Everyone knows that chocolate is toxic to dogs, but do you know that there is a whole list of foods that the National Animal Poison Control Center recommends you keep out of your dog’s diet?

Several of these foods seem to be ok in small quantities, but if "Fido" gets a hold of, say a while turkey or a bowl full of grapes, this could be a real problem. Here is a list of some of the more common foods that we humans enjoy at the holidays, but should stay out of your dog’s mouth.

• Alcoholic Beverages. Ok this is a no brainer, it is not even that great for human consumption, but we humans do like to imbibe in a drink or two or three during the festive season. Particular issues rise from the hops that are used in the brewing of beer. Hops can cause elevated body temperature, muscle tremors and seizures.
• Raw bread dough. Yeast is the culprit in this food. When live yeast is ingested, the warm, moist environment of a dog’s stomach may cause the yeast to expand. This could be severe enough to reduce blood supply to the stomach and will result in death. Another factor is the alcohol that the yeast produces as it multiplies. Dogs have suffered death through alcohol poisoning due to ingesting raw bread dough.
• Chocolate. Of course, nearly every dog owner has heard that dogs should not be fed chocolate. Caffeine and a compound called theobromine are dangerous to dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it will be to a dog.
• Grapes and Raisins. This is a relatively new discovery, but research has determined that grapes and the resulting raisin produced when the grapes whither, can cause kidney failure. The exact cause is not known at this time, nor is it known why a dog can ingest grapes or raisins at one time and not be affected, yet ingest them again later and fall very ill. Until this is better understood, it is recommended that all owners refrain from feeding their dogs this fruit.
• Macadamia Nuts. This nut can cause uncomfortable symptoms in dogs that might last 48 hours. Rarely does it result in death. Dogs may be in severe pain, especially in the rear legs, suffer tremors and a low-grade fever.
• Onions and Garlic. Some pet owners swear by garlic as a way to prevent fleas and ticks. However, there is no doubt that onion is toxic to dogs; this includes any plant in the onion family such as shallots and scallions. Dogs that have ingested a toxic amount of garlic or onions may experience weak or reluctant to move. Their urine may be orange or red in color and in severe cases a blood transfusion may be necessary.
• Sugar-free Candy. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is used in many things. Sugar-free candy during the holidays tends to be the culprit when dogs show up at the vet sick. Candies fall on the floor and before you know it, the dog has vacuumed it up. This is a serious matter. Within 30 minutes a dogs blood sugar levels can drop substantially. Dogs will become disoriented and develop seizures. Large amounts of xylitol can cause liver damage.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that a dog cannot always eat as humans do. Keep a close eye on your dog especially when guests are in the house who might not know any better.