Are Doritos Bad For Your Dog?
You’re having taco Tuesday or nacho night, and the next thing you know you’re dog’s wanting to have some chips with you. You normally do one of two things – give in to them, or they end up getting it when you aren’t looking. The same thing happens when you have your snack setup all ready for the big game on a Sunday. Your Doritos® end up getting eaten, and your inventory is set short. What do you do? Should you be worried? As a matter of fact, many of our foods (especially those that are meant for us to have a snack) can be harmful to your pooch. But is a Dorito?
My Dog Ate a Dorito! Oh No!
While you may be worried – as many people do, because of the ingredients and more in a Dorito chip (or a whole bag as many dogs have the tendency of sneaking away with) may scare you. Many Dorito chips have a ton of seasonings ranging from garlic to onions – which may be toxic to your dog. But there’s good news! None of the ingredients in a Dorito are enough to actually cause toxicity and poison your pup. So yes, dogs can eat Doritos, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a good idea to continuously give them to a dog.
How are Doritos® Harmful?
Your Doritos are full of empty calories, and high in ingredients like salts and fats. This can end up causing problems if your dog regularly consumes these foods. They can develop issues with their pancreas, get diabetes, and even get heart disease and suffer from obesitiy in the long run.
Too many Doritos can also cause your dog to get sick and suffer from diarrhea and vomiting. They’re full of preservatives and spices that can cause flatulence and digestive issues. Not only this, but Doritos are made of corn – while it’s in a lot of dog foods that your pet may be used to, Doritos are nothing BUT corn and corn flour, which doesn’t do anything good for your pet.
Consider a Healthier Snack for Your Pet
So while your dog’s not going to die because they ate Doritos, you should probably opt for better snacks that will actually have some nutrition for your dog. If your dog’s a humongous fan of Nacho Cheese, look into some alternatives. You can choose to buy dog treats that are meant for dogs, or even make dog treats that are a good equivalent to “chips”. You can also opt for tasty treats designed for dogs that are made with meat, or give them a chew toy or dental stick – which is a much better alternative.
Even though corn chips aren’t going to kill your dog, another thing you can do is give them flavored rawhide chips. There are many chips that can be found online or in pet food stores that can help them in many ways, provide a good bit of protein, not to mention nutrients and help with their dental hygiene as well.
Conclusion
So, even if it’s game day, or you’re going to have nachos for dinner, you don’t have to have any guilt by giving your dog some Doritos®. However, you probably shouldn’t let them have a whole bag to themselves, or give them to your canine companion on a regular basis. If you do, you could cause a lot of problems in the long run. Of course, these kind of snacks can also pose as a choking hazard for your dogs too, so in general, it’s a better idea to give them something they can chew on more rather than swallow whole.
