Do you give your dog cereals? Do you have complete knowledge about which cereal is good and which cereal is bad for your dog? If not, you will get a detailed answer in this article. The answer to this question depends on the type of cereal that you are feeding to your dog, some cereals are beneficial for the dogs, and some are hazardous. First, you need to find out the ingredients that are present in the cereal that you are going to give your dog. There are many kinds of cereal that contain harmful ingredients like raisins, chocolate, grapes, and artificial sweeteners. Most of the cereals contain sugar which is toxic to dogs and can cause health issues such as diabetes, obesity, heart issues, kidney failure, etc.
What are the risks of eating cereals for pet dogs?
Some cereals contain ingredients that should be avoided. These ingredients can be harmful to dogs and can cause severe threats. Following are the ingredients:
1. Milk: Milk is a great source of calcium and is the reason for healthy bones. But this is not the case in dogs. Once weaned from their mother’s milk, dogs no longer need milk to grow up. Milk contains lactose, and some dogs are lactose intolerant, and it can cause upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting.
2. Sugar: Some cereals have added sugar which is not good for the health of dogs. They need just a little bit of sugar that they can get naturally from fruits and vegetables. There are some side effects of sugar that make it a bad option for dogs:
Vomiting and Diarrhea: Sugar can lead to an upset stomach. If the stomach receives unwanted food, it throws the food out of the stomach in the form of vomiting or diarrhea.
Cavities: Too much sugar can erode the tooth by reacting with the bacteria present in the mouth. Ultimately, your dog has to go for tooth extraction and bear the pain. Mostly it is prescribed by the doctor to eat ice cream after tooth extraction, but dogs are not allowed even to do so.
Obesity: Overeating sugar will eventually lead to weight gain as foods containing sugar are high in calories. Obesity can encourage other health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, lethargy, and kidney failure.
Diabetes: Diabetes happens when the body stops or reduces the production of insulin required to function efficiently. Sugar in large quantities leads to obesity which eventually leads to diabetes. The symptoms of diabetes are urination, thirst, hunger, and appetite.
3. Harmful Ingredients: Some cereals contain harmful ingredients that can pose a serious threat to your pet’s life. So before giving any cereal to your dog, don’t forget to check the ingredients label mentioned at the back of the packet. If cereal contains the following ingredients, never give that cereal to your dog:
Chocolate: Kids are chocolate lovers, and to increase the demand for cereals, producers have started including chocolate in most of the cereals. But chocolate is toxic to dogs as it contains theobromine and caffeine. Both are not good for their body as they speed up their heart rate and causes seizures, hyperactivity, urination, etc. It can lead to chocolate poisoning, and if not treated well on time, you may lose your pet.
Nuts: Cereals also contain nuts that are toxic to dogs, such as macadamia, walnuts, black walnuts, and pecans. These nuts are rich in fat and can eventually lead to weight gain, obesity, and pancreatitis. The nuts that are safer for your dog are cashews, peanuts, and coconut. But make sure that your dog doesn’t overeat.
Raisins: Raisins are like poison to dogs. Only one raisin is enough to make your life miserable. Only one raisin can cause kidney failure and then ultimate death.
Xylitol: It is an artificial sweetener used to replace sugar but mind that it is more toxic than sugar. After consuming xylitol, the bodies of dogs produce insulin in the same amount as they produce when sugar is consumed. It can lead to health issues like tremors, weakness, lethargy, etc.
The above are some of the reasons which make cereals toxic for dogs. So, before feeding any cereal, make sure that you check the ingredients.
Conclusion
Not all cereals are toxic to dogs. It depends on the cereals that you are giving to your dog. If you are giving your dog cereal with harmful ingredients such as chocolate, raisins, nuts, and xylitol, then that cereal can be toxic to dogs, especially those containing chocolate as the ingredient. As chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, that can cause chocolate poisoning, and in extreme cases, it can lead to death even. Nuts such as walnuts, pecans, and macadamia are toxic to dogs as they are high in fat and can cause obesity and pancreatitis. Also, nuts can cause choking hazards and injuries to the internal parts of the body. If your dog has accidentally eaten the cereal containing harmful ingredients, then there is no need to worry, immediately without thinking anything, take him to the vet or nearby hospital.