Some mushrooms, for example, can produce abdominal pain, liver andd kidney damage and amenia. So be aware of wild mushrooms when you are out walking your dog in wooded areas. Garlic may seem benign but can cause vomiting, liver damage, anemia and diarrhea so do not give your pet baby food since it can contain garlic. Anti-freeze can shut down your dog's kidney and they tend to love taste. Miscletoe can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and depression. Onions can causeliver damage, anemia and diarrhea. Onion can also sometimes be found in baby food. Cats are actually somewhat more sensitive to this one so keep out of reach of both. Coffee, like cocoa, is especially dangerous, and may cause heart rate increase, diarrhea, seizures, coma, death. Caffeine just does not have same effect in dogs. When outside be careful around apple and cherry trees. While fruit is safe, leaves and roots are not. And be very careful about Moth Balls. it's primary chemical naphthalene is extremely toxic to dogs and can result in tremors and seizures.
Concerning dog food, you should be looking for dyes and other chemicals, according to Dr. Jane BHA, for instance, which is one of main synthetic antioxidant preservatives used to prevent food discoloration, has been observed to cause cancer in laboratory rats at certain doses. Small doses are as yet unclear but since dog food is eaten every day caution is advised. Many conventional dog food brands have large quantities of sodium to make them palatable, and this can be quite harmful to a dog. Other ingredients to wary of are dairy, by-products, chemical preservatives and artificial colors. For more information go to Dog Food Nutrition from Life's Abundance