Other items not to feed: apple seeds and cherry pits contain cyanide - even small amounts can make your dog sick; potato skin contains small amoutns of alkaloid more if the potato has started to greenup; mushrooms - too many are straight out poisonous.
I'm new to the Basenji World and I'm curious, Do you cook the meat before you feed it to your Basenji, and if so, is it well done?
Every dog I've had when I was younger have had dog food. Now that I have my new puppy, I would like to expand her diet. I do add carrots and she loves that, but what is the "norm" for adding meat into their diet? Is raw meat poisinous to them? What about seafood, like fish, calamari, clams, etc?
Chocolate:
The ingredient in chocolate this is harmful to dogs is called theobromine. It's a stimulant that comes from the coca plant. The concern comes from the dogs heart. Like too much of any stimulant, the theobromine can cause the heartrate to speed up too much. More dangerous in older dogs. People who race horses use theobromine to get more from the horse when racing them.
If you can find chocolate that has no theobromine in it, it's perfectly dog safe and your dog will love you for it. As to where you might find this, I haven't a clue. According to Hershey's: "Currently there are no theobromine-free chocolate products available to consumers."
If you're a gardner, you might want to avoid coco mulch as well. Hershey's claims that it WILL harm dogs (and did so in 50% of tested dogs) but they also claimed that 98% of dogs won't eat it.
Grapes:
"During the twelve-month period in which the effects of grapes were studied, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center handled 140 cases involving one or more dogs. Over a third of the dogs developed symptoms ranging from vomiting to kidney failure, and seven dogs died. The ASPCA based their study on reported cases, so naturally there may be cases where a dogs health is entirely unaffected by eating grapes. But until they know all the facts, the Society advises against feeding pets grapes or raisins in any amount."
Nuts:
"Macadamia nuts should be avoided. In fact most nuts are not good for a dogs health since their high phosporus content is said to lead to bladder stones."
Onions:
"Onions, especially raw onions, have been shown to trigger hemolytic anemia in dogs. (Stephen J Ettinger, D.V.M and Edward C. Fieldman, D.V.M. 's book: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine vol. 2 pg 1884.) Stay away from onion powder too."
Onions and garlic contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Onions are more of a danger.
Potatoes:
"Potato poisonings among people and dogs are rare but have occurred. The toxin, solanine, is poorly absorbed and is only found in green sprouts (these occur in tubers exposed to sunlight) and green potato skins. This explains why incidents seldom occur. Note that cooked, mashed potatoes are fine for a dogs health, actually quite nutritious and digestible." Mostly potato peelings and green looking potatoes.
Artificial Sweetners:
"Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, especially sugarless gum and candies. Ingesting large amounts of products sweetened with xylitol may cause a sudden drop in blood sugar in dogs, resulting depression, loss of coordination, and seizures. According to Dr. Eric K. Dunayer, a consulting veterinarian in clinical toxicology for the poison control center, "These signs can develop quite rapidly, at times less than 30 minutes after ingestion of the product" states Dr. Dunayer, "…therefore, it is important that pet owners seek veterinary treatment immediately.""
Turkey Skin:
"Turkey skin is currently thought to cause acute pancreatis in dogs, partly due to it's high fat content."
Other foods listed by the ASPCA as harmful:
Alcoholic beverages
Avocado (the only "fatty" member of the vegetable family)
Coffee (all forms of coffee)
Moldy or spoiled foods
Salt
Yeast dough
Garlic
Broccoli (in large amounts)
Hops (used in home brewing)
Rhubarb leaves
Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning)
I guess the bottom line is that you should feed your dog Dog Food. 
Now that I've educated myself, perhaps this thread needs to be 'stickied'.
Other items not to feed: apple seeds and cherry pits contain cyanide - even small amounts can make your dog sick; potato skin contains small amoutns of alkaloid more if the potato has started to greenup; mushrooms - too many are straight out poisonous.
