It is absolutely astounding and, perhaps scary as to what could be poisonous to your dog in your home. They tend to eat just about anything. Humans can read labels and remember what we are allergic to, but dogs do not have that. It is critical that you, the owner, know what is a danger to your furry friend and go about setting your home up to make it safe and healthy for the dog to avoid unnecessary injury or worse.

Many of the toxins responsible for kidney disease are found in common household items, which makes it all that much more important to attempt prevention through precaution. The moment you think your dog has been poisoned, contact your veterinarian or an animal hospital immediately. There are a variety of signs to look for to determine if your dog has been poisoned.

• Fainting

• Vomiting

• Seizures

• Lethargy

• Black stool

• Heavy panting

• Labored breathing

• Discolored gums

• Excessive drooling

• Loss of coordination

The following are a list of foods poisonous to dogs:

• Chocolate: chocolate contains theobromine, which can cause life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and central nervous system dysfunction. Dark chocolate has more theobromine than milk chocolate, with cocoa powder as the most toxic form.

• Grapes, Raisins and Currants: These fruits are extremely toxic to dogs and can cause acute kidney failure. If you suspect your dog to have eaten any of these, take them to an animal hospital immediately. Without a cure, the hospital will try to use methods like stomach pumps and induced vomiting.

• Macadamia Nuts: Usually found in cookies, cakes, muffins, trail mix, they can cause loss of the ability to walk, weakness in the back legs, vomiting, muscle tremors, depression and diarrhea.
  Only a small amount is needed to cause problems in the dog.

• Xylitol: This is a very common sweetener used in many products around the house including toothpaste, sugar-free gum, candy, breath mints, pudding, cake and mouthwash, to name a few.
  It is absorbed into the bloodstream at a very high rate and will cause a potent and fatal rise in insulin secreted from the pancreas in as little as ten minutes.

• Onions and Garlic: Garlic, onions, leeks and chives can cause severe anemia in dogs. Symptoms of poisoning of these foods include pale gums, rapid heartbeat, weakness and collapse. Symptoms can be delayed and may not manifest for days.

• Pits from Fruit: These can block the esophagus. In addition, peach, apricots, cherries, and plum pits contain amygdalin which is a poison for dogs. They can cause kidney failure and death in
  only a few days.

• Medications for humans are not to be ingested by dogs. Some of the containers may even look like toys to the dogs and should be kept out of their reach. These include pain medications, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, sleep-aids, ADD/ADHAD medications, beta-blockers, thyroid medications, ACE Inhibitors, and birth control pills.

There are also house hold items which should be kept out of a dog’s reach. These can be seen as toys and many of them are easy to swallow. Some of these include:

• Batteries: If swallowed they can cause ulcers in the mouth, stomach and esophagus.

• Detergent: They can cause ulcers in the mouth, esophagus and stomach.

• Fertilizer and Plant Food: These materials have things which dogs are known to eat as part of their diet. They can cause obstructions and the powder or liquid turns into stones in the digestive tract.

• Insecticide, Mothballs and Rodenticides: Rodenticides are poison and can cause paralysis, muscle tremors, seizures and impaired movement. Insecticides can cause seizures, vomiting, muscle tremors, and respiratory arrest. One mothball can poison your dog.

• Household Cleaners: These include drain, dishwashing, oven cleaners, pool cleaners, lime-removal cleaners and toilet cleaners. They will cause chemical burns inside the dog and on their skin.

• Kerosene, Gasoline and Tiki Torch Fluid

• Tobacco: Nicotine is a fast-acting toxin which can cause vomiting, abnormal heart rate, lack of coordination, weakness, tremors and collapse.

And while plants may be beautiful to look at and great to have around the house, they can also be deadly to a dog.

Dangerous plants can include:

• English Ivy

• Aloe Vera

• Dieffenbachia

• Philodendron

• Elephant Ear

• Sago Palm

• Azalea Plants

• Daffodils

• Tulips

• Lily of the Valley

• Foxglove

As you can see, there are a lot of dangerous toxins out their which are very dangerous for your pet and their kidneys. The best medicine is prevention, so we hope you’ll use this checklist as a guide toward making your home a truly safe bastion for your pup. And, for more information about pets, kidney disease and what can cause it be sure to take a look at some of our other pet-related articles.