Frequently newspapers and popular magazines publish lists of “food that kill your pets”. When we are looking from the holistic perspective they may not be that accurate – some myths still abound.

The current one, with pictures, was in the Denver Post and lists:

alcohol, raisins, currents, cooked bones, avocado, walnuts, macadamia nuts, grapes, fatty foods, caffeine, xylitol, mushrooms, dairy, onions, garlic,  chocolate and your prescription drugs.

Yes  – your prescription drugs should be kept safely away; xylitol is bad for all life; alcohol (nor marijuana) is not  needed by animals and should be avoided (but licking up some spilled beer will not kill your dog); onions in large quantity and high quality chocolate can be toxic. Now I will comment on the rest.

I want people to not panic when they see this list. many of you who are feeding fresh, raw foods, have been feeding many of these for years with no problems. Garlic for intestinal health (and anti=parasite effect) is safe – onions in large amounts are not. Grapes are a new problem. Dogs have eaten grapes for years with no issues. 10 years ago several dogs developed kidney problems after eating grapes – but they have identified why – maybe they were just vaccinated, given flea poison and heart worm preventative the same day. Maybe it was the high level of chemicals (strawberries and grapes are way up there). We do not know. If your dog has eaten grapes for years – keep doing it (organic only). If you have never fed grapes (or raisins) then I would not start. While too much dairy may cause problems in a few dogs or cats, most do great on it. Of course some mushrooms can kill pets – or people – if they are poisonous. If you can eat them, they can. Avocados are fine – just not the pits nor the skins of certain varieties. Avoderm is a dog food based on avocado that is safe and good. While I would avoid cooked, dried out in the garbage bones, you can feed small amounts of freshly cooked bones from soup, for instance. Nuts only in large amounts. To share a nut or two is fine. Chocolate is certainly not needed for nutrition, but do not panic if your dog eats some low quality chocolate. Only the high quality – full of theobromine that hurts the heart – is of concern. A friend’s 5 pound toy poodle ate a one pound fundraising choco bar – paper, foil, and all. Not even any diarrhea! Every animal is an individual, and the healthier they are, the less sensitive they will be. Worse toxins for your pets are: 1. Vaccines, 2. Processed foods with chemicals and toxins; 3. Flea preventatives and other chemicals in the home and environment; 4. prescribed medications to suppress symptoms; 5. lack of exercise;

To maintain health, become attuned to Reiki – Sheryl can tell you lots about this – and offer it daily to yourself and every family member. Work with an integrative vet – even by phone if needed. Ask your conventional vet questions – why do I need to give heartworm meds monthly even in the winter? Truth is that the mosquitoes need two weeks of over 65 degree temps for the ingested heartworm larvae to mature to infective larvae in the saliva of the mosquito.