Prepare your body, mind, and spirit for the upcoming festivities, and don't forget to be prepared to be extra careful of your pets as well.  With all the treats laying around, our pets are bound to get a hold of something.  Here's some foods that we need to keep out of reach of our hungry pets paws:

  1. Nuts: we know for certain macadamia nuts are one of the most toxic nuts for dogs, followed by walnuts and almonds, especially bitter almonds.  When dogs get into these delicious nuts, dogs seem to develop tremors and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters.  Sometimes there is pain or swelling when you manipulate the limb or touch this area. Good news is the toxicity doesn't seem to last long; nevertheless nuts in general should be avoided.  Remember: nuts are often found in chocolate bars, candy and other treats, so keep track of your Halloween candy.

  2. Onions: its the toxic ingredient thiosulphate in onion that causes the problem.  At first you might notice some vomiting and diarrhea and your pet will become tired and lethargic.  Your pet develops haemolytic anemia, which is when the red blood cells actually burst within the body.  The breath in the body is much less because the red blood cells, which carry oxygen, have been reduced or destroyed.  Symptoms may not be apparent for a few days.  Be careful because it's not just raw onions - dehydrated and cooked onions including green onions will cause harm. 

  3. Grapes/Raisins: unfortunately the reason why these are so toxic to our pets is still in question, but we do know that when our dogs ingest grapes/raisins that kidney failure can occur.  If your dog eats one you probably don't have to worry, but larger quantities are very dangerous and you should of course get your dog to the vet immediately. 

  4. Chocolate: we thought everyone realized how bad chocolate is but we were surprised to find out some people were unaware of the danger of chocolate, so we added it to our list.  Chocolate contains theobromine, which is a diuretic.  Your dog may be very thirsty and urinate a lot - vomiting and diarrhea are usual symptoms as well.  The real danger is that theobromine is also a cardiac stimulant so it could increase your dog's heart rate or cause irregular heart beats. You may not see the symptoms for several hours after the dog has ingested chocolate, but your pet could actually die within 24 hours.  Cooking chocolate is extremely toxic as is cocoa powder.

  5. Alcohol: a glass of that special vintage is definitely a no-no!  We mentioned how dangerous grapes are so it's logical that wine is equally as bad.  Beware of alcohol poisoning, which can cause liver failure and even death. 

  6. Bones: no cooked bones!  Raw bones are a different story.  We highly recommend feeding your dog raw meaty bones for a number of reasons: they are packed with a comples and large amount of nutrients, protein and fat which provide plenty of energy for your dog.  They are also loadd with minerals and contain a perfect balance of phosphorous and calcium.  Not to mention they are fabulous for helping keep your pets teeth white and free of tartar and plaque.  Raw bones are actually living tissue with lots of living cells and think of the iron-rich marrow inside.  Dogs have been eating bones for ages and ages...raw bones, that is. 
Remember, although we may love and enjoy a variety of foods, feeding certain foods to our pets can be harmful and sometimes deadly.  Educate yourself and share this information on harmful foods whenever you can with your fellow pet owners to help keep everyone's baby safe.

Here are some links with additional information regarding harmful foods to avoid:

Foods toxic to dogs and cats.
Toxic to dogs.
Toxic plants: dogs and cats.

We hope this has helped you make your holiday fun a little safer for your beloved pets.  Enjoy yourselves and be sure to share some of those non toxic treats with your happy pets!