Every food we have checked

99 entries

• Alcohol✕EmergencyNever give a dog alcohol. Dogs are far smaller and far more sensitive than people, and the dose that causes dangerous depression is much lower than most owners expect.
• Caffeine✕EmergencyNever let a dog have caffeine. Concentrated sources — coffee grounds, pills, energy drinks — are far more dangerous than a lick of milky tea.
• Chocolate✕EmergencyNever feed chocolate. It contains theobromine, which dogs clear far too slowly to handle safely. How dangerous a given amount is depends on the type of chocolate and the size of the dog.
• Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants✕EmergencyNever feed grapes or anything dried from them. They cause sudden kidney failure in dogs, there is no known safe amount, and treatment works best before any symptoms start.
• Ibuprofen and other human anti-inflammatories✕EmergencyNever give a dog human anti-inflammatories. They cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure at doses close to a single tablet for a small dog.
• Paracetamol / acetaminophen (Tylenol)✕EmergencyNever give a dog paracetamol. It is not a safe human painkiller to share, and it damages red blood cells and the liver. If your dog is in pain, ask a vet for a drug licensed for dogs.
• Raw yeast dough✕EmergencyNever let a dog eat raw dough. It carries two separate emergencies at once: the dough keeps rising inside the stomach, and the yeast produces alcohol.
• Wild mushrooms✕EmergencyTreat any wild mushroom a dog eats as an emergency. The dangerous species are not reliably distinguishable from the harmless ones, and the deadliest ones cause a deceptive recovery before liver failure.
• Xylitol (birch sugar)✕EmergencyA veterinary emergency. Xylitol causes a dog's pancreas to dump insulin, and blood sugar can crash within 10–30 minutes. Phone a vet before you read anything else on this page.
• Cherry, peach, plum and apricot stones✕ToxicThe flesh of these fruits is fine; the stone is not. Stones contain cyanide precursors and are also the right size and shape to block a dog's intestine.
• Hops✕ToxicNever let a dog near hops, including spent hops from home brewing. They can trigger a rapid, dangerous rise in body temperature.
• Macadamia nuts✕ToxicNever feed macadamia nuts. They cause a distinctive and alarming weakness in the back legs. Dogs almost always recover, but they need to be seen.
• Nutmeg✕ToxicDo not feed nutmeg. In quantity it causes hallucinations and seizures, though the trace in a slice of pumpkin pie is not a poisoning risk.
• Onions, garlic, leeks, chives and shallots✕ToxicNever feed any allium, in any form. They destroy red blood cells, and because the damage builds over several days a dog can seem completely fine on the day it eats them.
• Raw and green potato✕ToxicDo not feed raw, green or sprouting potato. Cooked white potato flesh is fine — it is the green parts and the sprouts that contain solanine.
• Rhubarb✕ToxicDo not feed rhubarb, and keep dogs away from the leaves in the garden — they contain far more oxalate than the stalks.
• Salt and salt dough✕ToxicLarge amounts of salt cause brain swelling. The usual culprits are salt dough ornaments, homemade play dough and dogs drinking sea water.
• Star fruit✕ToxicDo not feed star fruit. It is very high in soluble oxalate and can cause acute kidney injury.
• Bacon and cured pork!UnsafeAvoid bacon and other cured meats. The combination of very high fat and very high salt is a common trigger for pancreatitis.
• Cakes, pancakes and biscuits!UnsafeAvoid sweet baked goods. Beyond the sugar and fat, they are a common delivery route for chocolate, raisins, macadamias, nutmeg and xylitol.
• Cooked bones!UnsafeNever give cooked bones of any kind. Cooking makes bone brittle, so it splinters into sharp fragments that can pierce the gut.
• Corn on the cob!UnsafeNever let a dog have the cob. Corn kernels are harmless, but the cob is one of the most common causes of emergency intestinal surgery in dogs.
