Dog food safety, answered.

Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 or your vet immediately. Have your dog's weight, the type of chocolate (dark, milk, baking), and the amount eaten ready. Toxicity is dose-dependent: 20 mg/kg theobromine is mild signs, 40-50 mg/kg is serious, 60+ mg/kg is life-threatening. Dark and baking chocolate are far more concentrated than milk chocolate.

Call your vet or ASPCA APCC. Grape and raisin toxicity is unpredictable: some dogs can eat several with no effect, others develop kidney failure from a single grape. There is no established safe dose. The safe assumption is that any amount is potentially toxic and warrants a call.

Read the ingredient list. Xylitol is sometimes listed as "birch sugar" or "sugar alcohol" on natural-style PBs. If it is in the top 5 ingredients, do not feed. Xylitol is liver-toxic to dogs at 0.5 g/kg and causes hypoglycemia at 0.1 g/kg.

Cooked bones, no. Cooked chicken bones splinter and can pierce the digestive tract. Raw chicken bones are softer and more digestible but still carry pathogen and choking risks. Both warrant avoidance for the average pet owner.

Sometimes. Most adult dogs are mildly lactose-intolerant. A small piece of low-lactose cheese (cheddar, parmesan) as an occasional treat is usually fine. Soft cheeses (brie, ricotta) are higher in lactose and more likely to cause GI upset. Avoid any cheese with added garlic or onion.

Yes, plain cooked rice is safe. White rice is bland and easy to digest, often recommended during GI upset (with plain boiled chicken). Brown rice is more nutritious but can be harder to digest. Skip the salt, butter, and seasonings.

True food allergies are uncommon (less than 10% of allergic dogs). Diagnosis requires a vet-supervised 8-12 week elimination diet with a single novel protein and carbohydrate, then a structured rechallenge. Skin/blood allergy panels are not reliable for food allergies. The "novel protein" must be one your dog has never eaten.

Look for AAFCO Adult Maintenance with adjusted protein (12-18% on a dry-matter basis if kidney values are normal), added omega-3, and joint-support ingredients (glucosamine, chondroitin). Format matters too: senior teeth may need smaller kibble or wet food. If your dog has kidney, liver, or heart issues, the choice depends on those, not age alone.

Prescription kidney diets (Royal Canin Renal, Hill's k/d, Purina NF) are formulated low-phosphorus, moderate-protein, and palatable. The phosphorus restriction is the single most evidence-backed intervention for slowing CKD progression. Your vet should be involved in any home-cooked alternative; an ACVN diplomate can formulate a balanced homemade diet.