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Feeding table scraps to dogs

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 2:42 pm
by Dot
Dogs are experts in knowing exactly when their human parents are preparing to eat, and you’ll often see them hanging around even before you know it’s dinner time. But is feeding table scraps to dogs actually safe?

There are three main risks associated with feeding table scraps:

Pancreatitis
Toxicity
Obesity
Pancreatitis in Dogs
Everyday meals at home, and especially around Christmas and holiday times, are synonymous with gatherings and celebrations, involving deliciously rich sauces, cheese, bacon, sausages, and creamy desserts.

During food preparation or while enjoying a meal, we are easily tempted to offer off-cuts of fatty meat or other fat-rich foods to our furry family members, but this can be quite risky.

Unlike humans, a dog’s gastrointestinal system cannot handle a diet high in fat.
In fact, this can trigger a nasty cascade of events leading to pancreatitis.

What is pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis is a severe inflammatory disease affecting the pancreas.

The pancreas is the organ responsible for digestive enzyme and insulin production.
Under normal circumstances the digestive enzymes are activated once they reach the stomach, however, with pancreatitis the enzymes are activated too early, in the pancreas itself, setting up a painful and potentially life-threatening condition known as an acute abdomen.

Symptoms of Pancreatitis in Dogs
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Lethargy
Fever
Collapse
Treatment for Pancreatitis in Dogs
It is best to avoid pancreatitis in the first place. Keep rich fatty foods out of reach of your dog (including securing the household garbage bin) and do not offer your pet leftovers after dinner.

Pancreatitis in dogs needs to be addressed urgently, usually with intravenous fluid therapy, strong pain relief and sometimes antibiotics if indicated. Treatment continues until the pancreas settles down and the inflammation has resolved. Without prompt treatment, pancreatitis can be fatal, so be sure to immediately consult your vet if you suspect your dog has pancreatitis.

Foods That are Toxic to Dogs
Besides fatty foods, there are some foods that humans commonly include in their diet, particularly around Christmas time, that can be harmful to your dog . So do your best to ignore those cute puppy eyes begging for food and think twice!

There are many foods that can be harmful for your dog, these ones are particularly harmful along with the symptoms to watch out for. It is recommended to keep your dog away from these and save yourself a trip to the Vet.

Chocolate Vomiting, diarrhoea, heart arrhythmias , tremors, seizures, death due to theobromine found in chocolate – dark chocolate is more toxic than milk chocolate
Onion and garlic Weakness and pale gums due to anaemia from red blood cell destruction
Macadamia nuts Incoordination and neurological signs
Grapes/sultanas/raisins Kidney failure – susceptibility varies between individuals and is unpredictable
Xylitol (sweetener) Low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure – often found in chewing gums, artificial sweeteners in drinks
Caffeine Vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, heart arrhythmias, tremors, seizures, death - found in coffee beans, tea bags, energy drinks


If you suspect your pooch has ingested any of these foods, please get in touch with your vet immediately. Depending on the time between ingestion and your vet visit, your vet may decide to induce vomiting or advise further decontamination and treatment.

Dog Obesity
Apart from pancreatitis and toxicity, the additional calories in table scraps can cause chronic health issues and obesity.

For a dog to eat a slice of toast in the morning is similar to our eating a hamburger after breakfast.
Eventually, all those extra calories add up and our pooches lose their waistlines and begin to resemble a tabletop.

Sticking to a strict calorie-controlled diet with a premium dog food is much safer than supplementing your dog’s diet with extra titbits from the table, not to mention the increase in flatulence and risk of diarrhoea - not a desirable end for anyone’s party!

So, to avoid a doggy disaster, my advice is to remind your guests not to give in to your dog’s beautiful begging eyes at the dinner table and instead, stick to their regular routine and the occasional delicious dog treat.

Re: Feeding table scraps to dogs

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 5:25 pm
by BernieQ2
None of our dogs hung around, they weren't allowed in the house 😁😁
.
Bernie

Re: Feeding table scraps to dogs

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 11:31 pm
by supersparky
Thanks Dot. Timely reminder.

