Our canine companions aren’t choosy eaters; they’ll eat something and every thing they arrive throughout. So, it isn’t unusual for our pups to beg for a chew of no matter we’re consuming. While feeding your canine human meals shouldn’t be one thing you do usually, it’s often alright to take action. But earlier than you give your canine one thing off your plate, you must know whether or not it’s protected for them to eat.
One factor folks love that canines are additionally large followers of are chips of every kind, whether or not they be potato, tortilla, or corn. But can canines eat corn chips? The excellent news is that corn chips aren’t poisonous to your furry pal, so in the event that they occur to sneak a chip, it shouldn’t be particularly harmful. The dangerous information is that corn chips aren’t wholesome for canines, so that they shouldn’t eat them.
Why Can’t Dogs Eat Corn Chips?
Dogs shouldn’t eat corn chips for a number of causes. Corn chips are extremely processed, which suggests they’re loaded with fats, energy, and sodium, none of that are wholesome on your pup. These tasty treats also can include seasonings, which might hurt your pet if consumed. While a corn chip or two received’t damage your canine an excessive amount of, too many corn chips might trigger issues along with your pet.
Dangers of Feeding Corn Chips to Dogs
Let’s take a better have a look at the risks of feeding corn chips to our four-legged pals.
1. Calories
Dogs should be getting all the calories they want every day from their pet food, so any treats or snacks they’re given on high of which can be simply further energy. And if a pup is consuming further energy usually, these energy add up, which may result in weight acquire and weight problems. Obesity in canines could cause fairly a couple of well being issues down the street, so it’s finest to stay with dog-friendly, low-calorie snacks on your canine companion.
2. Fat
Corn chips are made with oil, most frequently corn oil, making them excessive in fats. Besides the potential for weight acquire in case your pet routinely consumes meals excessive in fats, consuming fatty meals might result in pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is critical, requiring a vet go to and almost definitely hospitalization, so it’s completely a well being problem you need to keep away from in any respect prices.
3. Seasonings
If a canine goes to eat corn chips (which once more is inadvisable), they are going to do finest with plain corn chips. Corn chips can are available many flavors, together with BBQ, chili cheese, flaming scorching, and scorching sauce. Several of those flavorings are made with seasoning mixes that embrace onion powder, and all elements of the onion are poisonous to canines. In reality, something from the Allium household of crops is extremely poisonous to canines. This additionally contains garlic, which is typically additionally utilized in corn chip seasoning.
And in the case of something spicy, your pup needs to be saved distant. Dogs can’t deal with spicy meals in addition to folks, so they could endure irritation to the mouth or abdomen upset after consuming them.
4. Sodium
Dogs need sodium in their diets, similar to we do. However, like us, an excessive amount of sodium can result in dehydration; in excessive instances, it might result in salt poisoning however this uncommon with consuming corn chips. For reference a Chihuahua may must eat round 600g of corn chips to point out indicators of salt toxicity. We hope this by no means occurs since that’s loads of fats and energy for the infant and they’re going to get sick whatever the salt! While corn chips are unlikely to result in salt toxicity, even in small canines, they may nonetheless get dehydrated in the event that they eat quite a bit.
Are There Healthy Alternatives to Corn Chips?
If you need to give your canine a enjoyable deal with that’s more healthy than corn chips, you would make candy potato chips. These treats should not solely wholesome for canines, however in addition they solely require one ingredient: candy potatoes!
Slice a sweet potato into ¼ inch slices if you’d like them chewy. Slice them thinner if you’d like a extra chip-like texture. Lay them on parchment paper on a tray. Bake them within the oven at 250°F (130°C) for two.5 to three hours. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool fully earlier than giving them to your canine. Store leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge.
Conclusion
When it involves treats on your favourite pup, follow dog-friendly, low-calorie treats. Plain corn chips will not be poisonous to your furry pal, however they’re undoubtedly unhealthy for them, and consuming them incessantly long-term could cause well being issues. While plain corn chips could also be technically protected in case your canine has one or two, any flavored corn chip is out of the query, because the seasoning mixes used for these usually embrace dangerous or poisonous elements to canines.
If your pup enjoys crunchy snacks, get them one thing dog-safe. We assure they received’t discover a distinction, and so they’ll be more healthy for it!
Featured Image Credit: Natalia Mylova, Shutterstock