Picture taken from www.rollingmeadowspuppies.com
From the desk of Sharda Baker.
6/29/2014
Hi and welcome everyone!
This is Sharda with another Bichon Frise newsletter.
Since we talked about what food you should feed your dog I think it’s only fair that we talk about the different types of food that you are NOT supposed to feed your dog.
I suggest that you pay attention because even a simple grape can cause a LOT of problems for your Bichon Frise.
WHAT NOT TO FEED YOUR BICHON FRISE
As surprising as it sounds, many foods that are perfectly safe for humans to eat contain toxins that are harmful or even fatal to Bichon Frise and other dogs.
You could be unknowingly poisoning your pet by giving the dog table scraps, tidbits and other foods such as grapes, sugar free candy, and chocolate.
Some common foods that can causes serious health risks in even small amounts include:
- A xanthine compound Theobromine, found in chocolate, is the ingredient that makes it dangerous for dogs. Unsweetened baking chocolate has six times more Theobromine than milk chocolate. Some large dogs seem to be able to handle a small amount of chocolate but for smaller dogs such as Bichon Frise, the same amount can poison or even kill them.
- Cocoa bean mulch used in gardens also contains Theobromine and is poisonous to dogs. Unfortunately, many dogs find cocoa bean mulches wonderful chocolate smell irresistible. Never feed any chocolate to your dogs regardless of the dog’s size or the type of chocolate.
- Grapes and raisins can cause fatal kidney failure in some Bichon Frise and other dogs. For some unknown reason, there are dogs that grapes and raisins seem to have no ill effect on while others become very ill after eating only a couple. Although the exact toxin is unknown to date, the first symptom of illness from grapes and raisins is vomiting, followed by fatal kidney failure.
- Many sugar free candy and gum contains a sweetener called xylitol, also known as wood or birch sugar. Sugar free gum or candy eaten in large amounts by your Bichon Frise could result in a rapid blood sugar drop in the dog. Signs that often develop rapidly include coordination loss, depression, and seizures. Seek veterinary treatment immediately if your dog displays any of these signs.
- Feeding your Bichon Frise fatty foods such as turkey skin and ham fat could overtax the pancreas causing pancreatitis. Symptoms of inflammation of the pancreas include stomach pain and vomiting. Immediately take your dog to the vet if he displays any symptoms, as this is definitely a medical emergency. Never feed your dog fatty foods such as ham fat or turkey skin as it is better to be safe than sorry.
- Alcohol poisoning could occur in your Bichon Frise if he eats bread dough containing yeast. It can release alcohol in large quantities when it ferments in your dogs’ stomach.
- You should avoid feeding your Bichon Frise most nuts due to their high phosphorus content and definitely never feed macadamia nuts to your Bichon Frise. These could cause temporary rear leg paralysis in your pet.
- Raw eggs should be avoided in the Bichon Frise diet as they can cause in the body to be unable to absorb biotin resolution in skin and coat problems. Cooked eggs are an excellent source of protein and can be a great addition to the diet in small amounts.
- Avoid feeding your Bichon Frise any type of cat food as it is very high in protein, fats and sugars that can be very serious in dogs with diabetes.
- Dairy products such as milk and cheese can be problematic for lactose intolerant dogs resulting in diarrhea and vomiting.
A simple suggestion though, if there are certain things that you’re unsure of, consult your Vet before giving it to your dog.
I hope that you learned a lot of thing from today’s newsletter.
All the best and take care
Warmly,
Sharda Baker