Even though we think of them as part of the family, dogs digest and react to foods differently than we do, so you must be very careful what you feed your dog as some “human” foods can be fatal to canines.

Here’s a list of some of the foods you should never feed your dog:

Chocolate – this is a great treat for us and it stands to reason that you might want to share it with your pet, however I urge you to never feed your dog chocolate because it can be fatal! Chocolate contains a substance that can be toxic to your dog when eaten in certain amounts.

Coffee – Never feed your pet anything with caffeine, including coffee as it can adversely affect your dogs heart and nervous system.

Cooked bones – Every dog loves a bone, right? It’s true, but you have to be very careful what types of bones you feed your dog. Never feed them any cooked bones as they can splinter very easily which can really wreak havoc inside your dog and can even be fatal. The same goes for chicken bones.

Grapes – Grapes, as well as raisins can damage your pets kidneys, so please refrain from feeding them these as well as grape seed oil (or any essential oil).

Onions and garlic – Onions and garlic in any form contain sulfoxides and disulfides which can cause anemia by damaging red blood cells.

Walnuts and Macadamia nuts – These contain some toxin (as yet unknown) which affects the muscles, digestive system and nervous system.

Mushrooms – Some mushrooms can be fatal for your dog, so it’s best to avoid them at all costs.

Avocado – Avocados contain persin which is toxic to dogs and can cause difficulty breathing, fluid buildup in the chest and abdomen and an enlarged abdomen.

Fat trimmings from your dinner – While the fat you trimmed off your prime rib seems like the perfect thing to dump into Fidos dish, it really isn’t good for them. Fat can cause pancreatitis in dogs and the extra calories can lead to obesity.

In addition to the foods above, you should never feed your pet fruit pits or the leaves or stems from vegetables like tomatoes and potatoes. Also, don’t feed your dog desserts or spoiled food as they obviously are not good for them. Being careful about what you feed your pet is important so, in addition to making sure you don’t feed him these foods also keep an eye on what others are putting into Fido’s mouth and you’ll be assured that you won’t have to worry about any food related illnesses.