Is It Safe to Feed Dogs Salt and Vinegar Chips
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You're sitting on the couch, watching your favorite show and munching on a bag of salt and vinegar chips.
Your dog comes over and stares at you with those big eyes, obviously hoping for a chip.
You hesitate for a moment and decide to check online. Can dogs eat salt and vinegar chips? Are they safe for dogs to eat?
Dogs should not eat salt and vinegar chips. These chips are high in sodium and fat and contain additives that can damage a dog's health. If dogs overeat salt and vinegar chips, they may experience vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, they could even experience pancreatitis or salt poisoning.
This article will discuss the dangers of dogs eating salt and vinegar chips and what to do if your dog gets into a cag while you are away.
We'll also answer some of the most frequently asked questions about this topic.
Let's dive in.
What Are Salt And Vinegar Chips Made With?
To understand if dogs can eat salt and vinegar chips, we need to look at what these potato chips are made of.
Let's look at the most popular chip brand, Lays, to keep things simple.
Nutritional Facts
Per 17 chips (28 g): 160 calories, fat 10g (1.5g saturated), sodium 202mg , carbs 15g (fiber 1g, sugar 1g), protein 2g, iron 0.6mg, and potassium 320mg.
Ingredients
Potatoes, vegetable oil (sunflower, corn, and/or canola oil), salt & vinegar seasoning (maltodextrin, natural flavors, salt, malic acid, and vinegar).
Can Dogs Eat Salt And Vinegar Chips?
Now that we know what salt and vinegar chips are made of, can dogs eat them?
Salt and vinegar chips contain little to no nutritional value for dogs.
Dogs should not eat salt and vinegar chips. Although one or two chips may be safe for them to eat in moderation, it's not recommended.
The high salt content can be dangerous for dogs and cause health problems.
Vinegar, preservatives, and other food additives in salt and vinegar chips are also not healthy for dogs.
So while your dog may beg for a chip, giving them something else is best.
Dogs who eat too many salt and vinegar chips can experience vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and even seizures.
If you do give your dog some salt and vinegar chips, make sure it's only 1 or 2 and not a frequent event.
Can Dogs Eat Salt And Vinegar Pringles?
Unlike regular salt and vinegar chips, dogs can eat a small portion of salt and vinegar pringles, but it's not recommended.
Pringles are also high in salt and can cause health problems for dogs.
They also contain the preservative MSG, which can be dangerous for dogs if consumed frequently or in large quantities.
Is It Safe For Dogs To Eat Salt And Vinegar Chips?
A chip or two for an adult dog is harmless. But like most things, moderation is key.
Too many salt and vinegar chips can cause your dog health issues.
So, salt and vinegar chips are safe in small amounts but unsafe in large quantities.
The amount that would be considered safe depends on a dog's size.
However, just because it's safe for them to have 1 or 2 chips does not mean it's in their best interest, and they should be feeding them some.
Is It Safe For Puppies To Eat Salt And Vinegar Chips?
Puppies should not eat any foods like salt and vinegar chips.
During the early stages of development, a dog requires a nutrient-rich diet.
Salt and vinegar chips provide no health benefits for puppies and are just filler foods.
In addition, puppies are tiny, so even small amounts of high fat and salty foods can be unsafe.
It can lead to dehydration and an electrolyte imbalance.
Feeding them foods like salt and vinegar chips might seem harmless, but the ramifications can be severe.
Dangers Of Dogs Eating Salt And Vinegar Chips
While a chip here or there is unlikely to inflict any harm on your pup, the dangers increase when feeding dogs these kinds of treats become frequent.
Here are a few dangers of salt and vinegar chips:
High In Fat
Chips are high in calories and fat. There are 10g of fat and 160 calories from just 17 little chips. So that's roughly 10 calories and 0.6g of fat per chip.
Eating these chips can lead to obesity and weight gain if your dog eats them too often or in large amounts.
Over time, this can lead to health problems such as diabetes, joint pains, heart disease, and pancreatitis.
High Salt Content
Salt is harmful to dogs. The high amounts of salt in salt and vinegar chips are not suited to a dog's body.
17 chips contain 202mg of salts. Although salt is needed for a dog to be healthy, it's a minimal amount compared to humans.
In addition, most dog foods will already contain the necessary amount of salt a dog requires.
According to the American Heart Association, a dog's recommended daily sodium intake is less than 100 milligrams.
The bigger the dog, the more it can handle, and the smaller, the less.
For example, a 10lbs dog should have less than 30 mg of salt daily. In contrast, a 75lbs dog should have no more than 227 mg of salt daily.
Salt toxicity can occur when a dog ingests 2 to 3 grams of sodium for every kilogram of body weight. This is equivalent to about 0.35 to 0.53 teaspoons of salt for every 2.2 pounds of body weight.
The most common signs of salt poisoning include:
- Extreme thirst and urination
- High fever
- Increased heart rate
- Lack of energy, weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle spasms
- Respiratory distress
- Convulsions or seizures
- Stomach pains
- Tongue swelling
- Vomiting
- Walking without balance
- Watery diarrhea
Dangerous Additives
Salt and vinegar chips contain various additives that can be dangerous for dogs.
