20 Dangerous Things To Keep Away From Your Chihuahua

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Hey there! If you have a Chihuahua or any other dog, it’s important to know about the things that can be dangerous for them.

We’ve put together a list of 20 items that you should keep away from your furry friend. Some of these things might seem harmless to us humans, but they can be extremely toxic to dogs.

1-Chocolate

Most people know about this but just in case you didn’t, never let your dog eat chocolate. I have personally lost a beloved beagle because he got into a large chocolate candy bar without our knowledge. The only way we knew this is what killed him is that he had an autopsy. It was a horrible experience and one I don’t wish on anyone else.

2-Caffeine

Caffeine in coffee, soft drinks, or anything else is toxic to dogs and can be deadly.

3-Cocoa Mulch

It’s often sold in garden centers and just like chocolate, it can be deadly if ingested.

4-Lawn Chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, plant foods, and fertilizers)

Some of these can be fatal if your dog gets into them. There is a danger too if these things get on your dog’s feet and they lick them off.

5-Pesticides used for bugs and rodents

Even if you keep the pesticides away from your pup, if your dog finds a poisoned rodent and eats it, he will also ingest that poison. For a small dog like a Chihuahua, it can be fatal.

6-De-icing Salts

These are sometimes used to de-ice your car windshield. Once they get on the ground, your dog can get the residue on their paws. When your dog licks his paws, he ingests the poison. Keep booties on your dog in the winter if you live in a cold climate. Or make sure you wash your dog’s paws off after they come in from a walk.

7-Old Antifreeze

Antifreeze traditionally had a sweet taste that was attractive to dogs. Recently manufacturers have voluntarily added a bitter agent to the antifreeze to discourage animals from trying to drink it. Be aware if you have any old bottles of antifreeze stored in your garage that it doesn’t have this agent. Antifreeze is highly toxic to animals and will kill them.

8-Acetaminophen

You may not know what Acetaminophen is but I’m sure you probably know what it is by its brand name which is Tylenol. It’s toxic in dogs. In fact, many medications that are fine for humans are toxic for pets so be sure to keep them out of their reach.

9-Plants

Many houseplants and garden plants are toxic to dogs if they happen to eat them. The Humane Society has a document that lists all the poisonous plants. You can find it here: http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/pets/poisonous_plants.pdf

10-Grapes and Raisins

One grape may not hurt your dog (unless your Chi is a puppy or very tiny) but a handful or more can cause liver and kidney damage.

11-Avocados

Avocados contain a substance called Persin which is mildly toxic to dogs.

12-Bread Dough

Bread dough contains yeast which if it is ingested, can cause serious illness and sometimes even death.

13-Moldy Food

Of course, we would not eat moldy food. But your dog may find it in the garbage and eat it. Moldy food contains Mycotoxins which will make your dog ill if they eat it.

14-Macadamia Nuts

Although nuts are a healthy snack for humans, they are not for dogs. Many varieties of nuts can cause some problems but Macadamia nuts are the worst of the lot.

15-Onions

Onions in any form (cooked, raw, onion powder) contain thiosulphate which will cause dogs to develop a serious type of Anemia several days after they eat the onions. Garlic is also toxic but to a lesser degree.

16-Fish and Chicken Bones

These bones tend to be very brittle and sharp and can cause serious injury to your dog’s digestive system.

17-Xylitol

Xylitol also known as Birch Sugar, is a sugar substitute often found in chewing gum, breath mints, candy, some peanut butters and some diet foods. It’s extremely toxic to dogs.

18-Alcohol

Beer, wine, and hard alcohol are all no-nos for your dog. It doesn’t take much alcohol to cause alcohol poisoning in a small dog.

19-Plum and Peach Pits

The fruit itself is fine but the pits contain cyanide, which is of course a poison for humans and animals alike.

20- Apple Seeds

Just like with plums and peaches, the apple itself is not toxic but the apple seeds do contain cyanide.

And here’s a bonus:

Mushrooms:

The Amanita mushroom has about 600 varieties of mushrooms in its family, all of which are toxic to dogs (many are toxic to humans too).

We hope this list helps you keep your furry friend happy and healthy!