PART of responsible pet ownership is ensuring your pet gets the most nutrition and the right kind of food, in addition to regular grooming and exercise. Sometimes, you feel like sharing your food with your beloved furry friend. However, the food you prefer may pose hazards to their health or even claim their lives. Here are some tips. Chocolates contain a toxin called theobromine that is hard for pets to metabolize. So, keep your chocolates away from your curious pets. Caffeine, similar to chocolates, is toxic to pets and may lead to restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, and even seizures. Not just coffee, alcohol should be avoided completely because alcohol poisoning will not only cause them diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, tremors, and coma, but it is fatal. Aside from ingesting salt directly or drinking salty water, salty foods can be other sources of salt that can harm your pet. Salt is poisonous to pets if taken in excessive amounts. Grapes and raisins are popular human snacks, but they can lead to renal failure in pets. While many advocate raw feeding for pets, raw meat, fish or eggs may contain disease-causing germs and bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli, which can cause food poisoning. Even when cooked, bones might cause fractures on your pet’s tooth, and splinters can be potential choking hazards. They can also puncture your pet’s digestive tract and cause serious infections or injuries. Whether raw, dried, cooked, or powdered form, the toxins found in onions and garlic are harmful to pets. These can cause damage to your pet’s red blood cells and lead to anemia. Other manifestations of onion and garlic poisoning include vomiting, breathing difficulties, and weakness. Milk products are not recommended, as these are among the leading sources of allergens for dogs. Meanwhile, cats are lactose intolerant, so feeding them milk and dairy products can cause stomach problems. Avocado may be a superfood, but it contains a toxin called persin. When ingested, it can cause sterile mastitis among your lactating pets and myocardial necrosis among birds and mammals. (SD-Agencies) | 