poisonous foods for dogs and cats

I found out that some common foods around the house are actually bad for dogs and cats. Yikes! So all you dogs and cats out there, tell your owners to be careful with foods lying around.

Avocados contain a toxic component called persin, which can damage heart, lung and other tissue is very toxic to dogs, cats and most animals. No California rolls for me!

Alcoholic beverages can be deadly on animals and may cause vomiting and damage the liver and brain.

Walnuts and macadamia nuts are especially toxic. Effects can be anything from vomiting to paralysis to death. Within 12 hours of eating the nuts, pets start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand or walk, vomiting, hyperthermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate. Any kinds of nuts are bad, but especially these two.

Chocolate contains theobromine, which can kill dogs and cats if eaten in large quantities. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are especially dangerous.

Candy or anything containing Xylitol (a common sweetener found in some diet products) can cause a sudden drop in an animal's blood sugar, loss of coordination and seizures. If left untreated, the animal could die.

Caffeine in coffee, tea or any product that contains caffeine stimulates an animal's central nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to restlessness, heart palpitations and death, depending on how much the animal consumes.

This one is odd: Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill them. And the effects are cumulative, which means that even if a dog eats just one or two grapes or raisins regularly, the toxin that builds in his system will eventually kill him.

Onions are another common food that can be highly toxic to pets. They can destroy an animal's red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness and breathing difficulties.