I know that apple seeds are supposed to be poisonous – I thought it was arsenic -- but Keoki eats them all the time. Not like I can stop him, we have apple trees and he eats the apples that fall, core and all. How that dog loves his apples!
{I have a nephew who does the same thing. Starts eating his apples at the flower end, eats straight through to the stem end, core and all. Weird kid, LOL}
And all the dogs are forever in the compost pile, ew. I don't know exactly what they are eating, but I'm pretty sure that potato skins and onions are in there.
I do worry in the fall about mushrooms; they pop up all over my yard. We get rid of them as soon as we can, but every day there are more. So far, so good. But it is a worry every year.
Well, no beer for Chase and Zahra tonight. Guess that is the end of them doing Keg Stands at their wild parties they throw! LOL!
Significant calcium deficiency can cause seizure-like episodes, have you had a blood test to check calcium and phosphorous levels? High phosphorous foods (meat, eggs, nuts) bind with calcium, as do high oxalate foods (oatmeal) and may deplete your dog's levels to a point where it will cause problems. Poison will also cause seizures.
You might want to do an online search for "canine hypocalcemia" or just "hypocalcemia". This link http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/breeding/eclampsia.htm will take you to an article on this subject in which it states that the signs of low calcium levels (hyocalcemia) are: "Muscle tremors, restlessness, panting, incoordination, grand mal seizures and fever as high as 106."
Further, the above articles thats a one of the possible causes: Poor Nutrition - "Home brewed" diets usually are at fault. The owner innocently may be adding too much unbalanced meat to the bitch's diet, thinking the extra protein is beneficial. What's really happening is the calcium to phosphorus ratio is out of balance because the amount of useful calcium in the food is actually reduced! The ideal contains a ratio of calcium to phosphorus of 1.2 to 1. (Many organ meats such as liver have a ratio of calcium to phosphorus of 1 to 15!! Liver is great for dogs but if it comprises a large part of the diet, the calcium/phosphorus ratio of the diet will be improper.)
If you have chickens, you should be aware that their droppings are extremely high in phosphorous and can cause a problem if your dog eats too many of them. If the droppings are charging your dog's blood with phosphorous, it's going to drain him/her of calcium in order to maintain proper pH balance and cause muscle twitching, etc…
Check this link HPA | Phosphorous | FAQs on phosphorous from the Health Protection Agency, especially this quote: "It has been used as a rat and rodent poison.."
Check this site Eclampsia (Puerperal Tetany, Milk Fever, Hypocalcemia) in Dogs "Eclampsia, also called milk fever or puerperal tetany, is an acute, life-threatening disease caused by low blood calcium levels (hypocalcemia) in dogs …."
One of our dogs developed severe seizures after the second of his puppy rabies shots – his head shook so hard we thought his eyes would pop out, it was terrifying. After this seizure activity triggered by the vaccine, he became prone to them from other triggers. Whenever he ate too many high phosphorous foods (or chicken droppings), he would seize. Giving him 1/2 a quart of plain organic yogurt would calm his seizures within 15 minutes, when they were food-related.
Personally, I would have a complete blood count done to check for mineral levels if you don't think vaccines or something your dog is eating is causing the seizures. PLUS, I would consult a Homeopathic/Holistic veterinarian for an alternative treatment.
Kris L. Christine
Founder, Co-Trustee
THE RABIES CHALLENGE FUND
PERMISSION GRANTED TO CROSS-POST THIS MESSAGE.
The 2003 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines are accessible online at http://www.leerburg.com/special_report.htm .
The 2006 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines are downloadable in PDF format at http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocumen…s06Revised.pdf .
how about milk or cheese?? Is that okay for them?
how about milk or cheese?? Is that okay for them?
I have given it to mine…. especially cheese... and Mickii LOVES milk...
Mine love milk, cheese, and yogurt. In fact, Rally would abandoned her puppies for cheese. Cottage cheese is often recommended in a bland diet when a dog's stomach has been upset. I will say that if the dog hasn't had dairy in its diet all of its life then they may not tolerate it as well as dogs that have.
