Good For People, Bad For Dogs

ORLANDO. (KFSN) -- Most pet owners consider their dogs part of the family, which means tossing them the occasional table scrap. But while you probably know that chocolate is very bad for dogs, you may not know that the sugar substitute "xylitol" is also deadly. It can be found in some peanut butters. Here's more on some other human foods that pose a danger to your pets.

You probably think raw meat is a rare treat for your dog, but they are just as prone to Ecoli and salmonella sickness as people. So cook it first, or keep raw meat out of reach at the next family barbecue.

Grapes and raisins are another no-no. They don't affect all dogs, but they can cause kidney failure in some.

Lisa Mason, DVM, CCRT, DVA, a veterinarian at FloridaWild Veterinary explained, "It's just like with people. Every person is different in their metabolism in what they can and can't eat. Every dog is a little bit different as well."

What about other fruits? Bananas are okay, and so are apples as long as you don't feed them the seeds or core.

If your dog is simply begging for a piece of fried chicken, try to resist those puppy-dog eyes. Fried and fatty foods can cause pancreatitis, a potentially life-threating disease.

If you loaded your food with onions and garlic, avoid throwing the scraps to your dog. These come from the allium species of plants which can damage your pet's red blood cells and cause anemia.

Sticking to just plain old dog food is always the safest bet, but some dog foods are better quality than others. You'll want to research the company behind the brand.

"You might be paying higher quality for the label on the bag or the color of the bag, but it's all coming from the same place as your lower quality meat," Mason told Ivanhoe.

When in doubt, you can go to truthaboutpetfood.com to learn more about where your dog food comes from. Also, the ASPCA has a free app that lists all foods and plants that are toxic to your pet, whether you have a dog, a cat, a horse or a bird.

For More Information, Contact:

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

424 E. 92nd St

New York, NY 10128-6804

(212) 876-7700 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. ET)