Pet Treats and Pet Poisons

It’s National Pet Month from 1st April to 2nd May and we’ve got some advice for all pet owners about what you can and can’t feed your pets to ensure you are giving them the pet treats they deserve (and can safely have)! We spoke to our friends at Paw Post to find out what they do and don’t recommend.

Pet Treats

Whilst most dog foods are in fact complete meals and contain all the necessary nutrients, a dog needs a treat every now and then! Your pet will just need more exercise to burn off the extra calories, so you should only give treats as part of a rewards-based training. Try giving out pet treats such as green beans, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots or Brussels sprouts but if they are only interested in unhealthy snacks, try reducing their main meal size instead.

Green Beans  

Green beans contain vitamins A, C and K, calcium, folic acid and beta-carotene. As the treats are high in fibre but low in calories, they are particularly great to give to pets in need of a diet!

Pumpkin 

The high levels of fibre found in pumpkins mean it can help alleviate minor digestive problems pets suffer, such as constipation or diarrhoea.

Carrots

Carrots make a great snack or healthy accompaniment to any dog meal. Chunks of raw carrot will strengthen teeth and gums, and can even act as a distraction to stop a pet chewing any of your beloved possessions! Carrots much like green beans contain beta-carotene, which is good for eye health and can prevent blindness.

If you are looking for inspiration for some healthy recipes to make your pet some treats then why not try Paw Post’s sweet potato recipe!

Pet Poisons

Onions

Onions (as well as chives and garlic) have chemicals called organosulphoxides, which can poison dogs and cats if enough is eaten. The chemicals can cause haemolytic anaemia in dogs, and damages their red blood cells. You should keep all concentrated forms of garlic and onion out of reach of pets and if you think they may have eaten any, keep a close eye on them for a week or so as symptoms can take time to appear.

Chocolate 

Human chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which can be fatal to pets. The darker the chocolate and the higher the cocoa content, the higher the risk of death!

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs and can cause them a lot of discomfort. Symptoms include fever and pain lasting for up to 48 hours. 

For a comprehensive list of other food which are bad for pets read here!

Want to truly spoil your beloved pets? Keep your eyes peeled on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts today for an exciting competition we are launching with  Pawpost. Enter for a chance to win a prize for your cats AND dogs!

Images: RLD, Mike Mozart via Flickr, Mike Mozart via Flickr, Jeremy Keith via Flickr, Danielle Scott via Flickr, LongitudeLatitude via Flickr and Daniel Panev via Flickr.