Artificial food additives are chemicals added to food to improve its shelf life, texture, or flavor.
These can include preservatives, colorings, and sweeteners.
While these additives are deemed safe for humans, they can harm dogs.
For example, one of the most common food additives is monosodium glutamate (MSG).
MSG is a flavor enhancer that's often used in processed foods.
It's considered safe for humans to consume, but it can be dangerous for dogs.
Many processed food includes sodium nitrate, which can lead to long-term health problems such as heart disease.
These additives increase the likelihood of your dog facing symptoms like:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Upset stomach
Overeating
A dog that gets into too many potato chips could face problems like food bloat, diabetes, cavities/teeth issues, obesity, or pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that can be fatal if not treated quickly.
Pancreatitis can often develop after dogs eat a large helping of food high in fat (like chips).
Symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs include:
- Lethargy
- Hunched back
- Repeated vomiting (several times within a few hours or over several days)
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Dehydration
- Fever
- Increased heart rate
- Difficulty breathing
In severe cases, pancreatitis can lead to organ failure and death. Therefore, it's critical to visit the veterinarian as soon as possible if you believe your dog has pancreatitis.
Excessive Vinegar
While vinegar is safe in small quantities, too much can harm dogs.
Vinegar is an acidic substance that can irritate a dog's digestive system.
It can also cause problems like diarrhea, vomiting, inflamed mouth and esophagus, and cause tooth decay.
You might have heard that apple cider vinegar (ACV) can benefit dogs.
There have been reports of dogs who have benefited from a moderate intake of ACV. However, there is no science to back these claims.
I spoke with Dr. Littlejohn and reached out to some vets at Vin.com, and they all said the same thing.
"Some clients have used ACV and seen improvement with their dogs. However, no scientific proof supports any claims that it's beneficial for dogs to consume."
Lastly, dogs can also be allergic to vinegar, so be careful when giving them some for the first time.
Can Salt And Vinegar Chips Kill Dogs?
Salt and vinegar chips are unlikely to kill dogs. They would need to eat a substantial amount of chips to be fatal.
The concern is more significant for smaller dogs since the amount required to harm them is significantly less than for bigger dogs.
If a dog gets into a big bowl of salt and vinegar chips, it may be fatal.
Salt poisoning, food bloat, or pancreatitis could occur from overeating salt and vinegar chips, all of which can be fatal.
What To Do If Your Dog Eats A Bag Of Salt And Vinegar Chips?
If your dog gets their paws on an entire bag of potato chips, here is some advice from a vet.
After speaking with Dr. Littlejohn to find out what he'd recommend. Here are the main takeaways I got from our conversation.
Vets online or over the phone will usually ask about the following things:
- Ingredients in the food
- Amount consumed
- The size of your dog
- How long ago they consumed it
- Any changes to your dog's behaviors
- Your dog's energy level
- Signs of physical pain or discomfort
- If your dog's drinking or eating
- If they vomited or pooped since eating it (and what it looked like)
Veterinarians will ask questions about these categories to examine your dog for health concerns.
Each scenario will be unique depending on what they ate, how much, and how big your dog is.
Vets are looking to determine whether or not your dog ate a toxic amount for their size.
Knowing these common questions vets ask can help you understand what you should be looking for to tell if your dog is ok or not.
Of course, you know your dog best, so if you think something is off, you're likely right.
You usually see signs of gastrointestinal distress when dogs overeat something they should not have.
Symptoms of this include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Increased gas
- Lack of appetite
- Dehydration
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal enlargement/distension
- Distress or inability to get comfortable
These symptoms usually go away after your dog's digestive system has had time to process the food.
They may experience diarrhea and vomiting, but it usually disappears after 24 hours. If they last longer than 24-48 hours, get in touch with your vet.
During this time, make sure your dog is staying hydrated and if your dog is showing any severe symptoms or you are concerned, contact your vet.
You can also use online services to speak directly with a vet for immediate help.
Click here if you wish to speak with a vet online right now.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Can Dogs Eat Salted Chips?
Dogs should not eat salted chips, but small amounts are unlikely to cause harm.
Salted chips can cause health problems when consumed too frequently or in large amounts.
Some issues that could develop are dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and sodium poisoning.
Can Dogs Eat Vinegar?
A dog allergic to vinegar may vomit, scratch uncontrollably, or have a similar apparent reaction.
Long-term vinegar consumption can affect dogs that are sensitive to it. There have been links to tooth decay, bone deterioration, and inflammation of a dog's mouth and esophagus.
Other posts you might find interesting:
Can Dogs Eat Rice Krispie Treats? Is It Safe? (We Asked A Vet)
Can Dogs Eat Hush Puppies? 5 Dangers & Guide If They Do
Can Dogs Eat Ramen Noodles? Raw, Instant, or Cooked?
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