Goldfish crackers are a delicious salty snack. There’s not one person I know that doesn’t like them. But, while enjoying a bag of Goldfish crackers dog owners might wonder can I share them with my pooch? Can dogs eat Goldfish crackers?
That’s the question we’re going to answer today, and spoiler alert, they definitely shouldn’t! But, in this article, we’re going to take a closer look at why Goldfish crackers might not be a good snack option for your beloved dog.
Before we start we’d like to remind you that we have several other articles on all the human foods dogs can and can’t enjoy:
- Which Food Is Good Or Bad For Dogs?
- What fruits can dogs eat and which are toxic?
- What Vegetables Can Dogs Eat?
- Five human foods you can give your dog without any guilt!
- Human Foods You Should NEVER Give To Your Golden Retriever
Can dogs eat Goldfish crackers
When talking about which human foods your dog can and can’t eat we’ve mentioned arugula, jelly, caramel, salami, and even chicken nuggets! Which are all big favorites of us humans! But now it’s time to take a look at another popular snack, Goldfish crackers.
We’ve already said in the introduction that your dog should definitely not consume Goldfish crackers, and there are many reasons why that is!
Why dogs can’t eat Goldfish crackers
The biggest issue with Goldfish crackers is the ingredients they contain such as onion powder, garlic powder, and way too much salt. All of which can be devastating to your dog’s health!
Now, don’t get us wrond. These are okay if consumed once in a while and in fairly small amounts. We’re talking one or two Goldfish crackers a week. However, please don’t make them a regular snack for your dog because it can be very dangerous.
Dangerous ingredients
So which ingredients are the problem exactly? To answer this we first need to take a list at the full ingredient list of Goldfish crackers:
Enriched Wheat Flour (Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Canola and/or Sunflower Oils, Salt, Contains 2 Percent or Less of: Yeast, Nonfat Milk, Sugar, Baking Soda, Monocalcium Phosphate, Paprika, Spices, Celery, Onion Powder.
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So which are the biggest problem?
The two biggest reasons why Goldfish crackers aren’t safe for dogs are:
- Sodium – Too much salt is never good. Not for humans and not for dogs either! Too much salt can cause severe health problems for your dogs. However the most dangerous problem is that too much salt can cause a condition called hypernatremia. If your dog is suffering from hypernatremia they will lose a tremendous amount of water in their body. This can then cause extreme dehydration and urination problems!
- Onion and Garlic Powder – These two ingredients are often overlooked, but they can be just as dangerous as too much sodium! Both garlic and onions are extremely toxic for your dog. The fact is both of these ingredients are compromising your dog’s internal systems majorly and are causing all kinds of problems at the same time! They can cause lethargy, weakness, jaundice, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases even death!
What if your dog ate too many Goldfish crackers?
Now that you know the answer to the question can dogs eat Goldfish crackers, there is another problem that might arise. Even if you’re really careful what your dog eats it can happen that your pooch sneaks into your snack drawer and eats half a bag of Goldfish crackers. What do you do then?
First of all, don’t panic! the most important step you can take is to give your dog plenty of water and look out for the following symptoms:
- Heavy panting
- Difficulty walking
- Vomiting and diarrhea
If your dog is displaying these symptoms it is a good idea to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. In most cases, your vet will know right away what you need to do and will instruct you over the phone. However, it is advisable that you take your dog in as soon as you get a chance. Just so that your vet can make sure that everything is really okay.