Five Summer Treats to Avoid Feeding Your Pet from the ASPCA

From the ASPCA:

It’s no surprise. Many of us love to spoil our pets and that includes giving them bits of our tasty summer treats. But pet parents please beware, these summer goodies could pose some serious health hazards:

Ice cream

Just say no to the cone. One lick or two (no chocolate, please!) is fine, but because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase—the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk—milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset.

Chicken Bones

Feeding your pet raw bones may seem like a natural and healthy option that might occur if your pet lived in the wild. However, this can be very dangerous for a domestic pet, who might choke on bones, or sustain a grave injury should the bone splinter and become lodged in or puncture your pet’s digestive tract.

Potato Chips

Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Signs that your pet may have eaten too many potato chips include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death. In other words, keep those salty snacks to yourself!

Lemonade

A little sweet, a little tart—and a lot hazardous! Citrus plants contain citric acid, limonin and oils that can cause irritation, and possibly even central nervous system depression, if ingested in significant amounts. Clinical signs include vomiting, diarrhea, depression and potential photosensitivity.

Piña Colada

Any beverage containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death.

Please visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for more food hazards.