Are there good sweets or human snacks for dogs?

Malaysia is a country filled with fun festivities that brings a plethora of delicious, great dishes for your family and your pets. While it is ingrained in paw parents to never give chocolate chip Christmas cookies to dogs, there are an astonishing number of foods that could also be just as harmful.

The Do’s:

Sweet Potatoes: A tasty vegetable that is a staple in most festive dishes, the sweet potato is perfect for dogs and cats to eat as it is a great source of dietary fiber and vitamins. Sweet potatoes aid to the overall health of a pet’s digestive tract as fiber is important for maintaining regular bowel movements. 

Some important vitamins included in sweet potatoes are Vitamin A and C, essential for all parts of the body including the eyes, muscles and nerves and is a key element in supporting a healthy immune system. It is important to note that sweet potatoes should be fed plain, there should be no additional seasoning such as garlic and onion as they can be harmful to dogs when ingested.

Scrambled Eggs: Eggs are one of the healthiest snacks for dogs. The same factors that make eggs so healthy for humans (protein, omega-3 fat and vitamins)are also healthily beneficial for your precious pets. Dogs and cats are carnivorous animals, so they require the high-quality protein that is normally found in animal-based foods, such as eggs.

So, what’s the best way to cook them? Because pets do not require added salt and pepper like humans, a simple hard-boiled egg is a safe bet. You can also scramble eggs or make an omelet, but pets don’t need the other additional tasties that humans enjoy adding in their omelets, so you can skip the salt and pepper. 

Whipped Cream: This is a tricky one, because most cats are actually lactose intolerant. However, if homemade whipped cream or a prepared product catches their eyes, a few licks of whipped cream shouldn’t hurt. However, non-dairy whipped toppings have too much sugar and other additives so it is best to keep them away from your pets.

The Don’ts:

Fatty Foods: Dishes that contain a very high-fat content such as gravy, chicken skin and turkey skin can be hard for your dog to digest. After ingesting these foods, your dog might experience vomiting or diarrhea as the fatty content in these treats can result in the inflammation of their pancreas, which is a vital part of their digestive system.

Bones: It is a common misconception for people to think that it is okay for dogs to chew on bones. But contrary to popular belief, chewing on bones, especially cooked ones, is not safe for canine consumption. As bones cook, they tend to lose their moisture before becoming brittle. When dogs consume cooked bones, they can crack, splinter and tear up your dog’s mouth and stomach. Besides that, brittle bones could also become lodged in your pet’s throat or digestive system, causing serious injuries to your dog’s stomach as well.

It is much better to feed dogs raw bones such as chicken wings as they are much safer than cooked bones because they do not splinter easily.

Raisins / Grapes: While chocolate and alcohol are common forbidden foods that should not be fed to dogs, raisins and grapes are equally infamously known for being poisonous to animals. Even the smallest amount of these threats could lead to rapid kidney failure in both cats and dogs.

Be sure to keep all desserts with raisins and grapes such as fruitcakes and fruit baskets away from your pets reach at all times. If you suspect that your dog has consumed these foods, contact your nearest vet as soon as possible.