Can Dogs Eat Oreos?

Oreos are a favourite snack and come in various flavours although nothing beats the classic oreo in my opinion. As much as you enjoy having Oreos are you allowed to share them with your pups? Can your dogs Oreos?

I Think My Dog Just Ate Some Oreo Cookies. What Do I Do?

Maybe your dog ran solo and snatched off a sack of Oreos and decided to munch them all up? Dogs are fond of eating foods they’re not supposed to as far as it pleases their senses. They want it and would take some with or without your permission.

Pet owners may also without knowing put their dogs at risk by giving them foods meant for humans. It is important to understand how dogs feed, what they eat and their nutritional needs if you own one. Eating Oreos is one of the kinds of foods you mustn’t feed your dog. They can threaten the health of your dog putting them in danger and general ill-health.

You wonder why dogs tend to eat stuff that is obviously not good for them. They are not very good discerning creatures when it comes to their nutritional needs and they need you to make that decision that’ll keep them healthy. Dogs eat whatever smells nice, look attractive and contain lots of sugar that are pleasing to a dogs palate. Long-short, if it smells good they want it.

With this in mind, you should always make sure that foods that are not specially designed for dogs are kept away from their reach. Keep them in tight-fitting containers to mask the food’s aroma from their prying noses. But if somehow by chance they get hold of these foods here’s what you can do about it.

Are Oreos Bad For Your Dog?

Oreos are made up of chocolate and a lot of sugar, both of which are definitely not good for your dogs.

Oreos are relatively harmless when consumed in small quantities but in larger volumes, they can cause health problems especially when eaten too often. There is not a good snack or treat option for your dogs.

Read further and see reasons why you should not give your doggy Oreos for a snack.

Can Dogs Eat Oreos?

Oreos are chocolate-based and have a sugary cream right in between them, none of which are healthy for your dog. Oreos should be avoided as the chocolate contained in them are toxic to dogs. They also have a lot of sugar and fat that just pump your dog full of calories and without any nutritional benefits. Sugars and fats deposits in their system can lead to increased weight gain and multiply the chance of obesity.

These Oreos cookies have a very toxic effect on your dog when consumed. The severity of this toxicity is a function of how many Oreos were eaten taking into parameter the size of your pooch. Although the chocolates containing the Oreos are in small amounts they are still dangerous and pose a toxic risk when your dog consumes them in large quantities. So utmost care must be taken if you must give them Oreos.

Why Can’t My Dog Eat Oreos?

Caffeine Content

Oreos contain caffeine. For us humans, we get our daily fix of caffeine without adverse effects but in dogs, high levels of caffeine can be toxic.

It is speculated that Oreos have a caffeine content of approximately 1.3 mg per Oreo cookie. Negative effects can present themselves with consumption of as small as 9 mg of caffeine in a dog that weighs as much as one pound. So taking large amounts of these biscuits in a short time window can prove very harmful. On consumption of as much as 75 mg per pound bodyweight of a dog can be very fatal, leading to seizures and even death.

High Level Of Sugar Present

Sugars are not toxic to dogs but taking a lot of sugar can be harmful. Ingesting too much sugar can lead to obesity and diabetes, reducing the quality of life of your dog.

Flour

Flour is an important baking ingredient and it is obtained from wheat. Wheat has been proven to be a common allergy trigger for dogs. This alone should put a stop to serving baked goods to your dogs.

Presence Of Soy Lectin

Soy lectin, derived from soybeans, serves as a food emulsifier and stabiliser and is present in Oreos. Soybeans have toxins that can cause gastrointestinal tract issues, digestion problems, and cause amino acid deficits. These toxins can also cause thyroid problems too.

My Dog Ate Oreos, What Happens Next?

There are certain signs that can point you in the direction that your dog has been exposed to the toxicity of chocolates. Once you notice any anomalies immediately take them to see the vet most especially if you’re sure your pooch eats a lot of Oreos as a small amount is not necessarily harmful. But too much too soon can be bad. If large quantities are consumed, chocolate toxicity can be an issue. Signs and symptoms that are peculiar to chocolate toxicity are as follows:

Nausea and Vomiting

Fatigue

Abdominal pain

Diarrhoea

Restlessness

Increased heart rate

Mild to severe seizures

Pancreatitis

All of the above signs occur as a result of a large deposit of sugar in your dog’s system.

Abdominal Pain

Dogs naturally have a very sensitive and selective gut system and ingestion of Oreos cookies, it can lead to gut discomfort and a general misfiring of their gastrointestinal tract causing pain in their abdominal regions. These stomach aches are often short-lived and in most cases will be gotten rid of in a couple of days without any need for medication. But if the pain continues after a couple of days take them to see a vet.

Pancreatitis

This is a condition that is defined by the inflammation of the pancreas. This inflammation causes severe pains. The pancreas becomes inflamed when there are increased levels of fat in your dog’s diet. The pain can be unbearable and it reduces the quality of life of your dog. This condition presents with signs of:

Nausea and vomiting

The obvious ‘Prayer stance’ shows when your dog is always facing downwards

Diarrhoea

Fever

Temperature spikes

Abdominal pain

If by chance your dog has taken a swipe at some Oreos and has munched a lot of them down there’s no need to panic. Here are steps you should follow when your dog ingests stuff that isn’t good for them.

Cease Feeding Them These Snacks

You should make moves to prevent them from eating Oreos. Hide the stash away from them. Keep them in tight-fitting containers and out of reach. Know that the more your dog consumes these Oreos cookies the more your dog risks giving up a healthy long life.

Inducing vomiting is not a good idea as it can cause more harm to them than will benefit them. While inducing vomit complications can arise and may leave you with more problems than you started with.

Your Veterinarian Should Be On Speed Dial

In the scenario where your dog ingests something that could hamper their health, threaten their wellness and pose a toxic threat to them, it is advisable you contact your vet as soon as possible rather than handling it yourself. Your vet is a professional and they’ll tell you what to do next, if or whether to immediately offer emergency solutions or to bring your dog over for a check. Do not downplay any signs however little. Call your vet and explain the situation so the animal doctor can have enough data to make an informed decision that’ll be best for your dog.

Information You Should Present To Your Vet

Give adequate data on your dogs weight, size and age. Also provide any information as regards to their eating habits, any medications they were on or are presently taking.

Get hold of whatever toxic product your dog ate and dictate the list of ingredients in them, how much of it your dog had eaten as well. This will help the vet guide you on what to do.

Check for signs and symptoms you observe that your pooch is manifesting and relay the information to your vet. Any changes in behaviour, eating and drinking habits should be noted and discussed as well.

In Conclusion

Can Your Dog Eat Oreos?

Feeding your dog Oreos is not healthy and should not be a snack or treat for your dogs as it contains chocolate that is very toxic to dogs as well as increased sugar content which may cause obesity and diabetes in your dog. Having one Oreo will not harm your dog but eating them in large quantities can cause significant damage.

Increased fat contents present within your dog’s diet can lead to problems and cause painful conditions, one of which arises from an inflamed pancreas known as pancreatitis, in your dog. Remember to do all things in moderation and if you must feed your dogs Oreos, give them very small quantities and on rare occasions. Never introduce sugary, chocolate based foods to your dogs as it is not good for their health and well-being.