Does your dog have a habit of sharing your chips and other salty snacks? We all know junk food is bad for us, but what about our pets? Can dogs eat salt and vinegar chips?
If you’re like me, then you also like sneaking your pets a treat every now and then. But if you do this, remember that what’s fine for you to eat may be dangerous for your pooch.
Chips, for example, should be eaten in moderation because they contain loads of fat and sodium. Read on to learn more about why salt and vinegar chips are bad for your dog.
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Can Dogs Eat Salt And Vinegar Chips?
It’s common for pet owners to share potato chips with their dogs. These snacks are crunchy, loaded with flavors that dogs love, and are small enough to pop into a pet’s mouth.
Unfortunately, potato chips contain too much fat, salt, and spices that can give your dog stomach problems. On their own, potatoes are okay. These starchy vegetables are typically added to dog food because dogs can process them just fine.
However, to make chips, potatoes are cooked in unhealthy oils and flavored with artificial ingredients. Chips are full of trans fat, which isn’t good for your dog. Trans fat can lead to your dog gaining excess weight and developing cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and other diseases.
Aside from that, chips have little or no nutritional value. Your beloved pooch is better off eating commercially-available dog food or real table food. If you keep feeding your dog chips, he may develop a habit that could cause him problems down the road.
Finally, letting your dog eat chips is problematic because of the danger posed by chip bags. Dogs can get their heads stuck in a bag of chips and suffocate. Don’t leave chip bags out where your pup can reach them.
Salty snacks and salt poisoning
Salt is a big problem because it can put your dog in danger in many ways. First, too much salt can make your pet dehydrated. If your dog somehow gets his paws on a bag of chips and eats it all, make sure he drinks plenty of water.
Excessive salt intake can lead to excessive thirst, excessive urination, vomiting, depression, high temperature, tremors, diarrhea, seizures, sodium ion poisoning, and even death. It can damage your pet’s heart, kidneys, and other organs. If your dog has a known heart problem, you should be vigilant about sodium in his diet and avoid giving him anything naturally salty or with added salt.
According to the National Research Council of the National Academies, the average adult dog (about 33 pounds) has a daily salt allowance of 200 mg. One 1-ounce bag of chips has about 170 mg of salt. This means that if your dog eats an entire bag’s worth of chips, he is in danger of suffering from salt poisoning.
Salt poisoning can result in lethargy, loss of appetite, diarrhea, loss of coordination, depression, abnormal fluid accumulation, and brain swelling. This is a potentially fatal condition that requires medical treatment.
Vinegar and other ingredients
In small amounts, vinegar is safe for your pooch. However, some dogs can be allergic to it and react poorly. As a rule, before you give your dog anything containing vinegar, you should clear it with your veterinarian first.
If your dog ingests too much vinegar, he could suffer from excessive thirst, gastrointestinal problems, vomiting, diarrhea, and skin itching.
Aside from the vinegar content, you should also be wary of the artificial flavors used to make salt and vinegar chips. Artificial food additives can be very toxic to animals if consumed in large quantities. Chips can also contain a lot of sugar, which is bad for your dog’s dental and cardiovascular health.
What to do if your dog eats a whole bag of chips
Dogs aren’t able to process sodium as efficiently as humans, which is why they’re so vulnerable to salt poisoning. If you discover that your pooch has consumed a large number of salty chips, look for signs of sodium toxicity, give him lots of water, and schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.
The fat content of potato chips can give your dog digestive issues. Aside from observing your pooch for signs of salt poisoning, watch your pet closely for bouts of diarrhea, difficulty in pooping, or stomach pain.
Salt and vinegar chips are hard to resist when you’re craving for a quick salty snack. It’s also easy to forget that we shouldn’t be sharing them with our pets.
Instead of giving your dog salty food like chips, stock up on healthier fare like doggie biscuits and treats that contain beneficial fruits, vegetables, and vitamin blends. Can dogs eat salt and vinegar chips? Technically, yes, but if you want to keep your pooch in the peak of health, keep the chips to yourself.
