What Foods Are Strictly Prohibited for Your Pet

How do I know if my cat is happy?

People who lack unconditional love and loyalty can get a pet to meet their needs. Nonetheless, such a step has its peculiarities, which not everyone is ready for. Thus, you become responsible for another living being and their health. That’s why before you get a pet, it is worth studying all the pros and cons of such a decision and read unbiased cat food reviews. Well, the nutrition issue is on the list of the key moments you should consider to avoid mistakes and not put a risk to your pet’s well-being. The problem is that this question is shrouded in numerous misconceptions, so people treat their furry friends with products that can bring more harm than good at best. If you want to become the best owner for your pet, you should exclude foods that can be dangerous for your four-legged favorite. Besides, bear in mind that the mentioned products are forbidden not only for those allergic to a certain product. If you decide to change your pet’s diet, watch its body reaction to every new product.

  1. Anything containing Xylitol

When you buy sugar-free gum, it can still be sweet. The same goes for various types of candies and cookies. The thing is, all these products contain a sweetener that can become a strong poison for your pet. And while people can consume it without a visible deterioration of their physical state, your pet will face the opposite effect since it negatively affects its liver and drastically lowers blood sugar. It is a real threat to the life of your furry friend. Thus, a dog or cat weighing 5 kg needs to eat only one piece of sugar-free gum to receive a toxic dose. About 14 minutes will pass before its blood level drops down, and your pet may start vomiting and experience loss of coordination.

  1. Alcohol and carbonated drinks

Unlike humans, our four-legged friends cannot break down and excrete ethanol, hops, and their decay products. The blood flow completely and instantly absorbs the latter, so you may notice changes in your pet’s behavior pretty soon. However, the key issues will stay hidden for a while since it is impossible to notice at once that the functioning of the liver and kidneys has worsened.

And mineral sparkling water may lead to the accumulation of gas in the pet’s gastrointestinal tract. This is a potentially hazardous condition in cats and dogs. Sweet, carbonated drinks are not useful even for humans, so it is not surprising it can become a real poison for a furry friend. Besides, such drinks contain either a large amount of sugar or sweeteners (xylitol, for example).

  1. Chocolate

Animals do not have enough insulin to convert sugar into glucose. The toxic dose contains about 7 grams of dark chocolate per 1 kg of an animal. That is, if a cat or a small dog eats even 50 gr of chocolate, you can lose your pet forever. If you have noticed that your chocolate bar or candies disappeared and your pet started vomiting, breathing heavily, or suffering from diarrhea or thirst, you must urgently go to your vet. Bear in mind that animals need more time to digest chocolate than you, so some time may pass before the first signs of poisoning. Besides, chocolate that you can find on the modern store shelves is dangerous even for humans because of ingredients like palm oil, emulsifiers, and vegetable fats. If you want to cheer your dog up, study gnc dog vitamins reviews to know what things your pet may require to improve its well-being but don’t treat it with chocolate in any case.

  1. Potatoes

Its raw form is a solanine source, a dangerous and poisonous substance both for people and animals. And its cooked variant is rich in carbohydrates and starch that leads to an increased glycemic index. And if your pet doesn’t lead an active lifestyle, it may suffer from obesity. The main problem is that animals cannot completely digest it, so their consumption may lead to diarrhea. Thus, there are no reasons to include this food in your pet’s diet.

  1. Freshwater fish

If you regularly feed an animal with freshwater fish, over time, you may notice that your pet suffers from a decrease in appetite, loss of vitamin B, and even urolithiasis. Thus, if there is an excess of fish in the diet, your pet may have serious health issues. Besides, bear in mind that freshwater fish is often contaminated with helminths. Thus, your pet should contain only marine fish and only in small amounts.

  1. Mincemeat

Store mincemeat is often made from stale meat in combination with slaughter products, dyes, and preservatives. Home-made mincemeat should be avoided since animals cannot digest it completely, and they feel hungry even after a big portion. Even kittens and puppies should be fed with small pieces of meat that they have to chew.

  1. Dairy products

Lactase production goes down with age, so your pet loses the ability to break down the protein in cow’s milk (lactose). Therefore, if you treat your pet with milk, it may provoke serious allergic reactions and result in skin rashes and even vomiting. Besides, if your pet has a weak pancreas, you should better exclude other dairy products from its diet since most types of cheese and yogurts have high-fat content that may provoke diarrhea and worsen the animal’s state.

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