Which table scraps are safe for dogs?

by Wendy Buckley, Posted May 13th 2008 @ 12:02PM

Pug Our pug, Lola, has been getting rather portly these days. Last week my husband and I had "the chat" about treat reduction, since we both have a bad habit of giving her a nibble of whatever we might be eating, be it toast, cheese, etc.

Obviously we want her to be healthy and that is our reasoning behind our new routine; but while wondering if there were any healthy substitutions this was brought to my attention. I had read many times that chocolate was bad for dogs, but after seeing this Today show episode I learned of some new items to look out for. Along with this list is a grouping of allowed items.

Some items that made the approved list:

Lean meats
Any cooked lean meat should be fine for most dogs. High-fat meats, chicken skin and fat from steaks or roasts are not recommended. Ingestion may lead to gastrointestinal upset or even pancreatitis. This can be a very painful condition for dogs. In addition, most companion animals do not need extra fat in their diets. Never give your pet meat with the bone in it. Animals can choke on the bones, and they can splinter as well.

Vegetables
Carrot sticks, green beans, cucumber slices and zucchini slices are all OK. It's a jungle out there!

Fruit
Apple slices, orange slices, bananas and watermelon are all OK. Make sure the seeds have been taken out; seeds are not good for your pet!

Baked potatoes
Plain baked potatoes are fine, but make sure they are cooked - no unripe potatoes or potato plants.

Bread
Plain cooked bread is fine; just make sure there are no nuts or raisins added.

Rice and pasta
Plain, cooked pasta and white rice are OK. Often veterinarians recommend plain rice with some boiled chicken when gastrointestinal upset is present.

Visit this site for the complete listing of Bad news foods for pets.

Source

Filed Under: Television/Film, Health & Medical, Food News
Tags: animal health, AnimalHealth, pet food, PetFood, pets, safe foods, SafeFoods

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

5-13-2008 @1:11PM Sleighboy said... If you wish to feed your pet(s) real food, I highly suggest Dr. Pircairn's book.

http://www.amazon.com/Pitcairns-Complete-Guide-Natural-Health/dp/157954973X

It is a great starting point and reference book for those looking to stop buying commercial pet foods and start preparing their own food.

Also, don't bother cooking those meats, raw is just fine. If it's raw you don't have to worry about bones splintering only cooked bones splinter. A cat can happily devour an entire uncooked chicken leg bone.
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5-13-2008 @2:09PM Kitt said... Cooked sweet potatoes and butternut squash are also favorites with my dog.

Stay away from anything with onions, though. They can be toxic for dogs.
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5-13-2008 @2:15PM Wendy Buckley said... We have a family friend who is a vet and he told us canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) but just regular canned pumpkin is good for stomach issues as well.
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5-13-2008 @3:49PM jim said... a dog will eat crap, road kill, and this right after ol rusty just had a wedge of grilled ribeye.
let the dog eat what ever it will.
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5-13-2008 @4:22PM Red Icculus said... As a dog lover, this post is great. Just like people, I am sure dogs enjoy variety in their indulgences as well.

http://red-icculus.com
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