Written by Dr. Marcelle Landestoy, DVM
A healthy, active, and cheerful canine friend brings some sense of satisfaction to the owner and generally an improved mood at home.
But to keep your dog active and healthy, you need to make sure they feed on non-poisonous foods approved by professionals.
So, what foods should your Pembroke Welsh Corgi avoid?
Foods your Pembroke Welsh Corgi should avoid are salty foods, raw or spoiled food. Other foods that your Corgi should not eat include chocolate, raisins, and sugar-free candy. Bread dough, garlic, grapes, or foods sweetened with xylitol should also be avoided.
With my experience as a veterinary doctor, I’ll share in this article the types of foods to keep away from your Corgi, outline what will happen when your dog ingests such foods and steps you can take if your Pembroke Welsh Corgi accidentally eats any harmful foods.
Foods To Avoid or Limit on Your Corgi
While most foods are okay and healthy when eaten in small portions, some foods are harmful and might threaten a Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s well-being.
We’ll discuss in detail foods to avoid feeding your Corgi by separating them into three sections symbolized by traffic lights-green, yellow, and red.
- Green: This will stand for foods that can result in mild irritation or discomfort to your Corgi. If your dog consumes foods in this category, they are likely to present with mild bloating, diarrhea, or vomiting. In addition, if you continue feeding your canine on these foods, then your dog is expected to develop long-term effects.
- Yellow: Yellow will stand for the category of foods that can cause moderate or severe symptoms. For example, your Corgi can develop severe vomiting, diarrhea, or even find it difficult to breathe. If some or all of these symptoms appear in your dog after they consume “yellow category” foods, you’ll need to visit the vet for professional treatment.
- Red: This will refer to foods that are toxic/poisonous and can cause death if your Corgi does not receive immediate treatment to save his life. If your dog consumes food in this dangerous category, they are likely to have symptoms like difficulty in breathing and seizures. The solution is to seek emergency care from a vet immediately.
Green
Salty Foods and Snacks
Heavily salted foods like chips and pretzels can cause dehydration and possible sodium iron poisoning.
Symptoms of too much salt in your Corgis’ diet may result in diarrhea, vomiting, high body temperatures, depression, tremor, and also seizures.
Raw Meat
Feeding dogs raw meat is a common practice across many dog owners.
While it can be fine, the only problem is, raw meat lacks thermal processing.
Thermally processed meat is free from bacteria making it safer for your Corgis’ consumption.
The same way you cook your food to make it safe for consumption, and season it to add flavor, think of it that way when preparing your Corgi’s meal.
Bones
Bones are dangerous to most pets, including cats. When ingested by a Corgi, a bone can easily choke the dog.
It can be worse when the bones splinter since that can result in the risk of obstructing or puncturing the digestive system.
Other foods to avoid feeding your Corgi include nuts such as walnuts, pecans, and almonds due to their high-fat contents that can trigger vomiting.
What if Your Corgi Ate These Foods?
Dangers posed by foods under this category are manageable when ingested by a Corgi; hence should not cause you much worry.
For instance, if you suspect your Corgi has taken a lot of salty food, the first corrective measure is to give the dog a lot of drinking water.
If the symptoms persist where the dog starts to experience tremors, diarrhea, and high temperatures, take him to a vet for further examination and treatment.
Yellow
Onions, Garlic, or Chives
Consumption of a small amount of onion, garlic, or chives may result in the loss of a few red blood cells in your Corgi, but they might not show any outward signs of illness.
If your Corgi eats more than a small amount, symptoms still might not show immediately until after a few days.
However, during this time, severe damage might be caused in the gastrointestinal linings.
Symptoms will include nausea and vomiting, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.
Keep in mind that onions, garlic, and chive in cooked, raw, or powdered form will still cause these conditions.
Bread Dough
When exposed to warm environments like a Corgis’ belly, Bread dough contains yeast that will swell and cause complications.
For example, the diaphragm might move upwards, causing difficulty in breathing.
