The Dog is considered to be best man’s friend; together, they have survived for a long time and, for that reason, they created a strong relationship that persists until today. Currently, the number of households owning dogs is rising across the world, showing the importance of these animals in our society.
Despite the importance of dogs to mankind, some people ignore essential details about their care which not only means a risk for them but also involves unnecessary expenditure of money at the vet. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), reported that the average household spends around $227 per dog every time they consult a veterinarian.
Dog owners often are concerned about the nutrition of their pets. Although they want to feed them with the best, people sometimes make mistakes using foods that have ingredients that are potentially dangerous. This issue has been increasing with the appearance of BARF diets which use raw food instead of commercial products. Regardless of the benefits that BARF diets can bring, these can be risky if people do not look to the advice of a professional.
Coming up next you will see some nutritional information about dogs and how to save some money by avoiding unnecessary visits to the vet.
Dogs should not eat onions
Although people eat onions commonly in every meal without problems, dogs do not tolerate this vegetable.
High quantities of this food could trigger undesired symptoms (lethargy, weakness, etc.) in your dog that can threaten its life. The toxicosis for onion consumption is due to a chemical component called ‘thiosulphate’ which can destroy a canine’s red blood cells and produce severe anemia.
Grapes and raisins
According to ASPCA, using fruit in dog diets could bring a lot of benefits because they have high levels of vitamins and other essential components.
However, it is important to know which fruits are healthy and which are not. For example, grapes and raisins are extremely dangerous because they can produce vomiting and diarrhea as a consequence of acute kidney injury.
Bones
Experts in BARF diets recommend to include bones in dog meals because they contain essential minerals like calcium and phosphorous that are necessaries to keep vital processes in the body.
However, they also specify that not all the bones are suitable and advise that you only use the fleshy ones (beef ribs, turkey head, etc.). When a dog eats bones that are not fleshy, they have the risk of suffering a bowel perforation which is a critical condition that only can be solved by surgery.
Chocolate
A lot of dog owners like to spoil their pets with cookies or candies. However, they have to be aware that not all these products are good for their dogs. Chocolate, for example, has an ingredient that canines cannot digest correctly, producing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures. To avoid this, veterinarians recommend that people only use products that are specifically made for dogs.