On your way back from work, you decided to get some Flamin’ Hot Cheetos from a grocery store. While munching on this snack, your canine walked up to you, and it kept staring at you, obviously wanting to get a taste. A question then popped up in your mind; can I give my dog some Hot Cheetos?
No, under no circumstances, should you serve your dog Hot Cheetos. Cheetos are not technically safe for dogs due to their high salt and corn content. Hot Cheetos also contains some spices and preservatives which are not good for the health of your dog.
One of the common side effects of giving Hot Cheetos to your canine is the risk of gastrointestinal upsets or serious belly aches. If you want to know more about the dangers of feeding Hot Cheetos to your dog, we encourage you to keep reading this article.
Before we discuss the dangers of feeding Hot Cheetos to dogs, let’s discuss how safe it is for dogs to consume Hot Cheetos.
Is Hot Cheetos Safe For Dogs?
Hot Cheetos are not in any way safe for dogs. Hot Cheetos are known to contain garlic powder. Garlic is known to contain thiosulphate, an ingredient that causes anemia in dogs.
Hot Cheetos are enriched with artificial flavor enhancers which are harmful to your canine. If it happens your pup is lactose intolerant, Hot Cheetos would make its condition worse.
The main reason Hot Cheetos are not recommended for dogs is due to their high-fat content.
Hot Cheetos contain 14% fat when compared against 8.5% fat from snacks and treats recommended for dogs.
Cheetos are made with real cheese. Although cheese in small amounts is not toxic for dogs, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and bellyaches if taken excessively.
Why Does My Dog Like Hot Cheetos?
Your dog likes Hot Cheetos because of their crunchy taste. Dogs are generally attracted to crunchy foods.
Dogs have a strong sense of smell, when there is Hot Cheetos somewhere around the house, they can surely sense it.
Although your dog would like to eat some Hot Cheetos, do not succumb to its pressure. The dangers associated with Hot Cheetos far outweigh the benefits.
If your canine accidentally eats one or two Cheetos, it won’t die because of this. If this were to happen, give it plenty of water to drink.
What Are Cheetos Really Made Of?
Cheetos are made by blending corn and water. To prevent it from spoiling, the germs of the corn are removed. The cornmeal is enriched with nutrients to boost its nutritional value.
Cheetos come in different flavors. The common flavors include:
- Flamin’ Hot Crunchy
- Crunchy
- Flamin’ Hot Puffs
- Flamin’ Hot Limon Crunchy
Although Cheetos come in a variety of flavors, none of them are beneficial to your dog.
Why Does My Dog Drool Over Hot Cheetos?
Dogs drool over Hot Cheetos because they are attracted by the sight and smell of the food. It’s an involuntary reaction. They drool in hopeful anticipation of getting a taste.
If your dog is fond of salivating while you eat, you need to make sure the problem isn’t a medical one. Some medical problems cause excessive drooling in dogs.
To stop your dog’s drooling habit, serve your dog’s food to match with your regular mealtimes. Doing this would make your dog concentrate on its food instead of staring at you.
What Happens When Your Dog Eats Hot Cheetos?
If your canine accidentally consumes Hot Cheetos, your dog will likely come down with gastrointestinal problems due to the high sodium and fat content in it.
Hot Cheetos are not inherently toxic for dogs. So, don’t worry! Your dog won’t die if it accidentally gobbled up one or two pieces of Hot Cheetos.
It is not uncommon for some dogs to come down with diarrhea after consuming Hot Cheetos. Hot Cheetos can, at times, cause a burning sensation around the dog’s throat area if consumed.
Cheetos are spicy, veterinarians don’t recommend spicy foods for dogs due to the ugly side effects.
Will One Hot Cheeto Hurt My Dog?
One flaming hot Cheeto will likely not hurt your dog. But there is a high risk of salt poisoning. Regularly feeding your pooch Hot Cheetos will lead to obesity.
Hot Cheetos are known to contain a high level of salt. When dogs consume Hot Cheetos, hypernatremia occurs. This condition can cause the following:
- Seizure
- Dehydration
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
If any of the above symptoms are shown by your pooch, it will need emergency veterinary intervention.
Will Cheetos Give My Dog Diarrhea?
Yes. Hot Cheetos upset the stomach of dogs thereby causing diarrhea for them. Apart from diarrhea, Hot Cheetos make dogs gassy and extremely thirsty.
When your pup consumes Hot Cheetos, diarrhea can start suddenly or take a while before it starts. When diarrhea persists for more than a day, dehydration will set in.
If your dog is suffering from diarrhea after taking Hot Cheetos, you can withhold all food for about 12 to 24 hours. Another option is to feed a small amount of food to your dog.
However, if diarrhea continues after all the above interventions, take your pup to the nearest veterinary hospital for proper medical care.
Can Hot Cheetos Cause Red Poop?
Yes. Hot Cheetos contain a lot of red food dye. The red dye can cause the stool of your canine to turn red.
Some dog owners mistakenly assume the red dye in their dogs’ stool is blood. This can make them rush their dogs to the hospital.
If your dog gobbles upon just one or two Hot Cheetos, the poop would likely not turn red. It takes a lot of these snacks for the poop to turn red.
Do Dogs Find Cheetos Addictive?
Yes. What makes Cheetos addictive for dogs is the Monosodium Glutamate flavor found in it. This flavor enhancer has been banned to be used in most products.
Dogs need a considerable amount of fats in their diet to be healthy. But they must get these fats from healthy sources. Cheetos is not a healthy source of fats.
Having Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in your dog’s food is dangerous. If your dog consumes a lot of MSG, it raises the blood pressure of your canine. Additionally, the digestive system of dogs is not built to digest this flavor enhancer.
What Makes Cheetos So Addictive?
What makes Cheetos addictive for dogs is the high fat and salt content that rewards the brain with feelings of pleasure.
Cheetos do not offer any nutritional value for your canine. Cheetos contain fats and sodium in extremely high quantities. Dogs only need a little fat and sodium to stay healthy.
Bloating and other harmful side effects are what results when your pooch eats Hot Cheetos. Never consider giving Cheetos as treats for your dog.
The following are some of the harmful effects of feeding Hot Cheetos to your canine:
Diabetes
Just as diabetes can affect humans with unhealthy lifestyles, the same thing can happen in dogs as well. Diabetes can affect dogs at any age.
If you regularly give Cheetos to your dog, there is a high chance your pup would become diabetic in no time.
The best way of controlling diabetes in dogs is through dietary changes. Of course, the changes include not giving Cheetos to your dog.
Obesity
Your canine is not likely to become obese after snacking on just one Cheeto puff. It would only become obese if you regularly feed it Cheetos.
To guard against obesity, you should know about what the ideal weight is for your dog’s breed and age.
When dogs become obese, it is most times a risk factor for other dangerous conditions like cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.
Behavioral Changes
Behavioral changes can occur in your dog if it regularly feeds on chemicals and preservatives in Hot Cheetos.
The symptoms to watch out for are anxiety and increased lethargy. It is not uncommon for dogs who have been feeding a lot on Cheetos to suddenly start acting weird.
To prevent this from happening, never feed your pup Hot Cheetos!
