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What Foods Can Huskies Not Eat? (12 Bad Foods For Huskies)

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What Foods Can Huskies Not Eat?
What foods can Huskies not eat?

Foods that Huskies can not eat include artificial sweeteners, chocolate, onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, chives, cooked bones, grapes, raisins, avocado, alcohol, coffee, tea, caffeine, macadamia nuts, yeast dough, and salt.

We know what foods Huskies can eat, but what foods can Huskies not eat? Well, as you know, our huskies love getting into things they shouldn’t! It is inevitable that our dogs will steal something delicious off the kitchen table!!

So it is important to be aware of the dangers many human foods can present to our dogs.

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12 Foods That Huskies Can’t Eat

  1. Artificial Sweetener (Xylitol)
  2. Chocolate 
  3. Onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives 
  4. Cooked bones 
  5. Grapes and raisins
  6. Avocado 
  7. Alcohol 
  8. Coffee, tea, and caffeine 
  9. Macadamia nuts 
  10. Yeast dough 
  11. Salt 

1. Artificial Sweetener (Xylitol)

A commonly used artificial sweetener is xylitol. It can be found in sweets, chewing gum, low-fat, sugar-free, and diet products. While for humans, artificial sweeteners can be a great way for us to get our sweet tooth needs met without the extra calories, for dogs, it can be far more dangerous.

According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, ingesting xylitol can lead to hypoglycemia which can cause all sorts of problems for our dogs, including blood clotting issues, seizures, and liver failure.

Keep in mind that some kinds of peanut butter contain this ingredient, so be sure to check the labels closely before giving your dog any peanut butter as a treat.

2. Chocolate 

Speaking of sweets, chocolate is another food that can be disastrous for dogs to eat. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, contains theobromine, a caffeine-like molecule that is toxic to dogs.

This was confirmed in a study called Chocolate Poisoning published in the National Library of Medicine. Some dogs may not develop any symptoms after eating some chocolate, but others could suffer symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and even seizures, and kidney failure. 

In some cases, when a dog eats a significant quantity, it can even prove fatal without treatment. If your dog eats any chocolate, it is best to call a vet right away to determine if the dog will need to be brought in for treatment. 

3. Onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives 

Any food item in the garlic or onion family can be a serious health risk to a dog. These food items can cause anemia in a dog because of a compound they contain known as N-propyl disulfide.

This compound can cause red blood cells to break down in a dog’s body, which will ultimately lead to anemia [3].

These foods are often a staple in our diets and can be found in all sorts of recipes and food items. Even onion powder mixed in a recipe can be toxic to a dog.

4. Cooked bones 

While not toxic to dogs like many of the foods on this list, eating cooked bones can cause some serious harm to a dog. After cooking, bones become very brittle and can easily break into shards.

These sharp shards of bone can be a choking hazard for a dog. They can also cause serious harm to a dog’s mouth, throat, and intestines by causing cuts or even punctures to occur to the tissue. 

5. Grapes and raisins

We have known for many years that grapes and raisins can be deadly to dogs [3], but until recently, the reason why has always remained a mystery.

Veterinarians at the ASPCA poison control center have recently discovered the component of grapes that is so toxic to dogs. This component is called tartaric acid and is now documented in a study published in the National Library of Medicine. This acid can ultimately cause kidney failure and severe liver damage. 

6. Avocado 

Just about every part of an avocado, including the flesh or fruit itself, is toxic to dogs. Avocado contains a compound known as persin, which can be toxic to dogs.

One of the most significant risks, however, with avocado would occur if a dog were to eat the large avocado seed. This seed could easily cause a dangerous obstruction of the esophagus, stomach, or intestinal tract.

Moreover, because of the high-fat content in avocados, dogs can develop pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas [3].

7. Alcohol 

While this may seem like a no-brainer, it should be mentioned that alcohol is extremely dangerous to dogs. It has all the same effects on their liver and brains as it does on people.

