Not everything that is safe for us to eat is safe for your dog. Foods to beware of:

1. chocolate - can cause diarrhoea, convulsions, coma and death. A 10kg dog could be severely affected by a 250g block of chocolate

2. onions and garlic - can cause damage to red blood cells leading to anaemia

3. alcohol

4. grapes, raisins and currants - even small amounts can cause kidney damage and death

5. mushrooms - various species are toxic to dogs and can cause death

6. macadamia nuts - often used in cookie recipes. Can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and neurological problems

7. walnuts

8. sugarless chewing gum - the xylitol in sugarless chewing gum can cause a massive drop in blood glucose levels leading to brain damage, coma and death

9. caffeine - coffee, tea, coca cola

10. avocadoes

11. mouldy food

12. corn cobs - a common cause of intestinal blockage requiring surgical removal

13. fatty foods such as sausages  and fat offcuts from meat - can trigger pancreatitis

14. teatree oil/dettol - can cause ulceration of the tongue and throat