Do you feed your dogs table scraps? Our dog died from feeding scraps.
By ShadyGrove
@ShadyGrove (996)
United States
April 2, 2007 7:52pm CST
We used to feed our dog table scraps, but I know we ended up killing him because of that. We had some left-over gravy and it was mixed with his dry dog food after our dinner one night -- he got so sick and had to go to the vet. He had pancreatitis and after thousands of dollars he just never did recover right. He was sickly for about a year and one day we came home to find him dead. He was a big dog, about 80 pounds and healthy and as sleeky coated as you would like - but table scraps did him in.
Our vet told us this is a common thing with owners feeding their pets high-fat scraps. She also said not to give a dog onions as it is a blood thinner for dogs and not good for them. Potatoes is another food to avoid giving to a dog.
Now we have 2 other dogs, and will very sparingly give them a "taste" of what we are having every now and then. But we are fearful of the same thing happening to them so we are very careful.
Do you feed your dogs whatever scraps you have leftover? Have you ever had a dog get sick from feeding them scraps?
4 people like this
25 responses
@brendalee (6082)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I am sorry for the loss of your dog. I always feed my dog table scraps but we try to be careful not to give them a lot. I didn't know about the onions or potatoes. Do you know what the potatoes does to a dog? I have never had a dog get sick from the table scraps. But please don't blame yourself. It just something most people don't think about. Who would think that the food we eat would harm an animal? Thanks for bringing this up. I will be more careful from now on.
1 person likes this
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
3 Apr 07
Hi ~ thanks for your comments. I cannot remember exactly about the potatoes, but it is like poison to their immune system.
I feel so terrible for the year that he just suffered away.
@zephyr11 (6)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I'm sorry about your dog. But I agree, don't blame yourself. I have a small dog and was not planning on feeding her anything but dog food. I bought all of the expensive kinds that are supposed to be better for tham and tried all of the tricks to get her to eat it.
She would actually dry heave in the mornings because she was so hungry, but she never has eaten much dog food. Finally a cheap brand I found she will nibble on a little.
The vet said that she would eventually eat. Aweek later it still hadn't happened. So, yes my dog eats human food. I can't really say scraps. I only feed her meat(cooked), and no turkey it is bad for their pancreas also. I don't feed her the fat on the meat either.
Now she seems happy and totally healthy.
I hope the turkey tip helps someone.
@asteriskec (1074)
• Philippines
3 Apr 07
That is so sad! I feel very sad when dog owners lose their pets. I'm a dog owner and I love my pet dearly. I noticed that once you "train" your dog to eat scraps while they're young, it'll be okay since their immune system will develop. I know of a lot of dog owners who feed their dogs scraps primarily because they can't afford dog food. In my case as a pet owner, I only feed my dog some scraps but only if these are bits and pieces of bones or meat. Other than that, I don't anymore.
1 person likes this
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
3 Apr 07
Yes, he really was a wonderful dog. We still miss him terribly.
We started giving our dog little scraps when he was a puppy, but he just had one too many "overdoses" of high fat scraps - and that was that.
@FloatingGum (346)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I am a meanie, I feed the dogs nothing off of my plate. I never thought about how healthy it was for them, I just did it because I didn't want them sitting there slobbering and drooling while I was trying to eat. For me, it was a matter of setting boundaries.
It's good information to know. I know the parrots can't get onions, avocado, and chocolate. There's other food they can get sparingly.
1 person likes this
@retardedrugrat (4791)
• Canada
3 Apr 07
I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. We never fed table scraps to our dog back in the UK. He was a big dog but he would only eat his own dry food.
I'm not sure why that was, but he was a rescue dog and they said he'd been abused in his previous home, and so I think it had something to do with that.
My aunt used to feed table scraps to her dogs, and they never seemed to have any problems, but I'm not sure if she actually was careful about what she gave them, I never really took notice lol.
1 person likes this
@mrumley (33)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I am sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. We don't normally give our dog scraps from our leftovers. Every once in a while she will get a little leftover steak. Once we got very busy after dinner and forgot that we didn't clean the table and we came out in the morning to find that she ate the leftover porkchops, bones and all! We are much less careless now. Although our son, who is about 1, just learned how to get her to the table and her hand feeds her some of his food. We are trying to put an end to this as quickly as possible.
1 person likes this
@taymouse (585)
• United States
6 Apr 07
We always give our dog leftovers. He is an outside dog and he enjoys them a lot because they're different from his normal, everyday dog food. We've given him such a variety of things and nothing has hurt him, he's just a little chubby is all.
However, I'm really sorry about your dog and I didn't know that could happen from just some gravy or scraps like that. My dog has had gravy and things before and it's not hurt him. I'm sorry for your loss!
