Pet care: What people food can a dog have?
Beer is a common canine dietary indiscretion. I鈥檝e been asked, more than a few times, whether to allow a nonhuman BFF an occasional brewski. Who鈥檚 asking? Beer-loving dogs are asking their beer-loving people, who know their dogs are beer lovers because they鈥檝e already served their underage pupsters, although no one admits it. There are risks. Will he be driving? Does his girlfriend object?
Besides owners having no idea of the amount of pot, beer or magic mushrooms a dog of any size can safely manage, none of this is fair to a creature who can鈥檛 understand why he鈥檚 lost control of his brain. I鈥檝e seen fear in the eyes of pets on a bad trip. They鈥檙e our best friends. We should never betray their trust.
You can safely share some of your groceries to help fill a tummy and reduce hunger while managing your dog鈥檚 weight. Raw fibrous vegetables like carrots, celery and lettuce require lots of calories to digest. But if these handouts come from your dinner plate, you鈥檇 be encouraging pestering and pillaging. Put healthy snacks in your dog鈥檚 bowl so you can both munch in peace. The bulk of their diets should be, you guessed it, a complete and balanced dog food.
Skin cancer is common in people. A frequently prescribed topical cream, 5-fluorouracil, is dangerous for cats and dogs. If a pet rubs against a treated lesion, they鈥檒l get it on their fur and then self-groom. Dogs are known to lick it off a family member or even bite into the tube. Small amounts have killed.
Be careful what you leave on your bedside table. Cats love the taste of the antidepressant Effexor (venlafaxine). They鈥檝e chewed through plastic pill vials to gobble the tablets. Most don鈥檛 die from it, but they get mighty sick and need in-hospital supportive care in order to survive. Other frequently stolen snacks include cannabis gummies and even the weed itself. Keep drugs locked up.
Garbage seems to get more attractive as it ripens. In multidog homes, one resident may be the thief whose enjoyment is rudely interrupted by a canine housemate with FOMO. Food-related aggression can result in severe injuries. Avoid the pain; pet-proof your house.
鈥� For help with behavior problems, you can sign up for a Zoom group conference at drjeffnichol.com.
Dr. Jeff Nichol is a residency-trained veterinary behaviorist in Albuquerque. He provides consultations by Zoom group and individually/in-person. Sign up for his weekly blog or post questions (drjeffnichol.com) or mail to 4000 Montgomery NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109.