However, beyond this, it only takes a little bit of alcohol for the effects to present themselves. Just a little alcohol, depending on the size of the dog, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulties, coma, and in more severe cases, it can be fatal [3].

8. Coffee, tea, and caffeine 

Much like with alcohol, our dogs are far more sensitive to caffeine than humans are. If your dog takes a few licks out of your coffee mug, chances are it will be just fine.

However, if a dog were to eat coffee beans, grounds, or even tea bags, the dog could suffer from caffeine poisoning.

Caffeine poisoning can be severe and even fatal, but the first few symptoms you may notice are vomiting, elevated heart rate, hyperthermia, restlessness, and agitation [3].

9. Macadamia nuts 

A popular addition to many cookie recipes, macadamia nuts are incredibly dangerous to our dogs. As of now, it is still unknown as to why macadamia nuts are so toxic to dogs or which toxin or compound in macadamia nuts causes such adverse reactions.

Even as few as six macadamia nuts can lead to symptoms of macadamia nut poisoning in our dogs. Most cases of macadamia ingestion are mild and will eventually resolve. However, depending on the amount ingested, this can prove fatal for dogs [3].

10. Yeast dough 

Bakers with dogs will need to be extra diligent to ensure that their dog doesn’t steal scraps of dough off the table, as it can cause serious harm to dogs. If a dog eats dough, the dough will continue to rise inside the dog’s body, which can lead to a distended stomach and bloat.

Beyond that, as the yeast continues fermenting, dogs can suffer from alcohol toxicosis or alcohol poisoning. This was first reported via the ASPCA animal poison control center and now documented in a study called ‘Bread Dough Toxicosis in Dogs‘.

11. Salt 

Finally, too much salt can be dangerous for dogs, according to a study called ‘Salt Intoxication in a dog: survival and complications‘. Many human foods like chips, pretzels, and pizza have a lot of salt in them.

Too much salt could lead to sodium ion poisoning in dogs, which can present unpleasant symptoms and, in severe cases, can even be fatal. 

If your Husky loves Kongs, make sure you come up with recipes that use ingredients with low or no salt. Some Kong recipes for Huskies usually include something yummy that unfortunately contains salt. A little bit is ok, just don’t overdo it.

12. Pizza

While dogs and Huskies can eat pizza, and many do! It’s generally a food they shouldn’t be eating because of the highly processed carbohydrates used in the dough, the high salt content, and the chemical additives usually found in sauces.

Even if your Husky is skinny, don’t be tempted to feed them pizza to fatten them up. Instead, increase the quality and quantity of their food. Check out this list of the best dog food for Huskies.

Final takeaways about what foods can Huskies not eat

While we always try to do our best, we can’t always prevent our dogs from being naughty and devouring food they aren’t supposed to have.

It is still important to know what foods are especially dangerous for our dogs so we can get them proper treatment if needed. 

What has your Husky eaten (or stolen from the Kitchen bench) that they shouldn’t have?

Share your experience in the comments below.

References:

  1. Hypoglycemia in dogs: Causes, management, and diagnosis – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5949948/
  2. Chocolate poisoning – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1215566/
  3. Some food toxic for pets – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2984110/
  4. Acute kidney injury in dogs following ingestion of cream of tartar and tamarinds and the connection to tartaric acid as the proposed toxic principle in grapes and raisins – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35869755/
  5. Bread dough toxicosis in dogs – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1435-6935.2003.00068.x
  6. Salt Intoxication in a dog: survival and complications – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263578593_SALT_INTOXICATION_IN_A_DOG_SURVIVAL_AND_COMPLICATIONS
  7. Cooked bones are dangerous for dogs – https://animalemergencyservice.com.au/blog/cooked-bones-dangerous-for-dogs/
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Author
Max Jacobs
Max Jacobs is the owner and lead author of Husky Gifts. He loves spending time with his family, who have two huskies. Max loves to write and is passionate about creating interesting and engaging content. To learn more, visit the team section of the about page.

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