Overconcentration of yeast may also result in alcohol poisoning.
Symptoms might include:
- A bulging stomach
- Weakness
- Unproductive vomiting
- Disorientation
- Depression
Alcoholic Beverages
Although there isn’t much information about how alcohol affects dogs, symptoms like uncoordinated movements and stumbling on objects may point to alcoholic poisoning of the Corgi’s nervous system.
This might not only result from alcoholic beverages.
The high concentration of bread yeast, when ingested by a Corgi, also produces carbon dioxide and ethanol that can cause alcohol poisoning.
Keep in mind that pets are intolerant to ethanol.
You might think it’s ridiculous for this item to be listed since it’s an obvious no-no but please keep in mind that some innocent looking foods might contain alcohol in them (e.g. ice cream and chocolate)
Avocados
Avocado is another food that you should keep away from a Corgi due to its toxic nature.
The high fat content levels can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting to the dog.
In addition, the slippery seed might be swallowed, leading to constipation and a possible surgical procedure to correct it.
What Should You Do in the Case of Ingestion?
Some of the problems discussed in this section are manageable when detected early, such as vomiting, making it easier to restore your Corgi’s health.
First, however, you want to make sure you know the exact cause of a problem and how to manage it.
Then, a veterinarian’s advice will help you take the proper steps to treat your dog.
When your Corgi consumes onions, garlic, or chives, don’t wait for symptoms to show, which may take days.
Instead, take your Corgi to your vet for treatment as soon as you realize they ate these foods.
Generally, if your Corgi eats any of the foods in this category, you need to take them to the vet for observation and treatment.
Red
Chocolate, Coffee, or Tea
Most dog owners are conscious of the dangers of chocolate when ingested by dogs.
This is because chocolate contains theobromine, which affects a Corgi’s central nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) further points out that methylxanthines found in all coffee, tea, and chocolate–when ingested by a Corgi–may cause diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythm, hyperactivity, panting, and seizure.
Without a quick medical response, these signs can potentially lead to death.
Raisins and Grapes
A large intake of grapes and raisins can cause kidney problems to your Corgi.
Although scientists have not established the exact substance that produces the toxins, you are better off keeping these nuts away from your Corgi.
Depression, vomiting, and hyperthermia are common symptoms of this condition you’ll need to watch out for.
Foods With Xylitol Sweetener
Sugar-free foods like peanut butter, gum, and candy contain artificial sweeteners called xylitol.
Xylitol releases insulin that may cause seizures and other life-threatening problems like brain damage and liver failure in your Corgi, so try to keep them far from the reach of your dog.
What To Do When Your Corgi Eats These Red-Category Foods
If your Corgi consumes any food from this category, the best thing to do is not to wait for the symptoms to appear. Instead, immediately rush them to the nearest pet clinic and let your pup get checked.
If your dog has already developed severe symptoms, seek emergency care at the nearest vet clinic.
The sooner your dog is attended to, the easier it’ll be to save his life and avoid sudden death.
Note: A Corgi is a tiny dog breed that will access most of your rooms and closets; a simple, actionable tip like keeping all the harmful foods out of sight is a big step to keeping your Corgi safe.
Conclusion
Some Pembroke Welsh Corgi owners report that Corgis’ dietary requirements are easy to manage since they consume most over-the-counter dog foods. But be warned; some recommendations on the packages about portions to serve your dog might be misleading.
To be safe with your Corgi, ask a veterinarian about any food you aren’t sure is suitable for your Corgi or not.
References
- American Kennel Club- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- AnimalTipsCare-Taking Care of a Corgi
- Russian dog-Human Food That Can Harm a Corgi
- Clark. com-Foods Your Pet Should Never Eat
Read more about the Pembroke Welsh Corgi breed in my one-page Corgi owner guide
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| Marcelle Landestoy Veterinary Hospital Director at UCE Dr. Marcelle is a general veterinarian with a Small Animal Medicine Specialty | Director of the UCE School of Veterinary Medicine | Certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society |
