Wednesday, April 8, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Paw
Prints
Jodi Schneider McNamee
Columnist
Healthy “people
food” for your dog
So Fido has finally
learned to sit quietly and
not beg at the table during
dinnertime. What an accom-
plishment for your furry
friend. But now that he’s
been so good, doesn’t he
deserve a table scrap?
When most pet parents
are thinking of “people
food” or table scraps, they’re
thinking of leftover hunks of
fat, pizza crust, bones, or
chunks of gravy on mashed
potatoes. These types of
table scraps are NOT healthy
for your dog. Those types of
scraps are usually very high
in fat and calories and low
in nutrients, plus these rich
tidbits may also cause diges-
tive upset and can contribute
to pancreatitis, and could
pose a choking hazard for
your dog. Another common
concern with feeding table
scraps is that it causes obe-
sity, while this is certainly a
concern, it doesn’t need to
be the case.
So, while most people
have heard that sharing food
directly from your plate isn’t
the best idea, there are lots
of table scraps that are safe
and healthy to share with
your pooch. Many pet par-
ents make their own dog
food, and their dogs eat
“people foods” without a
problem. If you look at the
can or bag you feed your
dog every day, and look at
the ingredients, you can see
that it’s food that we eat
also, such as chicken, sweet
potatoes, peas and maybe a
few grains.
Remember, dogs are
omnivores like us and can
eat a healthy variety, too.
Some of the foods to avoid
for your furry family mem-
ber are high-fat foods like
bacon, sausage, gravy-cov-
ered meat, beef trimmings
and poultry skin.
Several common sea-
sonings, including onions,
garlic and chives can cre-
ate problems for your furry
friend by triggering irrita-
tion in their gastrointestinal
tract, possibly leading to
serious red-blood-cell dam-
age, and even liver damage.
Avocados are also toxic
to dogs and contain an ele-
ment known as persin in
their leaves, fruit, seeds, and
even bark.
Caffeine is harmful to
animals due to the presence
of methylxanthines, chemi-
cals which can be found not
just in coffee, but also tea,
colas, energy drinks and
chocolate. But chocolate is a
double whammy of sorts to
your furry friend because it
also contains theobromine,
another potentially toxic
element that can trigger
reactions like vomiting and
spasms.
And remember, though
grapes and raisins offer
nutritional benefits for
humans, it’s imperative to
keep them out of your dogs
reach. Macadamia nuts
might make a great souvenir
from a Hawaiian vacation,
but it’s a treat that can prove
fatal for your pooch, whether
eaten raw or roasted. If you
have a weak spot for maca-
damia nuts, make sure to
keep the jar tightly closed
and out of your dog’s reach
at all times.
Knowing what your dog
cannot indulge in makes life
easier for both of you.
So what people food is
healthy and nutritional to
share with Fido?
When you think healthy
for yourself, you are think-
ing healthy for your dog.
Fresh fruits, veggies and
lean meats are the best treats
for your pooch.
Many veterinarians rec-
ommend that pet parents do
not share table scraps with
their pets; if you do plan
to share with your dog, the
following foods are pet-
friendly and low in fat and
sugar:
You can serve your pet
fresh fruits and veggies
such as slices of pears, can-
taloupe, oranges, bananas,
blackberries, green beans
and seedless watermelon.
And don’t forget to pack a
baggie for that car trip with
summer around the corner
with small slices of car-
rots, apples, strawberries
and blueberries, it can help
15
photo by Jodi sChneider mCnamee
Carrot slices are one of oliver’s favorite treats.
hydrate your furry friend.
Note that although you
can give your dog apple
slices, do not give him the
core or the seeds, which
contain arsenic.
Adding a teaspoon of
canned pumpkin or sweet
potatoes once in a while to
Fido’s dinner is a great treat.
Both are a good source of
fiber and beta carotene.
Always check with your
veterinarian when introduc-
ing any new food.
Lean meat is also an
excellent treat for your four-
legged friend. Lean chicken,
turkey, fish (make sure it’s
cooked well, raw salmon
carries a parasite that can
make dogs sick), or beef
are great sources of protein.
Even adding eggs to your
dog’s breakfast is a healthy
treat. But make sure to use
cooked egg because raw
egg whites can cause biotin
deficiency.
The key to healthy table
scraps is moderation. Let
your vet know what you are
sharing with your pooch.
And to maintain your dog’s
weight, keep those healthy
table scraps to a mini-
mum, especially for tiny
dogs.
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