There is one food that we should never feed our dogs, and many of us probably give it to our pets without realising the harm it can cause them. It goes without saying that animals cannot eat everything that we humans eat. There are some obvious examples, with most of us knowing that we should never give our dogs things like raisins and chocolate, as well as more unknown examples, including cooked bones.
One example of food that we should never give to our dogs is chicken skin. Meat is something that we often give to our pets. Often, it can be a great source of protein for them, with many other health benefits as well. However, there are certain parts of meat that our dogs should never have, according to pet experts. When it comes to the skin of a chicken, there are multiple reasons why it poses a risk to your dog’s health.
Stephanie Dwilson of Pets Best compiled a list of food items that dogs should never be given and had it reviewed by vet Fiona Lee. She explained extensively why chicken skin, along with turkey skin and other fatty cuts of meat, should never be fed to our dogs.
Firstly, these are bad for dogs because they have a high fat content. This can cause acute pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the dog’s pancreas. This is a life-threatening illness with severe complications, Stephanie reveals.
Meanwhile, chicken skin can lead to digestive issues such as diarrhea. Other health risks include weight gain.
It is also worth noting that chicken skin that has been heavily seasoned can contain harmful ingredients that pose a threat to our dogs. This includes a high sodium content, as well as things like onion and garlic, which dogs should never eat.
Among the other food and drink items that your pet dog should never be fed are caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, broccoli, avocado, macadamia nuts, almonds, pistachios, grapes, raisins, dairy products, mushrooms, nutmeg, chives, leeks, salt, spicy food, tomatoes, raw potatoes, raw meat, yeast, rhubarb, star fruit and flavoured water.
Humans can safely eat many foods that dogs cannot because our metabolism and digestive system work very differently. The toxicity of foods can also vary greatly depending on dog breed, size and health condition.