Pancakes without maple syrup are a crime! You could say that syrup is a kitchen staple, you can find it in many homes in the US. But, dog owners all over the country also wonder can dogs have syrup? Basically, can dogs eat syrup or is it completely unsafe for them?
Well, in this article we are going to answer that question. We will take a closer look at the ingredients in syrup and see which are problematic.
You can learn more about human snacks and if they are safe for dogs through the following articles:
- Can dogs have jello: Safe or toxic?
- Gummy bears: Can dogs have them?
- Can dogs eat pretzels? What to know
- Can dogs eat Skittles: Here’s the truth
- Twizzlers: Are they safe or are they toxic?
- Can dogs eat Goldfish crackers?
- Can dogs have vanilla? Here’s the truth
Now, let us answer the question of can dogs eat syrup!
Can dogs have syrup?
Not all human food is safe for dogs. Not even every fruit and vegetable is safe for dogs! This is why it’s super important for dog owners to do research. Before you give any human foods to your dog, please always make sure they are safe for our beloved canines!
Ingredients of syrup
In order to answer can dogs have maple syrup we first need to see what syrup is made of. Unfortunately, we live in a world where the label on something has absolutely no meaning.
Remember when we were talking about almond butter and peanut butter? We said that store-bought nut butters generally contain much more than just nuts. On the ingredient list, you can find sweeteners, sugar, and other additives. None of which are safe for dogs.
This is why it’s important to always check the back of the packaging. Take a good look at the ingredient list.
Now, what is maple syrup made of? According to Wikipedia “Maple syrup is made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees. Although it can also be made from other maple species.”
Even though this doesn’t seem alarming, maple syrup is actually not very safe for dogs. Now, we’re not saying that it is toxic, but it is also not safe.
The issue with maple syrup
Even though maple syrup doesn’t contain dangerous additives, it still contains something that dogs should not consume. Of course, maple syrup contains minerals such as manganese and zinc. However, we can’t ignore the sugar content either.
Basically, maple syrup is about 2/3 sucrose, or simply put table sugar. This means that just 1/3 cup of maple syrup contains around 60 grams of sugar or 1/2 cup!
Obviously, too much sugar isn’t good for humans, let alone dogs! But why exactly is sugar bad for dogs?
There are so many long-term health problems dogs can experience because they ate sugar. The biggest issues are dental problems, weight problems, and developing diabetes.
There are of course short-term health problems related to sugar intake too. If your dog eats too much sugar he or she could potentially suffer from:
- Increased blood sugar
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
The sugar is an issue only with natural maple syrup. However, there is also artificial maple syrup that doesn’t contain sugar. Is that kind of syrup safe for dogs?
It doesn’t contain sugar, then it must contain some other sweetener. In most cases, it will be xylitol.
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is very toxic for your dog. It can in fact induce hypoglycemia or a sudden drop of blood sugar when ingested.
The most common symptoms of xylitol poisoning are:
- Diarrhea
- Black or tarry stool
- Seizures
- Trembling
- Vomiting
- Acute collapse
- Walking as if drunk
- Lethargy or weakness
- Jaundice
Conclusion
In conclusion, the answer to the question can dogs have syrup is no! Your dog should absolutely not consume maple syrup, no matter if it’s natural or artificial.
Each of these syrups contains harmful ingredients that are not safe for your beloved canine.
Besides this, maple syrup doesn’t contain anything that can be beneficial health-wise to your dog. Sure it does contain some minerals, but the amounts are so small that we can altogether ignore them