• Crisps, chips and salty snacks!UnsafeAvoid salty snacks. They are high in salt and fat and most are seasoned with onion or garlic powder.
• Fat trimmings and fatty leftovers!UnsafeAvoid fatty scraps. A sudden high-fat meal is the classic trigger for pancreatitis, which is painful, expensive to treat and sometimes fatal.
• Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and vinegar!UnsafeAvoid condiments. They are salty, often contain onion and garlic powder, and mustard seeds specifically cause vomiting.
• Melatonin gummies and supplements!UnsafeMelatonin itself is sometimes prescribed for dogs, but gummy versions are frequently sweetened with xylitol — which makes them dangerous.
• Nutella and chocolate hazelnut spread!UnsafeNever feed it — but the danger is the fat, not the chocolate. At ~7.4% cocoa the theobromine is low; at 30% fat and 56% sugar a stolen jar is a genuine pancreatitis risk.
• Pizza!UnsafeDo not share pizza. Nearly every pizza contains garlic and onion in the sauce, on top of a lot of fat and salt.
• Raw fish!UnsafeDo not feed raw salmon or trout, particularly in the Pacific Northwest — they can carry a parasite that causes a fatal illness in dogs. Cooked fish is fine.
• Sausages, hot dogs and processed meat!UnsafeAvoid processed meats. They are high in salt and fat, usually contain onion or garlic powder, and often carry nitrites and other additives.
• Spicy food!UnsafeDo not feed spicy food. Capsaicin irritates a dog's mouth and gut, and dogs get no enjoyment from heat the way people do.
• Sugar and sweets!UnsafeSugar is not toxic, but there is no good reason to feed it — and sweets are the single most common way dogs are exposed to xylitol and chocolate.
• Tums and human antacids!UnsafeDo not give human antacids without veterinary advice. Pepto-Bismol contains an aspirin-like compound, and some antacids are xylitol-sweetened.
• White chocolate!UnsafeNever feed it, but it is not the poisoning risk dark chocolate is — white chocolate contains almost no theobromine. The real problems are fat, sugar and, in sugar-free versions, xylitol.
• Aubergine and artichoke~With careCooked aubergine and artichoke hearts are safe for most dogs in small amounts, though aubergine is a nightshade and can cause a reaction in some.
• Avocado~With careAvocado is widely over-stated as a dog poison. Dogs are relatively resistant to persin — the real risks are the stone causing an obstruction and the high fat content.
• Beans and pulses~With carePlain cooked beans are safe in small amounts. Raw and undercooked beans are not, and tinned baked beans and hummus are unsuitable for different reasons.
• Beetroot~With carePlain cooked beetroot is safe in small amounts. It is relatively high in oxalate and sugar, and pickled beetroot is far too salty and acidic.
• Bread~With carePlain baked bread is not toxic but has little to offer a dog beyond empty calories. Raw dough is a serious emergency, and some breads contain raisins or garlic.
• Breakfast cereal~With careA few plain low-sugar cereal pieces are harmless. The risk is what is mixed in — raisins, chocolate, nuts and xylitol all appear in cereals and granola.
• Broccoli~With careBroccoli is safe in small amounts but contains compounds that irritate the gut in quantity, and the stems can be a choking hazard.
• Butter and cooking oils~With careSmall amounts of plain oil are not toxic, but fat is the main dietary trigger for pancreatitis and these are the most concentrated calories in the kitchen.
• Cheese~With careMost dogs handle small amounts of plain cheese, and it makes an excellent training treat. Blue cheese is the exception and should be avoided entirely.
• Cinnamon, ginger and turmeric~With careThese spices are not toxic in the trace amounts found in food, though cinnamon powder can irritate the mouth and airways if inhaled.
• Coconut~With careSmall amounts of coconut flesh are not toxic, but it is very high in fat and the medium-chain triglycerides can cause loose stools.
• Dates and figs~With careDates and figs are not toxic, but they are extremely high in sugar and the stones must be removed. Fresh figs can also irritate the mouth.