Have a good weekend and happy holidays! ~Taymouse
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
3 Apr 07
First, I am sorry for your loss. My pets are like children in our family and I can't imagine the pain you must be feeling. I never knew about onions being a blood thinner for dogs! I wonder what it is about potatos that is harmful? We don't give our dog table scraps routinely. Someimes if someone has left a bite of meat (chicken, beef) on their plate we will toss it to our dog but that is all he knows of table food. He is fed strictly dry food. My parents were forever giving our dog (a toy chihuahua) table scraps when I grew up. I remember the dog having gravy, veggies, meat,...pretty much whatever we had! The dog's morning meal and evening meal too (if there were no leftovers) was canned food! The dog lived 14 years?!! Who knows why it seems to be so deliterous to some pets and not others?
@theproperator (2429)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I didn't realize that the fatty foods could actually be so bad for a dog, I thought the worst that would happen is it would give them the runs or make them vomit. I'm so sorry you had to find out this information in such a tragic way.
Luckily, we don't usually feed our dog table scraps anyway, just as a matter of training. Once in awhile, we give him a bite of leftover meat (chicken or steak) and a carrot once in awhile as a treat.
One night, someone threw an open can of spaghetti-o's over our fence (don't ask me why) and he ate that before we realized it was out there. Of course, I was terrified that whoever had thrown it in had poisoned it, so I called the vet and took the dog to work with me the next day to keep an eye on him. Other than his poop being a bit "off" he was fine, thank goodness.
@aprilgrl (4460)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I have tried so many times to feed the dog with it's own dog food but my dog didn't like it so we put some scrapes and add to the dog food she finally ate it so we did started use a little scrapes and dog food together. Sorry to hear about your dog.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
3 Apr 07
I have never kept a dog myself. However, if I have one, I need I would want to buy proper pet food for him. If not that, at least I would remove a portion of my meals as his share.
If I can't afford to give him proper food, I really shouldn't think about keeping a dog. Just my take.
@korvinkate (283)
• Philippines
3 Apr 07
I'm sorry or your lost....My father always make sure that what we fed on our dogs are cooked food...if not..we buy canned food..we never fed them table scraps...
@onlyourbunny (94)
• United States
3 Apr 07
No i do not feed are dog table food.There is no reason to are do dog eat alot my two year old gives the dog but thats about it.
@vogelvrij (196)
• Netherlands
3 Apr 07
I think the most important lesson you have learned by feeding your other dog table scraps that it doesnt did the thing for you you are meaning with it. I am sure you only wanted to give the dog the table scraps out of love. You want him to join in at the dinnertable, dont be feeling he is left out. But surprisingly true, you are NOT giving him affection and love but hurt and disease. Dogs, and cats!, are different from us humans. They might have similar responses. IF we all should realize for once and for all that the dog or the cat are not allowed to eat the food WE are eating, then we are tackling this problem bit by bit! Dont feed table scraps (you are doing it again!!!!). Instead of that, go to the petshop and buy some good and really healthy snack for your dog! And lay that on the table to serve that to him while you are having your dinner. By that way he wont feel shut out and you are truely showing him you care about him and love him.
@loujac3 (1188)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I am so sorry to hear about your dog. I have a dog with a very sensitive digestive system and he does not handle fatty foods well and meat scraps are hard on him. I try to give him only dry food and occasionally a tablespoon of moist food with his meal. Otherwise, I end up having to clean the carpet. He will throw up in the corner of my vinca garden when his stomach is upset. Thank you for the note on onions! My dog hates potatoes and will only eat a small beef patty when I go out to get a burger. I order his patty cooked without seasoning.
@xfallenxlostx (2074)
• United States
3 Apr 07
You can't give dogs onions (or anythign in the onion family), garlic, or eucalyptus. They are all very bad for doggies. Eucalyptus is toxic. It has toxins in it that will make your pup sick.
@awonderfullife (2893)
• United States
3 Apr 07
What a sad story. I'm so sorry this ahppened to you. I did not realize that table food could be deadly to dogs. My father in law feeds his dog from the table often- I will tell him about this.
@haedescanes (592)
• Philippines
3 Apr 07
Im very sorry about your dog. I have taken care of so many dogs in the past and up to now Im taking care of one. I usually feed them left over food and I really dont buy dog foo, but up to now they still live well and they usually last up to 6 to 8 years. not bad for a dog's life span don't you thi
@gadget_kat (412)
• United States
3 Apr 07
I am so sorry for your loss. We usually give our dog whatever is left on our plates, in addition to her dry food which is Kibbles and Bits Brushing Bites. I'll also give her a slice of cheese or lunchmeat when I'm making my husband's sandwich for lunch at work.
I never knew about potatoes and onions being harmful to dogs. I just knew about chocolate and other sweet foods.
My dog has eaten crayons and nothing happened, so maybe she has a tough stomach. I don't know.
But I am really sorry for your loss.
