The foods humans eat are not always healthy for our beloved pets. While there is often the temptation to feed your dog from the table (especially when they look at you with those puppy dog eyes) the human digestive system is more complex than that of the canine, and can therefore handle many foods dogs cannot. In fact, many human foods can cause pet obesity, arthritis, diabetes, allergies and even fatal pet toxicity in dogs.

Here are some potentially harmful human foods that dogs should never eat:

1. Chocolate
Chocolate is a complete no-no for dogs, there are no benefits for a dog to eat any kind of candy. Theobromine, which is found in chocolate, is very toxic to dogs and even in low doses can cause issues. In small amounts a dog may only suffer from an upset stomach. Large quantities of chocolate can induce seizures, heartbeat issues, internal bleeding and potentially death.

2. Raw eggs
Generally speaking there is no serious risk to dogs from raw eggs. Dogs can easily digest both raw and cooked eggs and their stomachs are generally more resilient to bacteria that cause food poisoning. This does not mean that raw egg can not be harmful to dogs because there is an enzyme that can cause some issues. Avidin, an enzyme found in raw egg whites can inhibit the absorption of the B Vitamin biotin. A result of this can be skin irritation and other dermatological issues.

3. Raw meat and bones
Considering that dogs are descended from wolves whose diet consists of raw meat and bones it may seem these foods would be fine for a dog. There are health benefits to a raw diet for dogs, but many breeds are not quite as robust as their wild cousins. Certain types of bacteria found in raw meats can be harmful to dogs and a meat heavy diet can also have a negative affect on their health. The biggest danger comes from bones, which many modern day dogs are ill equipped to chew. Wolves have very powerful jaws and can crunch bones very easily. Dogs will try to do the same, but bone shards may cut their mouths, harm their teeth, or cause a choking hazard.

4. Onions and garlic
There are a number of vegetables in the onion family, many of which are used in cooking as flavoring elements. This is great for humans, but can be very bad for pets such as dogs and cats. Natural chemicals in these pungent vegetables can cause red blood cell damage in dogs, which can result in anemia. If a dog were to ingest more than 0.5% of its body weight of onion or garlic this could be a toxic dose. Certain dog breeds from Japan such as Shiba Inu and Akita are even more sensitive. It is therefore important not to allow dogs to eat onion, garlic, leeks or any other members of this pungent vegetable family.

5. Caffeine
Caffeine is another complete avoidance food for dogs because although it has the same effects on dogs as it does humans; it does so at an amplified degree. The same amount of caffeine will affect a dog four times as severely as it does a human. This can result in extreme hyperactivity, increased heart rate, spasms and diarrhea.

6. Grapes and raisins
There is a dangerous toxin in grapes that is toxic to dogs. While it’s not currently known by the veterinary community what exactly that is.  The unknown toxin in grapes (or the dried version) can cause dehydration and severe liver damage in both dogs and cats. This negative reaction extends to raisins and currants.