Are Marshmallows Bad for Dogs & Puppies to Have?

Marshmallows are probably one of the most popular candies amongst people of all age groups. You will find several types of marshmallows in the market that people like to eat. When you have dogs at home, you often feel the urge of sharing your food with your mutt. Most of the foods that humans eat are safe for dogs. However, there are some that may prove to be rather dangerous for your canine friends. Most of you may wonder whether marshmallows fall in the category of dangerous foods for dogs.

It is important for you to know that the marshmallows that you buy from the stores contain certain ingredients that may be bad for dogs. Marshmallows contain sugar that can easily contribute towards tooth decay and obesity. Some marshmallow brands also include xylitol in their products. It is basically an artificial sweetener that is found in many sugar-free candies. This ingredient is toxic for dogs.

Those marshmallows that contain sugar are surely bad for dogs. However, if you still wish to share it with your mutt, do make sure that you offer just a tiny piece of the marshmallow. On the other hand, those marshmallows that contain xylitol should never be offered to dogs as it may prove to be poisonous for the mutt.

Can Dogs Have Marshmallows?

Sometimes, it may happen that you accidentally drop a piece of marshmallow on the floor and your mutt snatches it even before you realize what is happening. It should give you some relief to know that there is nothing outright toxic for dogs in the regular sugar marshmallows. It will help you to know that marshmallows are primarily made of gelatin, sugar, and water.

Water is nothing to worry about as it is the source of life. At the same time, gelatin is basically a spongy food that is made from collagen of different animal body parts. If your dog was left out in the wild, it would naturally eat other animal body parts as it is a carnivorous animal by nature. However, the third ingredient, sugar, is something that may be a reason to worry about. Sugar is certainly not good for anybody. At the same time, it does not have the potential of killing your dog in individual marshmallow-sized small doses. However, this does not mean that it is good for the animal.

Dogs and Marshmallows

Sugar is bad for the teeth. Whether it is your teeth or your pet dog’s teeth. It will not be a bad idea to brush your dog’s teeth on a daily basis to avoid the buildup of plaque. Brushing their teeth is even more important if you are planning to feed your dog with sugary products. However, this is not the end of the story. If you decide to feed sugar free marshmallows to your dog, these contain xylitol, which may prove to be a major concern for dogs.

To give you an example, just two sticks of gum containing xylitol is enough to kill a small breed dog. If your dog ever consumes xylitol, the first signs of toxicity is hypoglycemia. This can kill a mutt in less than one hour. Even if your dog manages to survive, it will surely suffer from liver damages.

Why Are Marshmallows Dangerous For Dogs?

Whatever is discussed above, makes it pretty clear that sugar-free marshmallows are indeed toxic for your canine friends. If you buy marshmallows that contain regular sugar, then these will not prove to be of any immediate danger to dogs. Nonetheless, sugary treats are indeed bad for their general health as it is for humans. Even if you share such a marshmallow, make sure that you do not feed it in large amounts. Just a tiny piece should be harmless and sufficient.

Is Marshmallows Good For Puppies?

When it comes to feeding marshmallows to your puppy, it becomes a whole different issue altogether. It is needless to say that vets recommend dog owners to feed their puppies with treats in order to keep them busy. When you offer small pieces of human food to puppies that may also include marshmallows, you are practically teaching your dog to beg for treats. This may not be a good thing as sometimes dogs may even learn how to steal food from your plate.

Add to that the fact that there is an issue of caloric intake. Compared to an adult dog, puppies will require a lesser amount of calorie on a daily basis. It is important for puppies to get a carefully designed diet formula so that it can easily grow up into a healthy adult dog. Their own dog food will contain everything that they will require to grow up healthy and strong. Thus, it is better not to give marshmallows to puppies. Avoid any type of sugary treats for puppies until they grow up into a healthy adult.

Are Dogs Allowed To Eat Toasted Marshmallows?

Most of you may wonder whether dogs are allowed to have toasted marshmallows. This takes it back to the question of xylitol. If it is a sugar free marshmallow, better avoid giving it to your dog altogether. However, if you are planning to roast marshmallows around a campfire and your dog manages to steal the one that falls down on the ground, there is nothing for you to panic. It is quite unlikely that a single piece of marshmallow will cause any harm to your mutt. However, do remember to get rid of the stickiness from its nose.

Is Chocolate-Covered Marshmallows Good For Dogs?

As mentioned above, marshmallows are available in different variations. One of the popular variations is chocolate-covered marshmallows. These types of marshmallows are practically covered with chocolate. There are some dog owners who often ask where such a marshmallow is safe for dogs or not. It is needless to say that marshmallows that contain chocolate in any way or form should never be given to dogs.

Most of you probably know that chocolate is certainly not good for dogs. It does not matter if your neighbor’s dog had a little bit of chocolate and nothing happened to it. Chocolate contains various toxic substances, such as methylxanthines. This ingredient has the capacity of stopping your dog’s metabolic process altogether. The worst form of chocolate for dogs is the dark chocolate. Even if you offer a small piece of chocolate to your dog, it may cause vomiting and diarrhea. If you ever suspect that your dog has eaten chocolate, better take it to the vet immediately.

What To Do If Your Dog Eats Marshmallows?

If your dog manages to get hold of a single piece of normal marshmallow, there is nothing for you to worry about. However, if the dog eats a whole bagful of marshmallows, it will suffer from stomach ache together with other types of reactions. If any of the symptoms make you concerned, it is always better to take the animal to a nearby vet to get it checked.

Always remember that sugar free marshmallows contain xylitol that plays a role in triggering insulin release in your dog. If the animal starts acting funny in any way after eating anything that may contain xylitol, better take it to the vet.

How To Understand Whether Your Dog Has Consumed Too Many Marshmallows?

You should always pay attention to any type of distress after your dog consumes marshmallows. If you are in doubt, better play it safe and rush the doctor to the vet. This may get more crucial if there is even the slightest indication that the mutt has eaten sugar free marshmallows. Some of the common signs of xylitol poisoning include weakness, vomiting, difficulty in standing or walking, lack of coordination, tremors, lethargy, coma, and seizures.

If you ever wish to give marshmallows to your dog as a type of sweet treat, always avoid offering a sugar free marshmallow. It is always a good thing to check the labels on the pack of marshmallows for xylitol. If you even decide to buy such a pack of sugar free ones, better keep it out of reach of your dog.

Should You Give Marshmallows To Your Dog?

If you ever decide to give a sugary treat to your dog, always remember the “10% rule.” It is important for dog foods or treats not to go beyond the 10% of your mutt’s daily caloric intake. The other 90% of the dog’s food should comprise a balanced diet. Their regular kibble is a good example of such a rule. These dog foods contain the right proportion of every essential nutrient that they require every day. This is especially important for Labrador Retrievers as they have a natural tendency of gaining body weight.

To keep things simple and short, do not try to give marshmallows to your dog. Whether it is a normal one or a sugar free marshmallow, both may prove to be bad for your mutt. The latter being more dangerous as it contains xylitol that is extremely toxic for dogs. Even if you have to give some form of sugary treat to your dog, opt for the normal marshmallows and give your pet just a small piece of it.

 

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