Can dogs eat skittles? You might notice that your dog is staring at you with his small eyes when you eat skittles in front of your dog. You want to feed your dog with delicious skittles, but you are thinking should I feed my dog with skittles? Or it may make him sick?
Generally, skittles are not healthy for humans, so what about dogs? Can Dogs Eat Skittles? The answer is YES, but not more than a certain amount.
Feeding skittles as a treat is not much harmful to your dog, but the thing is that it does not have any nutritional benefit; hence not the best option out there. Skittles are considered far from healthy snacks, especially for dogs.
What are skittles? Are they healthy for dogs to eat?
Can dogs eat skittles? The answer is that a few skittles won’t harm your pup. Skittles don’t contain toxic ingredients that are directly toxic to your dog. However, there is not even any goodness or benefits to feeding skittles to your dog, so they are not generally healthy.
Skittles are available in many shapes, colors, and flavors. The taste varies from sweet to sour, depending on the ingredients used. The common ingredients are sugar, corn syrups, dextrose, beetle juice, citric acid, food colors, and natural and artificial flavors.
Skittles contain unhealthy chemicals for your dog and can lead to digestive health issues. Skittles can be given to dogs as a treat but be mindful that dogs do not have the same digestive system as humans. But don’t worry; dogs can ingest a small amount of skittles without getting sick.
How Many Skittles Can a Dog Eat?
Can dogs eat skittles? Yes, they can! However, you can give your dog only 2 to 3 pieces at once. If your dog eats skittles in high quantities, it may cause health issues. You should limit your dog’s intake to four to five skittles per week.
Tips To Keep In Mind While Feeding Skittles To Dog
Skittles are unhealthy for dogs. However, some kinds of skittles can be safe for your dog. It depends on their compositions and level of intake. Here are a few tips on feeding skittles to dogs.
- Mix the small amount of skittles in your dog’s regular food.
- Avoid giving skittles that have high sugar and artificial ingredients.
- Give 4-5 skittles per week, not at a time, because overconsumption of skittles can cause digestive problems in dogs.
- If you are feeding your dog skittles, make sure your dog drinks plenty of water.
Did you Know?
We have written many articles about what dogs can eat. But did you know about this one? Can Dogs Eat Licorice?
Are Skittles Bad For Dogs?
Can dogs eat skittles? The answer is NO. Skittles are unhealthy for your dog. Your dog might be getting sick because of eating lots of skittles. Skittles can mess up your dog’s stomach or digestive tract.
Skittles are bad for dogs because of the following reasons
- High Calories
- Source of Citric acid
- Chemical sugar
- Artificial ingredients
Sweet Skittles
Sweet skittles contain chocolates, Nutella, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and artificial flavors. Eating sweet skittles can cause your dog’s blood glucose level quickly, which is harmful to diabetic dogs.
Sour Skittles:
Sour skittles are bad for your dog as they contain citric acids and other artificial flavors. Dog’s stomachs are sensitive to acids in sour skittles and may cause serious issues to their digestive tracts.
Sour Skittles contain xylitol, a sugar substitute used in manufacturing skittles. After ingesting, Xylitol is absorbed quickly and may cause low blood sugar.
Overconsumption of sour skittles may lead to xylitol poisoning that can cause loss of balance and convulsion. If your dog consumes regularly, it may lead to serious health problems like liver failure and even death.
Risks of Feeding Skittles to Your Dog
Can dogs eat skittles? Dogs can eat a few, but we recommend avoiding feeding this candy to your dog because of the risks involved. If your dog consumes skittles more often and in high quantities, you can observe the following symptoms in your dog.
- Loss of appetite
- Unusual behavior
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Seizures
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Tooth decay
- Stomach pain
If you observe these signs in your dog, you should consult the veterinarian because if left untreated may lead to serious health issues.
Wrapping Up
Can dogs eat skittles? Yes, they can, but not more than four to five per week. In general, skittles have no nutritional benefit, and they are too sweet hence, unhealthy for your dog.
Overconsumption of skittles can cause major health problems, including digestive issues, tooth decay, diabetes, obesity, and many others. Hence it is best not to feed skittles to your dog.