Re: Feeding table scraps to dogs

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 10:48 am
by T1 Terry
There is no chance of getting Coco to eat anything but roast chicken .... and it must be fresh, or sometimes potato and pumpkin if it was boiled up with fresh chicken thighs ... but he must be able to watch it being cooked :roll: Maybe a piece of sausage at a BBQ if mum feeds it to him, but that's it.
Ruby on the other hand, if it could some how be considered eatable, it's gone .....

My German Shepherd workshop guard dog did enjoy a cup of coffee ..... to the point he was not a nice dog to be around if he didn't get a cup of coffee :lol: but he couldn't be fed anything unless he was told to sit, the food was put in front of him and his head had to be patted to say it was ok to eat ...... very few people could actually pat the dog or even put anything down in front of him ..... and not require urgent medical treatment, but he made it clear not to be silly enough to try so there was no risk of anyone making any mistake about it :shock:
His mother was a bitch given to us by the car-yard people next to our workshop when they left, had major vision difficulties due to a head injury as a pup, but an acute sense of smell and pin point hearing. Her favourite treat was chillies or anything with chillie sauce on it, everything had to be cooked, no raw meat, and if you didn't smell and sound right, forget about trying to feed her ...... yet both dogs worshipped children and would put themselves between any kids and harm, yet they were never taught that.
Maybe dogs are like humans, they get their gut trained to eat what ever they get regularly, our dog as I was growing up ate exactly what we ate, plus a cooked meat bone sometimes, not a hope of getting him to eat dry food ..... he lived to 13 yrs old ....

T1 Terry

Re: Feeding table scraps to dogs

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 3:00 pm
by T1 Terry
There was no mention of alcohol, but here is a possible side effect

drunk dog.jpg

Re: Feeding table scraps to dogs

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 3:24 pm
by Dot
BernieQ2 wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 5:25 pm None of our dogs hung around, they weren't allowed in the house 😁😁
.
Bernie
Yeh but you are a mean old fart but you let pussies inside.. ;)

Re: Feeding table scraps to dogs

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 8:11 pm
by Noggins
Dot wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 3:24 pm
BernieQ2 wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 5:25 pm None of our dogs hung around, they weren't allowed in the house 😁😁
.
Bernie
Yeh but you are a mean old fart but you let pussies inside.. ;)
Only the ones that can sit on the lounge rug and lick clean their "working " bits.
If the other pussy here could do that I'd be wondering why does she keep me around.
I know why the first one has me around, "cos she can't open tins !

Re: Feeding table scraps to dogs

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 11:10 pm
by Greynomad
Try adopting a greyhound… 🤔😳😁

Ours have soaked kibble with either (depending on the day of the week):
Sardines
Pasta
Chicken necks
Oats
An occasional raw egg.

We realise that our Labrador and Beagle were sadly neglected. 🤔 All they ever got was a bowl of dry kibble — and it was the same menu every day of the year! At least they got very excited about meals…
SWMBO spends more time cooking for the girls than she does for us! 😳

Re: Feeding table scraps to dogs

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 10:11 am
by T1 Terry
Greynomad wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 11:10 pm Try adopting a greyhound… 🤔😳😁

Ours have soaked kibble with either (depending on the day of the week):
Sardines
Pasta
Chicken necks
Oats
An occasional raw egg.

We realise that our Labrador and Beagle were sadly neglected. 🤔 All they ever got was a bowl of dry kibble — and it was the same menu every day of the year! At least they got very excited about meals…
SWMBO spends more time cooking for the girls than she does for us! 😳
Probably best you don't feed the girls table scraps, just use the scrapes after you've built the table for BBQ fuel or kindling ;)

You could use the excuse the butcher used when he was caught putting sawdust in the ends of his sausages "In these tough times, it's hard to make both ends meat ...."

T1 Terry