What's Your Poison?

I've always known chocolate is toxic to dogs but it was only recently I found out from a neighbor that moldy black walnuts are also a no-no...not that I'd let Andy eat anything with mold on it anyways. While it's impossible to keep an exhaustive list in our minds of things that are toxic to our pups it is a good idea to at least be familiar with some common things around the house that can cause our dogs problems:

• people food (chocolate, avocado, macadamia nuts, etc.)
• medications for people
  
• chemicals (cleaning products, pesticides, etc.)
• household plants

Click here for a Top 10 list of dogs poisons as identified by WebMD.
Click here for an ASPCA list of People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
Click here for a comprehensive list of toxic and non-toxic plants from the ASPCA.

I was surprised to learn raisins and grapes are toxic to canines as well as xylitol, an artificial sweetener commonly found in sugar-free gum and candy. When it comes to things in and around the house that may be toxic to our pups we all need to be vigilant and let common sense prevail. I've always had a bad habit of sharing food with my dogs in the past. Thankfully I managed to not give them anything toxic in all those years but with Andy I'm trying really hard to avoid the issue completely. This will not only keep my boy slim, it'll also ensure I don't inadvertently poison him, and that I can eat my meals in peace. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it!