyone can truly keep up with a list like this. Do some research before feeding your dog human food (ie Google your butt off!). Ultimately you are responsible for what you feed your dog.

You don’t have to necessarily intentionally feed these foods in order for your dog to ingest them. Keep trash containers out of reach. Some dogs can be real determined when trying to get into the garbage. Secure the lid with a lid lock if you need to and find other ways to keep the trash away from your dog.  If you’ve got a counter-surfing dog and you leave dirty dishes on the counter or in the sink – you need to break that habit. Either rinse the dishes in hot water completely or better yet, put them directly into the dishwasher instead. Don’t forget about the tidbits of leftovers on the coffee table after the football game.

Of course, when in doubt just DON’T FEED IT! In reviewing this page tonight I found a great resource from VetInfo.com that gives more information on some of the foods on this list. I have no doubt there are other terrific resources out there as well. Google is your friend!

Human Foods You Should NOT Feed Your Dog

• Alcohol
• Avocodo
• Baby foods (can contain onion powder)
• Broccoli (in large amounts)
• Candy or other foods that may contain the artificial sweetener Xylitol
• Canned soups – read the labels! Many contain some kind of onion.
• Chocolate (contains Theobromine which can very quickly be fatal – chocolate also contains caffeine)
• Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars (second hand smoke can cause cancer in dogs, too!)
• Citrus oil
• Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
• Fat trimmings (can cause Pancreatitis)
• Garlic – controversial – Some people give it to their dogs to ward off fleas and ticks and supposedly it  works!
• Grapes or raisins
• Guacamole (duhhh! contains Avocado!)
• Hops (used in home brewing)
• Human vitamins containing iron (can damage the lining of the digestive system)
• Liver in large amounts – As part of a raw diet liver would be part the total 10% required of the total organ meat allowance. Liver contains iron which contains iron oxide which cannot be digested by dogs.
• Macadamia nuts – May cause gastric distress, lethargy, weakness and hind end paralysis.
• Pear pips, kernels of plums, peaches, apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide poisoning)
• Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
• Rhubarb LEAF
• Moldy or spoiled foods
• Mushrooms
• Nutmeg
• Nuts = Macadamia, Walnuts
• Onion (includes onion powder & flavorings – anything onion) – Foods that contain ONION salt, powder or flavoring of any kind – become an obsessive label reader!
• Raisins and grapes (damages the kidneys)
• Raw Potatoes
• Tomato leaves, skin and stems (green parts)
• Tuna (canned and fresh carries the risk of Mercury contamination)
• Turkey skin (cooked)
• Voltarin (in arthritis medication) – Fatal
• Yeast dough