Twizzlers are a yummy and very popular licorice candy. There are so many different flavors of this candy, but it’s safe to say that strawberry is probably the most popular. But, as a dog owner you might wonder can dogs eat Twizzlers? Is this delicious candy safe for dogs?
Well, given that there are different flavors it is important to state that every flavor does contain one or more ingredients that could harm your dog’s health.
But in order to answer whether Twizzlers are safe or not, we need to dive deeper and take a look at the list of ingredients.
Once you see what is actually in this candy, you will get to the answer yourself.
We also have several articles on other human foods and treat and if they are safe for dogs:
- Can dogs eat Goldfish crackers?
- Can dogs eat jelly? Here’s your answer
- Can dogs eat caramel? Is it safe?
- Can dogs eat chicken nuggets?
- Can dogs eat Doritos? Here’s the truth
Can dogs eat Twizzlers – what to know
In order to answer if and why Twizzlers are dangerous for dogs, we first need to take a look at the ingredient list.
According to The Hershey Company’s website, the most popular flavor of Twizzlers, strawberry, contains the following ingredients:
Corn syrup, Enriched wheat flour, Flour, Niacin, Ferrous sulfate, Thiamin mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic acid, Sugar, Cornstarch, Contains 2% or less of palm oil, Salt, Artificial flavor, Citric acid, Artificial color red 40, Mineral oil, and Lecithin.
As you can see there are many dyes, there is corn, there is wheat, all of which could cause severe allergic reactions in dogs.
All of these allergens can cause abdominal pain, itching, skin infections, and hair loss.
Besides these known allergens, we have corn syrup and sugar (a lot of sugar!). Sugar nor corn syrup have any nutritional value for dogs, in fact, these ingredients can actually increase your pup’s risk of obesity and gum disease!
Another red flag on the ingredient list is citric acid which can both cause severe health issues such as vomiting and Gastro-Intestinal distress if your dog consumes it in large amounts.
Other flavors
Now, we’ve only analyzed the ingredients of strawberry flavor, however, every flavor has basically the same ingredients. Some differences might be the artificial color that is used. For example, the Licorice flavor contains the artificial color Blue 1 and licorice extract. Both add to the allergy and upset stomach risks.
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The ingredient list is similar for other Twizzler products too! However, even though the ingredients are pretty similar for all flavors, the biggest NO-NO is definitely Chocolate Twists! We’ve already covered why chocolate is basically poison for your pooch!
Now, even though we stress that sugar is the most dangerous ingredient, this doesn’t mean that the sugar-free version of the strawberry Twizzlers Twists is safe. They might not contain sugar, but they do contain sorbitol, a sweetener, which isn’t good for your dog’s health either.
What if your dog ate Twizzlers?
After reading the ingredient list it is safe to say that no, dods should not eat Twizzlers. While they might not be toxic, they are not completely without any risk either.
But, what if your dog stole some Twizzlers from your snack drawer?
If you suspect that your dog ate Twizzlers, do not panic. There is really no need for panicking. It’s a fact that Twizzlers can harm your dog’s health. But that’s if your dog eats very large amounts of this candy. If your dog ate one or two pieces, that will not harm them (unless they ate chocolate-covered Twizzlers). The other thing you should do is have plenty of water available to your dog.
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If your dog is showing unusual behavior, you might want to let your veterinarian know what is happening. He or she knows your dog best and will have the right advice on what to do.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the answer to the question can dogs eat Twizzlers is definitely no. Even though this candy is not toxic like chocolate is, there is also absolutely no reason for your dog to eat them.
If you search the internet you’ll see that there is no evidence of instant reaction or harm to dogs from eating Twizzlers. But, the fact is this candy contains an insane amount of sugar. That’s not safe for humans, let alone dogs!
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So please, stick to safe treats for your dogs. Treats that are actually made for dogs, and not candy.
If you want to give your dog something healthy you can give them some blueberries, apples, or even watermelon.