Bad news foods

Avocados
They contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage heart, lungand other tissue in many animals. This fruit is very toxic to dogs, cats andmost animals.

Beer
Alcoholic beverages can cause the same damage to an animal's liver and brainas they cause in humans. But the effects can be deadly on animals since theyare much smaller than us. The smaller the animal, the more deadly theeffects can be. Even a small amount of alcohol may cause vomiting and damagethe liver and brain.

Nuts
Walnuts and macadamia nuts are especially toxic. Effects can be anythingfrom vomiting to paralysis to death. Within 12 hours of eating the nuts,pets start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand or walk,vomiting, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and anelevated heart rate. These symptoms can be even worse if your dog eats somechocolate with the nuts. The effect can cause kidney failure, often leadingto death.

Chocolate
Chocolate contains theobromine, which can kill your pet if eaten in largequantities. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are especially dangerous.Giving your pup a piece of chocolate cake or even letting him lick thechocolate icing on the cake could cause him to become ill. Theobromine canalso cause a dog or cat's heart to beat very rapidly or irregularly, whichcould result in death if the pet is exercising or overly active.

Candy
Candy or anything containing Xylitol (a common sweetener found in some dietproducts) can cause a sudden drop in an animal's blood sugar, loss ofcoordination and seizures. If left untreated, the animal could die.

Caffeine
Coffee, tea or any product that contains caffeine stimulates an animal'scentral nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to restlessness, heartpalpitations and death, depending on how much the animal consumes.

Grapes and raisins
Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. As little as a singleserving of raisins can kill them. And the effects are cumulative, whichmeans that even if a dog eats just one or two grapes or raisins regularly,the toxin that builds in his system will eventually kill him.

Onions
Onions are another common food that can be highly toxic to pets. They candestroy an animal's red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness andbreathing difficulties. Their effects are also cumulative over time.

Medicine
Hide medicine from your pets just like you would from your children. The most common cause of pet poisoning is from animals ingesting a medicine ordrug normally prescribed for humans. And this is not just because furry pals are getting into their pet parent'smedicine cabinets. In many cases, pet owners give their feline and caninefriends an over-the-counter medication to ease an animal's pain. Butacetaminophen and ibuprofen, the active ingredients in many common painrelievers, are extremely toxic to dogs and cats. They can cause gastriculcers, liver damage, kidney failure and sometimes death.