Our Butter adores cheese and eats plain organic yogurt everyday with his meals (we don't feed Butter butter). You might want to try a little bit of yogurt to start if your dog hasn't had much dairy and see if they tolerate it. Because of the acidophilius, yogurt is easier to digest than regular milk.
As far as chocolate goes, one of my dogs (not a basenji, but a 70 lb. collie, spaniel mix) ate a full bag of chocolate chips. She stole it from the kitchen table while I was baking for Xmas. This was before we had a 24 hr. emergency vet where I live, and it was the middle of the night. I really thought we were going to lose her (xmas eve, not to many vets available). She was about 8 years old at the time. Luckily, she threw it all up (on my bedspread, but that worked out well as I just picked up the bedspread and threw it in the wash). After that, she started to recover, but it was pretty scary for a while. I guess we all need spirit of icapeck (I know I spelled that wrong, but the stuff we keep in the house for our kids to make them throw up if they eat something poisonous) in the house for our dogs.
Anyway, I've never been so relived to have one of my dogs throw up all over my bed.
She lived another lovely 7 years, and I never left chocolate where a dog could reach it again!
As far as chocolate goes, one of my dogs (not a basenji, but a 70 lb. collie, spaniel mix) ate a full bag of chocolate chips. She stole it from the kitchen table while I was baking for Xmas. This was before we had a 24 hr. emergency vet where I live, and it was the middle of the night. I really thought we were going to lose her (xmas eve, not to many vets available). She was about 8 years old at the time. Luckily, she threw it all up (on my bedspread, but that worked out well as I just picked up the bedspread and threw it in the wash). After that, she started to recover, but it was pretty scary for a while. I guess we all need spirit of icapeck (I know I spelled that wrong, but the stuff we keep in the house for our kids to make them throw up if they eat something poisonous) in the house for our dogs.
Anyway, I've never been so relived to have one of my dogs throw up all over my bed.
She lived another lovely 7 years, and I never left chocolate where a dog could reach it again!
If you ever find yourself in that position again, remember that hydrogen peroxide will cause vomitting and IMO every household should have a "fresh" bottle around in the home.
and IMO every household should have a "fresh" bottle around in the home.
Amen to that Pat,
I haven't had to worry yet with Zaire (Knock on wood), but Charlie has given me a couple of scares with what he chooses to eat that have required a Hydrogen Peroxide "Treatment"
WOW! That is a lot of info-
The chocolate thing- the further you get from pure chocolate, the less fatal it becomes, so, milk chocolate is not so bad, dark chocolate is not so good, and baker's chocolate is really bad. One morning, we came out to find that Jack had eaten half of a reese's peanut butter bar. I immediately jumped on the internet and found the info that someone (Tucker, I think?) already shared. I watched him closely, he drank a lot of water and then pooped a whole lot, and he was fine. We don't leave candy bars out anymore.
I really didn't know that broccoli was bad for him…..he looooooves it. He will do anything for broccoli, and it is actually the only vegetable I can get him to eat.
I give all mine broccoli all the time and I have never had a problem…. ever.....
My b's will tapdance for cheese.
The turkey skin thing- is that just in large quantities? Like, on Thanksgiving, If I give him a little turkey with a little skin, is that okay?
Back to the peroxide treatment … what is the amount to be given? Is it diluted any?
I always have peroxide in the house for nasty cuts etc. but didnt' know about its use to induce vomiting.
Back to the peroxide treatment … what is the amount to be given? Is it diluted any?
I always have peroxide in the house for nasty cuts etc. but didnt' know about its use to induce vomiting.
Given Straight…. usually 2 to 3 teaspoons.. you should see "results" in 5 to 10 minutes longest.... you do have to make sure it is "fresh" as in it "fizzes"...
I give all mine broccoli all the time and I have never had a problem…. ever.....
I give mine broccoli all the time also, with no problems. Add a bit of cheddar cheese and Keoki thinks he's died and gone to doggy heaven. Asparagus too – those are his two favorite veggies, bar none.
