Many foods that are fine for humans can be toxic to dogs. While this list is not exhaustive, here are some common foods to avoid giving to your dog.

Alcoholic Beverages: Any type of alcohol can be poisonous to your pet and aside from intoxication, can cause a coma or even death.

Apple Seeds: Can have varied effects on pets.

Apricot Pits:  Can cause respiratory difficulties such as breathing, coughing and sneezing.

Avocado: Can cause digestive problems. The skin and pit is more toxic than the flesh and other animals such as cows, horses, goats, birds are more sensitive to the toxin.

Cherry Pits:  Can cause respiratory difficulties such as breathing, coughing and sneezing.

Candy containing the sweetener Xylitol: Can cause liver damage and even death.

Chocolate:  Although pets should never have any type of chocolate, milk chocolate is not nearly as dangerous for animals as semi-sweet or unsweetened bakers chocolate.  Chocolate poisoning can cause irregular heart rate and rhythm, restlessness, hyperactivity, diarrhoea, vomiting, panting, muscle tremors, abdominal pain, bloody urine, increased body temperature, seizures, coma and possibly even death.

Coffee:  Can result in increased breathing and heart rate, restlessness and affects the central nervous system.

Grapes:  Large amounts of grapes can be poisonous to pets and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, abdominal pain, lack of appetite and kidney damage.

Ham & Bacon: This is too salty and fatty for dogs and can cause pancreatitis.

Hops:  May cause panting, elevated temperature, increased heart rate, seizures and possibly death.

Macadamia Nuts:  Can cause vomiting, lethargy, hyperthermia, abdominal pain, stiff joints, lameness and tremors.

Mouldy Foods:  Can have varied effects on pets including vomiting and diarrhoea.

Mushrooms:  Different types of mushrooms can have varied effects on pets such as, depression, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, tearing, hallucinations, defecation, liver failure, seizures, drooling, urination, kidney failure, heart damage, hyperactivity and in some cases, death.

Mustard Seeds: Can have varied effects on pets.

Onions and Onion Powder:  Can cause gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Large amounts of garlic can have the same effect. But in small amounts, garlic can be good for dogs (see ‘Give Your Dog a Bone’ by Dr Ian Billinghurst)

Peach Pits:  Can cause respiratory difficulties such as breathing, coughing and sneezing.

Potato Leaves and Stems: Can cause problems with the digestive, nervous and urinary systems.

Raisins: Large amounts of raisins can be poisonous to pets and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, abdominal pain, lack of appetite and kidney damage.

Rhubarb Leaves:  Can cause problems with the digestive, nervous and urinary systems.

Salt:  In large quantities can cause electrolyte imbalances.

Tea:  Can have varied effects in pets.

Tomato Leaves and Stems:  Can cause problems with the digestive, nervous and urinary systems.

Walnuts:  Can cause gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhoea, as well as respiratory issues such as sneezing, breathing and coughing.

Yeast Dough:  Can be dangerous as it will expand and result in gas, pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.