The English Bulldog Puppy Blog

The act of rewarding of giving your English bulldog a special doggy delicacy as a treat after a hard (playful) training session gives you a feeling of warmness. Anyone who owns or had owned a dog has a fairly good idea what their favorite pet likes to much on. There are boundless choices available in the market as dog treats. They come in assorted flavors, shapes, sizes, colors, and variety. Yet, dog owners should check the ingredients of the dog treat and they’re safe for your beloved pet. For every dog treat currently sold in the market, there are also those that are not so good. If you’re one of those pet owners who keep on feeding your English bulldog those colorful or tasty treats, learn how some treats can be potentially toxic to your dog.

Rawhide Chews
It is true that rawhide chews do a wonderful job on keeping your pet busy and keeping their teeth maintains its sparkling white and tidy appearance. However, rawhide chews can get potentially dangerous treat. Imported rawhides that come from outside America are possibly coated and preserved with arsenic-based chemicals that get ingested by your dog. Exercise caution when purchasing rawhide chews. Always make sure any of these rawhide you bought has been processed in the United States given arsenic are strictly prohibited in USA. When you can’t determine or see any proof that the rawhide was produced in the states then don’t buy it. It’s always the right thing to buy rawhides of the right size. Thus, if your bulldog is still small then it requires a smaller sized treat and if it grows bigger then should start with a chew suitable for its size. Supervise your dog while consuming rawhides to help avoid accidental choking.

Bones
When bones are chewed, they become fragments and fragile. They splinter easily and do not disintegrate well in a dog’s digestive track. Bones are hard to digest so your pet may have to pass them through his stool. Undigested bones can lead to a serious impaction and/or constipation necessitating a drastic trip to the veterinarian. Other than that, bones can serve as a choking hazard and causes likely intestinal bleeding. Shard bone can pierce the intestinal wall and pass through the abdominal cavity causing hemorrhaging of the intestinal wall and peritonitis (an infection of the lining of the abdominal cavity). Watch out for major symptoms of possible damage to the intestinal tract include vomiting, rectal bleeding, discharge from the rectum, diarrhea, straining to defecate, and extreme sensitivity to palpation of the abdomen. If your dog has ingested bones recently and shows any of the above symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Xylitol sweetened treats
Xylitol is found in sugar-free gum and mints, nicotine gum, chewable vitamins, oral-care products, and baked goods. It is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener in many products. It can be purchased in a granulated form for baking or as a sweetener for cereals and beverages. The ASPCA APCC has had reports that some dogs developed elevated liver enzyme activity within 12 to 24 hours after ingestion of Xylitol. Several of these dogs developed acute liver failure following to Xylitol ingestion. A couple breath mints containing Xylitol is enough to cause the death of a small dog. You may want to keep your breath mints in a safe container far from your dog’s sniffing prowess. Your pet could end up struggling for dear life out of acute liver distress from Xylitol. Be very cautious about keeping any products that may can this sweetener out of the range of your curious pet.

Greenies
Greenies are advertised as a tasty treat to support the cleanliness of your dog’s teeth. Consumers, however, should be aware that “greenies” can induce serious health issues in your pet. At the 2005 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACIVM) meeting, there was discussion among internal medicine specialists about Greenies causing esophageal obstructions that were difficult to relieve. Among the health complications reported are small intestinal obstructions; stricture, ulceration and perforation. Greenies are also linked with tooth fractures in dogs. Young puppies or dogs who “scarf” their food should not be given this treat since consuming the item quickly may cause large chunks to lodge in the throat. Potential vomiting can be a consequence once your dog eats these treats, along with lethargy, trouble swallowing, and difficulty breathing. Seek medical attention right away at any signs and symptoms shown by your dog.

Chocolate
It is a known fact that most people love to succumb to the sweet temptation of chocolates. It is an entirely different case for dogs. It is not a good idea to let your bulldog have its share of this dark chocolaty goodness. Chocolate contains a substance known as theobromine. This substance is toxic to dogs. Theobrimine is part of the xanthnine compound, basically the same family that contains caffeine. The actual toxic dose varies from a dog to another, depending on a number of factors such as the weight of the dog and his or her metabolism level. The good news is that it generally takes quite a large amount of chocolate to harm a dog. In general, the toxic level of theobromine is between 100 and 150 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. It is important, of course, to keep in mind that dogs will vary in their sensitivity to the compound, so it is still important to keep any and all chocolate in the house out of Fido’s reach. The symptoms that pet owners should watch out include excitability, irritability, increased heart rate, diarrhea, increased urination, muscle tremors and vomiting. These symptoms clearly indicate that your bulldog ingested a toxic amount of chocolates.

Pet owners need not to be worried of all treats in the market are harmful for their dogs. In fact, healthier alternatives can be tapped to continue rewarding your English bulldog pets. Some safe and handy alternatives to pet store treats include fresh carrots, apples, canned pumpkin or plain popcorn.

These items can be conveniently picked up on your next trip to the market. Your puppy can be given a synthetic bone like Nylabone to satisfy its need to chew. Nylabones are a good option compared to meat bones or rawhides since they are easily digestible and are available in many fantastic flavors. As a precaution, remember to read the ingredient and warning labels on any treat you feed your dog. You should also watch them closely while they are eating. These tips on maintaining your English bulldog free form toxic treats will, lead to a life made exciting with tasty yet safe treats.

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