Feeding dogs food scraps: The sneaky dinner table habit vet warns pet owners need to stop

Dogs and cats are more than pets, they're part of the family. So of course, when we're having a meal at the dinner table they want to be included and we let them.

It's not long before that pooch or kitty hanging around your chair while you eat ends up getting a little nibble of something from your plate.

This scene sounds wholesome and harmless but vet and 9honey columnist Dr Katrina Warren warns it's the opposite.

Watch the video above.

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“[It's] really bad because you're encouraging them to come back and push for it, which can be a problem when you're out in public or if you've got visitors over,” she explained during an appearance on Today Extra.

“And importantly, you can feed them things that aren't good for them. So it's an easy way to put on weight if you're giving them fatty table scraps.”

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Weight isn't the only concern if you're feeding scraps of human food to pets, there are health risks too.

“Cooked bones are very bad because they can choke on them. Things like onions, which are toxic for dogs, but anything that's fatty for us, like bacon and things like that, can put on weight but can also trigger bouts of pancreatitis,” Dr Katrina said.

Some examples of foods that are dangerous for dogs include chocolate, grapes, corn if it's on the cob and peas if they've come from a can.

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Weight gain can be a problem if your pet becomes overweight as it increases the risk of health issues.

“If you can't feel your dog's ribs very easily, then they're probably overweight. You're putting your dog at risk or any pet, really, that's overweight at the same risks as us, you know, heart disease, diabetes,” she said.

“It's bad for dogs with arthritis putting that extra weight on them. So that's about being sensible it's very easy, especially in winter [to overfeed pets].”

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