While doing a little research on homemade dog treats that I could make for my boy, Jack, I came across some scary information that I'd like to pass on to every dog lover!

According to Veterinary Medicine News, the artificial sweetener: Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs and is found in.... oh no, you guessed it! Peanut butter. This sweetener causes a dramatic drop in blood sugar and could lead to death. Make sure to check and see if this is an ingredient in your peanut butter!

According to Pet WebMD and the ASPCA, other foods you should not give your dog include:

Avocado: Contains a substance called persin which is toxic to dogs

Alcohol: Causes the same liver and brain damage as it does to humans except magnified

Raw Egg: Can cause Salmonella poisoning and interferes with the absorption of vitamins

Onions, Chives & Garlic: Destroy their red blood cells causing anemia

Coffee, Tea & Caffeine: If given enough can be fatal

Grapes & Raisins: Unclear of the cause, but does lead to kidney failure

Milk & Dairy Products: These can cause indigestion and lead to allergic reactions shown by itching

Macadamia Nuts: As few as 6 nuts can kill your pooch

Fat Trimmings & Bones: The bones may splinter and cause lacerations within his digestive tract and the trimmings can cause pancreatitis

Persimmons, Peaches, Plums: Seeds and pits cause obstruction within the digestion process

Raw Meat & Fish: For similar reasons as a raw egg, can cause disease

Salt: Sodium ion poisoning and excessive thirst

Chocolate (most dog owners know of this one): Contains theobromine, most potent in dark chocolate, but is still in white chocolate as well

However, there are plenty of SAFE FOODS to feed a girls best friend:

-Lean meat - apples (without the core) - oranges - bananas - blueberries - cantaloupe - carrots - green beans - cucumbers - plain baked potato - bread - cooked pasta - rice - cheese chunks - cooked eggs!

Photo By: Jen Stanley
Photo By: Jen Stanley
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