Homemade Hamster Toys: Play Tubes from File Folders

Comments

March 2, 2007 at 10:25 pm

(1) Nancy says:

Concerning the itchy dogs article. You mention letting them have the crab apples, I was always told crab apples are poison unless they are cooked, or made into jelly. I have it on good authority. I wouldn’t let our dogs have them.?? Maybe that’s the problem??

March 4, 2007 at 9:32 pm

(2) exoticpets says:

Hi there

Thanks for your concern and comments about my itchy dogs. For those wondering what we are talking about when it comes to an unrealted blog post here is a link to the dogs story: http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesandconditions/a/DermDiary.htm

I don’t think its the crabapples that are poisonous though (I hope not - we eat them too!), but apple seeds are indeed potentially toxic. They have compounds that can break down to make cyanide, which sounds scary, but our bodies (and and our dogs) can break down small quantities of cyanide, so swallowing a few apple seeds is thought to be fine - especially if the seeds are not crushed or chewed so the seeds pass through largely undigested. Oh, and cooking does breaks down the compounds, too. For a human for example, the literature says a few apple seeds are not a problem but there is a case of someone dying after eating a cup of apple seeds. Also, as I said small quantities of cyanide are broken down so the effects don’t accumulate, so it is even unlikely that eating a small amount of apples repeatedly over a long period of time could be a problem. While they do enjoy the fall crop of crabapples as a handful fall from the tree every day, they really aren’t eating massive quantities.

Also, cyanide poisoning results in breathing difficulties and eventually unconsciousness - nothing like the symptoms my dogs have. Oh, and they have the blessing of their vet to eat crabapples too
http://www.drugs.com/npp/apple.html

Sorry for the dissertation on apple seed toxicity, but I wanted let you know that I had considered the issue thoroughly. Thanks

Lianne