Foods toxic to dogs: a safety list for puppies

Puppies explore with their mouths and will eat almost anything. Some everyday foods and household items can make them very sick. Keep these up high or locked away. Make sure everyone in the house, including children and visitors, knows the rules.

If your puppy eats something on this list

1. Ring your vet or nearest emergency vet straight away, even if your puppy seems fine.
2. Don’t try to make your puppy vomit unless a vet or the Animal Poisons Helpline tells you to.
3. Don’t give any food or drink until you’ve spoken to them.
4. Have the packet in front of you, and know your puppy’s weight, roughly how much they ate, and when.

You can also ring the Animal Poisons Helpline on 1300 869 738. It runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and charges a fee.

Foods to keep away from your puppy

• Chocolate: dark chocolate, cooking chocolate and cocoa powder are the most dangerous. Chocolate can cause vomiting, a racing heart, shaking and fits. The smaller the puppy, the less it takes to make them sick.
• Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants: these can cause kidney failure. As little as a handful can be dangerous.
• Xylitol: a sweetener found in some sugar-free gum, lollies, baked goods, peanut butters and toothpaste. It can make blood sugar drop dangerously, sometimes within 20 to 30 minutes, and it can damage the liver. Always check the label.
• Onion and garlic: these damage red blood cells and can cause anaemia. This includes cooked onion and garlic, and onion or garlic powder in foods like gravy and leftovers.
• Macadamia nuts: these can cause weakness, wobbliness, shaking, vomiting and a high temperature, usually within 12 hours.
• Alcohol, and raw bread or pizza dough: alcohol is absorbed quickly. Raw dough can swell in the stomach, and the yeast makes alcohol as it ferments.
• Coffee, tea and energy drinks: caffeine can cause vomiting, a racing heart and fits. Watch out for coffee grounds and tea bags too.
• Cooked bones: they can splinter, cause choking or pierce the gut. Never give your puppy cooked bones.
• Corn cobs: they can get stuck in the gut and may need surgery to remove.
• Avocado: the flesh is a low risk for dogs, but a large amount can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. The stone can cause choking or a blockage, and the skin and leaves are more of a worry. Best avoided.

Other dangers around the home

• Rat and mouse bait: most types stop the blood from clotting and cause bleeding inside the body. Signs can take several days to show, so go to the vet even if your puppy seems well.
• Snail and slug bait: baits containing metaldehyde can cause sudden, severe fits. Go to the vet straight away.
• Human medicines, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen: these can damage a dog’s liver, stomach or kidneys. For a small puppy, even one tablet can be a dangerous dose. Never give your puppy human medicine unless your vet says so.