• Eggshells~With careFinely ground, cooked eggshell is a usable calcium source, but only as part of a diet formulated by a veterinary nutritionist. Coarse shell fragments are sharp.
• Honey~With careA small amount of honey is safe for most adult dogs. Avoid it in puppies under one year and in diabetic dogs.
• Ice cream~With careIce cream is not toxic in its plain form but combines lactose, sugar and fat. Chocolate and sugar-free varieties are genuinely dangerous.
• Milk and cream~With careSmall amounts of milk are not dangerous, but most adult dogs are lactose intolerant and will get an upset stomach.
• Nuts (general)~With careMost nuts are not poisonous, but they are fatty, salty and a choking and obstruction risk. Macadamias and walnuts are the two to avoid outright.
• Olives~With carePlain olives are not toxic, but nearly all olives sold are packed in brine and are extremely salty. The stones are a choking and tooth-fracture risk.
• Oranges, lemons and other citrus~With careA segment of peeled orange is harmless. The peel, pith and seeds contain essential oils that irritate the gut, and most dogs dislike citrus anyway.
• Pasta and noodles~With carePlain cooked pasta is safe but nutritionally empty. The sauce is almost always the problem — most contain onion and garlic.
• Peaches, plums and nectarines~With careThe flesh is safe once the stone is removed. The stone itself is a genuine hazard — see the stone fruit entry.
• Peanut butter~With carePeanut butter is fine and dogs love it — but you must check the label for xylitol first, every time. Some sugar-free brands contain enough to kill a small dog.
• Plain popcorn~With carePlain air-popped popcorn is safe. Butter, salt and toffee coatings are not, and unpopped kernels are a choking and tooth-fracture risk.
• Plain yogurt~With carePlain unsweetened yogurt is fine for most dogs in small amounts. Check the label for xylitol, and skip it if your dog is lactose intolerant.
• Pomegranate~With carePomegranate is not toxic but the tannins commonly cause vomiting, and the seeds are hard to digest.
• Prawns, shrimp and shellfish~With careThoroughly cooked, shelled shellfish is safe in small amounts. Raw shellfish and the shells are not.
• Raw eggs~With careCooked eggs are an excellent food for dogs. Raw eggs carry a salmonella risk and, if fed constantly, can interfere with a B vitamin.
• Raw meat~With careRaw meat is a genuine choice some owners make, but it carries real bacterial risks — to the dog and to the people in the house. Raw pork additionally risks a parasite.
• Seaweed and nori~With carePlain dried seaweed is safe in tiny amounts, but it is very high in iodine and salt. Never let a dog eat seaweed washed up on a beach.
• Shop-bought mushrooms~With carePlain shop-bought mushrooms are not toxic, but they are usually cooked with butter, onion or garlic. Wild mushrooms are a completely different and urgent problem.
• Spinach and leafy greens~With careLeafy greens are safe in small amounts. Spinach and kale are high in oxalate and are worth limiting in dogs with kidney or bladder stone problems.
• Sunflower, sesame, chia, flax and pumpkin seeds~With careMost plain seeds are safe in small amounts and some are genuinely useful. Poppy seeds are the exception and should be avoided.
• Tofu and soy~With carePlain tofu is not toxic and is a common protein in some dog foods, but soy is a frequent allergen and deep-chested breeds may be more prone to bloating on it.
• Tomatoes~With careRipe red tomato flesh is safe. Green unripe tomatoes and the leaves and stems of the plant contain solanine and should be avoided.
• Tuna~With careSmall amounts of plain tinned tuna in water are fine occasionally. Tuna is a large predatory fish and accumulates mercury, so it should not be a regular food.
• Apples✓SafeApple flesh is safe and popular. Remove the core and pips — apple seeds contain a cyanide precursor, though a dog would need to chew a great many to be poisoned.
