Can Dogs Have Rice Krispies | Everything You Need To Know
You are enjoying your rice crispies, and suddenly you feel a paw and a sniffing wet nose near you. It’s your Dog jumping over, asking you to share some treats with him as well. This is when a question pops into your head “Can dogs eat rice crispies?” Rice crispies are very popular and versatile snacks existing since the 1920s.
They are crunchy and delicious additions to your breakfast or midnight binge eating. Rice crispies are essentially made for human consumption, therefore, its suitability for dogs is quite skeptical. Though rice is a staple for dogs, many ingredients, such as sugar and flavoring agents, can harm the Dog’s health.
We need a thorough understanding of rice crispies to crack this dilemma. This article will break down rice crispies into their ingredients, formulation, and safe edible properties. Let’s get started and see if rice crispies are pawsible food for dogs or not.
What Are Rice Krispies?
Rice Krispies are scrumptious breakfast cereal cakes made primarily from rice, sugar, salt, marshmallow, and barley malt flavors. They come in medium-thick rectangular shapes of rice, sugar, and marshmallow mixture. The marshmallow gives rice crispies a rich flavor and sticky texture, so you can get a crispy yet chewy feel in your mouth.
You can also find a chocolate flavor of them from some brands. Rice crispies are mostly eaten in form of breakfast cereals. They can be used to make other desserts, pudding, or trifle recipes as well.
The full list of Rice Krispie ingredients is as follows:
- Rice cereal (roasted)
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Fructose
- Marshmallow
- Soybean or palm oil
- Dextrose
- Gelatin
If you are someone following a vegan lifestyle you may avoid eating Rice krispies since it contains some non-vegan ingredients such as Vitamin D3 which is derived from animal sources.
Can Dogs Eat Rice Crispies?
Rice Crispies may sound safe for Dogs. Rice is found and used in many dog foods like biscuits and treats. Therefore, rice crispies seem perfectly fine for your furballs. But, are rice crispies good for dogs?
No matter the urge of sharing and seeing those puppy eyes, you must not share these extremely sweet rice treats with your canine mates, as it is not made keeping in mind the nutritional needs or digestive structure of dogs. Rice crispies can cause small to serious health issues in your Dog. There are some ingredients to look out for before offering rice krispie treats to your pups.
Ingredients That Concern
You cannot expect a human-friendly food product to fit your Dog’s diet. Rice Krispie contains few ingredients that pose a health risk to dogs. Let’s find their effects on Dog’s immunity and health:
1. Gluten
Barley Malt, a major flavoring ingredient of rice Krispies makes this sweet snack inclusive of Gluten. Excess Gluten can trigger celiac diseases or your dog may experience discomfort if gluten-intolerant.
In this case, allowing your Dog to consume even a little amount of Gluten can lead to more hair fall, poor coat, unhealthy weight loss, digestive issues like diarrhea, inflammation, and causal signs of sickness like laziness and unwillingness to engage.
2. Sugar
Rice Krispies contain a lot of sugar. The sweetness of rice krispies comes from four core ingredients- Fructose, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, and sugar. The sugary content makes the rice krispies sticky and glued together.
When dogs eat these rice krispies, the sugar can coat their teeth and cause dental damage like tooth decay and cavities. It can also lead to high sugar levels, diarrhea, and weight gain.
Similar to Rice Krispies, there are other human treats which are high in sugar making them unsuitable for dogs such as Sour Patch Kids and Twizzlers. Being a pet parent, remember to limit your Dog’s sugar intake and brush their teeth if they consumed rice krispies to get rid of any sticky sugar leftovers.
3. Salt
The sodium tolerance threshold of dogs is less than that of humans. Dogs cannot bear too much salt intake. One single serving of rice krispies contains 90 – 140 mg of sodium, which is very close to a dog’s daily sodium limit of 200 mg.
Too much salt can increase the level of sodium and give rise to a fatal health issue called sodium-ion poisoning in dogs. This situation can worsen if your Dog drinks less water after a salty meal.
What Happens If A Dog Eats A Rice Krispie?
Little bits and crumbs of Rice Krispie treats won’t do any harm to your Dog. Rice is completely safe for feline consumption. But regular and high consumption of Rice Krispies will give birth to a variety of health issues in dogs. If your Dog has eaten an entire rice Krispy rectangle, then watch out for these symptoms.
- Check for bloating. Bloating is the first sign of consuming excess sugar and fiber. Inspect your Dog’s tummy and feel it with your hands. Give your Dog some fresh water to ease bloating.
- Next will appear some serious issues like diarrhea and vomiting. If your Dog has ingested too many Rice Krispie treats, the Gluten will start acting on its metabolism. Talk to your vet, and do not give your Dog any food for some hours.
- Ingesting too much sugar can also result in obesity and lethargy. You will find your Dog laying around without much activity or playfulness.
- Lastly, check for your Dog’s teeth. Sugar sticks to the canine teeth and forms decay and cavities. Brush your Dog’s teeth immediately.
What Happens When Dogs Eat Marshmallows Rice Krispy Treats?
Marshmallow for dogs is a big no-no. It should be strictly kept away from dogs. Some rice crispies contain marshmallow cream, which can prove to be fatal for dogs. Marshmallows can neither pass easily through dog esophagus like humans nor get fully digested. Marshmallow is high in calories and sugar, spiking dogs’ sugar levels and promoting obesity. It may also cause gastrointestinal problems.
Xylitol is a popular sweetener used in marshmallows which is extremely toxic for dogs. Any little exposure to this food material is enough to cause seizures, liver damage in your Dog, or in some cases, even death.
In case you find that your Dog has consumed too much rice krispie treats with marshmallow cream, immediately take him to the nearest vet. Vets will ensure your Dog vomits out marshmallows to avoid the escalation of an upset digestive system.
What To Do If Your Dog Eats Rice Krispy Treats?
If your Dog eats Rice Krispy treats, you should first give him a bowl of fresh water. This helps to relieve upset stomach, bloating, and the effects of excess sodium. Brush your Dog’s teeth to remove any sugar that would be sticking and feeding on his teeth. This will avoid tooth issues.
If your Dog shows symptoms of sodium-ion poisoning, celiac disease, or diabetes, take him to your vet for medical assistance. If your Dog has consumed more marshmallow cream rice Krispies, don’t go to a vet or animal hospital late. Marshmallows are toxic for dogs, and it’s crucial to induce vomiting for it to come out.
Conclusion
Rice Krispies are usually safe for dogs when given in small quantities occasionally. The important thing to remember is that rice krispies cannot replace whole meals for dogs. The carbs and calories of rice krispies don’t serve any positive diet utility for dogs.
It is better to feed your dog with homemade dog food recipes which are ideally nutritious as well as tasty for your pup. For someone, following a strict vegan lifestyle, you might want everyone around you follow a similar lifestyle. However, when it comes to your pup its quite controversial whether a dog can be completely vegan.
All human foods do not fit dogs, so avoid feeding them anything without health assurance. Don’t take any signs lightly; consult a vet before any further health complications.
