What people food can a dog have?

Last in a series

Beer is a common canine dietary indiscretion. I’ve been asked, more than a few times, whether to allow a nonhuman BFF an occasional brewski. Who’s asking? Beer loving dogs are asking their beer loving people, who know their dogs are beer lovers because they’ve already served their underage pupsters, although no one admits it. There are risks. Will he be driving? Does his girlfriend object? Besides 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’t understand why he’s lost control of his brain. I’ve seen fear in the eyes of pets on a bad trip. They’re 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’s 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’d be encouraging pestering and pillaging. Put healthy snacks in your dog’s 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’ll 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’ve chewed through plastic pill vials to gobble the tablets. Most don’t 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 multi-dog 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.

For help with behavior problems, you can sign-up for a Zoom Group Conference on my website, 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 by US Post to 4000 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Albuq, NM 87109.