• Asparagus✓SafeAsparagus is safe but tough. Cook it — raw stalks are hard to chew and can cause an obstruction.
• Bananas✓SafeBanana flesh is safe in small amounts. It is high in sugar, so it is a treat rather than a staple, and the peel is best avoided.
• Basil, parsley, mint, rosemary, cilantro and thyme✓SafeCommon culinary herbs are safe in the small quantities a dog would ever eat. Concentrated essential oils are a different matter.
• Bell peppers✓SafeSweet bell peppers are safe and a good source of vitamin C. Red are the most nutrient-dense. Hot peppers are a different matter.
• Blueberries✓SafeBlueberries are safe, low in calories and genuinely useful as a training treat — small enough to give a lot of them without overfeeding.
• Carrots✓SafeCarrots are one of the best everyday treats — low calorie, high fibre, and the crunch is good for teeth.
• Catnip✓SafeCatnip is safe for dogs — it simply does not do much to them. The euphoric response is a cat trait; in dogs it acts as a mild sedative if anything.
• Celery✓SafeCelery is safe and very low in calories. Cut it across the fibres — the long strings can be difficult for dogs to manage.
• Cooked salmon✓SafeThoroughly cooked, boneless salmon is safe and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Raw salmon is a different matter entirely.
• Cucumber✓SafeCucumber is safe and one of the lowest-calorie treats available — useful for dogs that need to lose weight.
• Green beans✓SafeGreen beans are safe, filling and very low in calories — a genuinely useful food for a dog on a weight-loss plan.
• Mango✓SafeMango flesh is safe in moderation. Remove the stone, which is both a choking hazard and contains a cyanide precursor.
• Papaya, kiwi, guava and other tropical fruit✓SafeThe flesh of these fruits is safe in small amounts. Remove the skin and, importantly, the seeds — papaya seeds in quantity are not advisable.
• Pears✓SafePear flesh is safe. Remove the core and seeds, which contain the same cyanide precursor as apple pips.
• Peas✓SafePlain peas are safe and are a common ingredient in commercial dog food.
• Pineapple✓SafeFresh pineapple flesh is safe in small amounts. Skip the skin and the tough core.
• Plain cooked chicken✓SafePlain cooked chicken is an excellent treat and a standard part of a bland diet for an upset stomach. No bones, no skin, no seasoning.
• Plain cooked turkey✓SafePlain cooked turkey meat is safe. The problems at Christmas are the skin, the bones and the seasoning, not the turkey itself.
• Plain oatmeal✓SafePlain cooked oatmeal is safe and a useful source of soluble fibre, especially for older dogs.
• Plain rice✓SafePlain boiled rice is safe and is the usual base for a bland diet when a dog has an upset stomach.
• Pumpkin✓SafePlain pumpkin is safe and often recommended by vets for mild digestive upsets, because its soluble fibre helps firm up loose stools.
• Quinoa✓SafeCooked plain quinoa is safe and is a complete protein — it appears in a number of commercial dog foods.
• Radish, jicama, okra and turnip✓SafeThese root and pod vegetables are safe plain and in small amounts. Radish is peppery and many dogs will not want it.
• Raspberries, blackberries and cranberries✓SafeThese berries are safe in moderation. Raspberries contain a trace of xylitol, but nowhere near enough to matter at treat quantities.
• Sardines✓SafeSardines in water are one of the better fish options — small, low in mercury and rich in omega-3. Choose water rather than oil or brine.
• Strawberries✓SafeStrawberries are safe in moderation — high in fibre and vitamin C, and also fairly high in natural sugar.
• Sweet potato✓SafeCooked sweet potato is safe, well tolerated and a good source of fibre and beta-carotene. Never feed it raw.
• Sweetcorn kernels✓SafeCorn kernels off the cob are safe and are a normal ingredient in dog food. The cob itself is a serious hazard.
• Watermelon✓SafeWatermelon flesh is safe and hydrating. Skip the rind and the seeds — both can cause obstruction.