Most dogs will beg at the table, especially if you have something that smells particularly tasty. It can be very tempting to feed your dog remains when they give you those puppy eyes. However, even the foods we consider healthy for us may not be suitable for our canines.
Many of the foods we eat can cause serious problems for dogs. If you feed your dog with leftover food, they may inadvertently develop health problems. Here are some common problems among dogs that eat food debris:
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is mainly caused by fatty foods, which can be abundant on your table. Normally, dogs do not eat large amounts of fat with their regular diet, but they can find a lot of fat if fed leftover food.
The function of the pancreas is to release special enzymes in the digestive tract to break down fatty foods. This promotes digestion and ensures that your dog’s food is completely decomposed. However, sometimes the pancreas releases these enzymes very early. As there is no food to break, they begin to break the pancreas. That’s pancreatitis.
Eventually, enzymes end up leaking into the abdominal cavity. This allows them to attack other organs, such as the liver and intestines.
There are several causes for pancreatitis, although they are not yet fully understood. A high-fat diet is one of the main causes of acute pancreatitis, which arises suddenly. If left untreated, pancreatitis can be deadly in severe cases.
Usually, the symptoms are quite vague. They may include pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. However, various diseases cause these problems, so laboratory work is necessary for a diagnosis.
Gastrointestinal disorder
Like people, canines can develop stomach problems if they eat certain foods. Our dogs are not used to the rich and fatty foods we eat frequently. If you feed your dog with leftover food, it can inadvertently cause him stomach problems.
Dogs with digestive sensitivity may have specific problems with food debris. Some dogs are more sensitive than others, just like people. New foods can disturb the gastrointestinal tract and cause all kinds of severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
For example, a pet may suffer from vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy and loss of appetite. Dogs may experience stomach cramps and pain, although this may be more difficult for their owners to identify.
Often, these symptoms disappear on their own, but can cause significant problems for some canines. Veterinary care may be necessary, especially for dogs that become dehydrated.
Exposure to Toxin
Many of the foods we eat are toxic to our furry friends. Things like onions, garlic, raisins, grapes and chocolate can cause serious diseases. Often, pet owners may not think fully about the possible damage of these ingredients until the dog shows the symptoms later. They can be introduced in harmless ways, such as seasoning on the top of the meat or adding ingredients to bread.
If eaten in high enough quantities, these foods can cause serious problems. For example, grapes can cause kidney failure, while xylitol can cause very low blood sugar levels. Both problems can lead to death if they are not treated. In severe cases, they can lead to death even with treatment, because there is no antidote to these toxins.
Usually, treatment involves supportive therapy until the body transmits the toxin on its own. Intravenous fluids and medications to control symptoms may be administered. Most dogs fully recover. Occasionally, toxins can cause permanent damage to the dog’s organs, especially those that affect the kidneys.
Bone chips in the bone
If you feed your dog with anything that contains bones, it risks ingesting bone chips. The cooking process dries the bones considerably, making their fragmentation easier. This is especially true for bird bones, although pork and steak bones should also be avoided.
These pieces can get stuck in your pet’s mouth and throat. This can cause minor to moderate injuries. If bone fragments jump your dog’s throat, they can get stuck in your dog’s intestines. They can damage the intestinal walls, which can considerably damage your dog’s digestive tract.
They can cause considerable pain and anguish to your dog. Sometimes surgical removal may be necessary. Larger pieces of bone are particularly problematic, as they can cause more damage.
Foreign bodies
Some things cannot be fully digested by our dogs, including bones, lumps, ears of corn and similar foods. These foreign bodies can get stuck in the digestive tract, causing a blockage. If they are not treated, these blocks can be fatal.
Normally, dogs with blockages will lose their appetite. They can vomit, have diarrhoea and lethargic.
If you suspect that your dog has intestinal obstruction, we recommend calling your veterinarian as soon as possible. This disorder can become serious very quickly. If you pick it up soon, your veterinarian may induce vomiting. However, this is unlikely to happen if you regularly feed leftover food for your dog, since you won’t think of anything about them devouring a little more food.
The impacts are notoriously difficult to diagnose. Various x-rays are often required, as well as abdominal ultrasounds. Often, treatment involves aggressive fluid therapy to clean your dog’s system. However, surgery may be necessary in some cases.
When to talk to your veterinarian
Many of these complications are quite serious and require attention from your veterinarian quickly. Early treatment is usually the best, especially for toxins and similar health problems. If your pet begins to show unusual symptoms, you should contact your veterinarian. Symptoms may not appear until hours or even days after the remains of the table are consumed.
If your pet needs to go to the vet, be sure to inform him about any leftover food he has eaten. Having a complete recipe is usually better, as things like onions and grapes can hide in some seemingly innocent foods.
In the end, it is usually better to avoid feeding your pet with leftover food. They do not offer many benefits in most cases and can cause significant problems.