Chomp! Chomp! Chomp! Cheez-It is America’s favourite snack. They are a common addition to a tiffin for work or school snacks. It is equally popular amongst young people as it is among children. Who wouldn’t love an extra cheese-loaded snack that makes such satisfactory noise? But here comes your dog wagging its tail, wanting a piece of Cheez-Its. So now you look at your orange snack and think does it belong in your dog’s mouth?
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Can dogs eat Cheez-Its?
NOPE! NADA! It would be best if you did not feed your dog Cheez-It because they are loaded with empty calories and a lot of fat. It is a healthy snack for dogs because it does not contribute to their daily nutritional intake. However, it does contribute to your dog’s weight. We trust you that you will keep your dog away from Cheez-It but can your dog keep away from Cheez-It? A dog running away with snacks is a common accident in many households. Your dog ate a couple of Cheez-Its, and now you are wondering, is your dog safe? Read on to know more:
What Are Cheez-Its?
Cheez-It is a popular cheese-based snack. They are made with baked wheat flour, cheese, spices, and other ingredients. In addition, Cheez-It contains skimmed milk, soybean oil, salt, and spices. They are a trendy snack because of their cheesy flavour. They are instant snacks available to eat off the market shelves.
Is Cheez-Its safe for my dog?
Most human foods are dangerous for dogs. Now that we have answered your question, “can you feed your dog Cheez-It” let’s get to know if they are safe for your dog. Since Cheez-Its are not inherently toxic for dogs, they are often put off as a regular snack for your dog.
Even though Cheez-It will not be fatal for dogs, it could immensely harm your dog’s health. Feeding your dog Cheez-its could harm your dog’s health by causing problems like sodium ion poisoning and weight gain. Sodium Ion poisoning often results in diarrhoea, vomiting, laziness, and excessive thirst in dogs. It can also affect kidneys and cause seizures.
What Is In Cheez-Its That Harms Dogs?
Cheez-its are made of wheat flour, cheese, salt, and fat. It is common knowledge that dogs are allergic to gluten, so Cheez-Its could be a harmful snack for an allergic dog. Another harmful ingredient that Cheez-It contains is salt. Sodium toxicity is very common in dogs; therefore, you should avoid feeding your dog cheese. Cheez-It is nothing more than empty calories for your dog and adds no nutritional gains for dogs. It contains:
1. Soybean oil: The soybean oil used in making Cheez-It is rich in Omega-9 fatty acids. While Omega-9 fatty acid is essential for your dog in moderate quantities, it should not be received from Cheez-It. Excessive Omega-9 fatty acids negatively affect your dog’s skin and heart. It also affects your dog’s immune system. Therefore, Cheez-it should be avoided for dogs. You can look at fish oils for Omega-9 supplements for dogs.
2. Skimmed milk: Many dogs are allergic to milk and are lactose intolerant. Since Cheez-its contain skimmed milk, it is advised that you keep your dogs away from them. Additionally, Cheez-its contain cheese which is also a milk-based product. Therefore, if you know that your canine friend is allergic to milk, you should avoid feeding them Cheez-It.
3. Salt: Consumption of salt causes sodium ion poisoning in dogs. A dog’s everyday sodium intake is fulfilled by dog food, and they do not need any additional sources of sodium.
4. Annatto: In many food products today, annatto is added to give them a signature orange colour, and the same is the case with Cheez-It. This food colouring good causes cancer in dogs.
5. Spices: Cheez-it contains a considerable amount of spices for flavour. Paprika is one of those. However, you should avoid feeding anything spicy to your dog because of the extreme symptoms it causes in dogs.
What Are The Symptoms Of Distress In Dogs?
If your dog shows symptoms below after consuming Cheez-its, you should rush to a veterinarian.
- Excessive thirst
- Itching
- Diarrhoea
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Lethargy
- Fever
Can dogs benefit from Cheez-Its?
It is agreed that Cheez-its contain some nutrients. It contains calcium, protein, and potassium. While protein is an essential nutrient for dogs, it is not present in adequate quantity in it. Neither are calcium and potassium. Which answers the question: can dogs benefit from Cheez-It. The harm of feeding Cheez-It is more than the nutritional value that Cheez-It carries, and therefore it should be avoided.
Conclusion
Cheez-its do not give your dog the desired nutrition. And therefore, this does not justify feeding them Cheez-It as it only adds to their body weight and unnecessary calories. Did you know that dogs do not have as many taste buds to process the taste of most kinds of human foods? However, their constant puppy eyes could guilt you into giving them some of your treats. If you want your dog to live a happy and long life, keep in mind:
- Do not feed them any human snacks.
- Most human snacks contain gluten and other elements that could negatively affect your dog’s health.
- Cheez-its do not fall in the toxic category; however, they are incredibly unhealthy for your dog.
FAQs
Can dogs eat cheez-its?
Even though cheeses are not inherently toxic for dogs, they could be a harmful threat to them. Since Cheez-It contains an unhealthy amount of fat, it could cause multiple gastrointestinal issues and health problems to your dog. In addition, cheez-its contain only empty calories that harm your dog.
How many Cheez-Its can dogs eat?
Given that your dog has a balanced and healthy diet, you can give them two-three pieces of Cheez-Its occasionally. We know your dog can’t die of eating Cheez-Its, but this does not mean it should be overfed Cheez-its.
Can dogs eat white cheddar Cheez-It?
Like its original variant, cheddar Cheez-its contain the same fat and sodium. This makes it an extremely unhealthy treat for your dogs. Therefore, you should not give your dog cheddar Cheez-It.
Can dogs eat hot and spicy Cheez-It?
Dogs do not have the digestive system to process hot and spicy food. Therefore, it is advised that you do not give your dog Spicy Cheez-its as it could upset your dog’s stomach. In addition, dogs do not have the taste buds to process hot and spicy flavors, so giving them extra calories does not make sense.
