Love Your Pet. Take Them to The Vet.

Veterinarians are animal doctors who are there for your pets whether you have a medical emergency or your animal just needs a checkup or shots. You take your pet to the vet for regular exams and to make sure their vaccinations are up to date, and you know you can rely on your vet to give your pet the care it needs.

Your pet has a special diet formulated for its species to keep the critter healthy and you keep your people food away from them as much as you can. Accidents happen, though, and curious pets can get a mouthful of a human treat now and then. If your pet eats people food, should you take them to the vet? Here's a guide to help you decide if this is what you need to do.

It depends on the type of pet you have

Some pets that have a more omnivorous diet, like cats and dogs, can be able to eat a snippet of human food now and again and be OK, so long as the snack is not a known danger to them like chocolate or macadamia nuts. However, if you have a pet that is more sensitive or has a more restricted diet, like a rabbit or a bird, then you should call your vet and ask if your pet is in danger if they've eaten something outside their normal diet.

Regardless of what you believe about your pet's health after eating some people food, veterinarians can be called to double-check that what your pet ate won't hurt them. Your vet may recommend bringing your pet in just in case if your pet is older, ate a lot of people food, or is otherwise showing signs of distress or discomfort after eating something not intended for them.

It depends on what your pet ate or how much

What did your pet eat? Was it an entire box of cereal or a bowl of gravy? Or was it more like a scrap of toast? What your pet eats and how much it consumes will determine largely whether your furry companion needs veterinarians to help it out or not. Your pet may need veterinary help if it has eaten some people food but you don't know what or how much, especially if your pet vomits afterward, has runny stools, won't eat or drink, or is drinking excessive amounts of water. If your pet has kidney issues, call your vet right away for help once your pet eats people food.  

Contact a local pet hospital if your pet has eaten people food recently.