If you enjoy snacking on Hot Cheetos once in a while, you’re not alone! These are very popular snacks, especially if you’re into BBQ flavoring!
Does your dog beg for Hot Cheetos? Do you feed them to him sometimes? Some pet parents do give their dogs these tasty hot snacks. But are Hot Cheetos safe for dogs to eat?
What should you do if your dog eats Flamin’ Hot Cheetos?
If your dog sneaks a Cheeto off your plate, dont worry about it. One Cheeto is unlikely to cause any complications. The issue with feeding dogs Flamin Hot Cheetos would likely come from consumption of more than one. If your dog eats a large quantity of Flamin Hot Cheetos, its best to call your veterinarian and ask what to do. They may recommend that you bring your dog in to be examined. It is likely that your dog will experience diarrhea and other gastrointestinal upset, so be ready to take them outside regularly. Otherwise, follow your veterinarians instructions.
Issues with feeding dogs Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
While the list of ingredients in Flamin Hot Cheetos doesnt include chili peppers or capsaicin specifically, it is likely that the hot sensation comes from capsaicin. This is a naturally occurring ingredient that could be included in the “natural flavors” listed in the ingredient list. There are additional issues with the ingredients that can be harmful to dogs. Onions and garlic, even in small amounts and in powdered form, can cause serious and sometimes fatal illness in dogs, including hemolytic anemia.
Can dogs eat Cheetos that arent hot? Highly processed foods, including Cheetos, really arent good for dogs. The high fat content in snacks like this can cause pancreatitis and gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and diarrhea. Pancreatitis is a painful condition that can be life-threatening and often requires hospitalization. Then, theres the salt. If ingested by dogs in large amounts, salt can lead to salt toxicity, dehydration, or vomiting and diarrhea.
And, of course, these foods are packed with empty calories, and they lack nutritional value. According to the label, 13 Flamin Hot Cheetos contain 160 calories. Using these as treats, even occasionally, can cause obesity in dogs, which contributes to chronic conditions like arthritis and diabetes mellitus. Are hot Cheetos bad for you too? For some of the same reasons, they are, but they likely wont make you sick. And of course, humans can make the choice to indulge from time to time.
Can Dogs Eat Hot Chips?
To put it bluntly, any kind of hot chips “potato chips” – including Flamin Hot Cheetos – really don’t belong in the daily diet of your furry little family member.
Sure, like we mentioned earlier, dogs can get away with eating Cheetos every now and again (even Flamin Hot Cheetos) but it’s not something that you want to give them over and over again or give them on a regular basis.
The amount of onion powder, garlic powder, corn meal, and especially the amount of sodium that finds its way into these formulas – not to mention saturated fat, sugar, and all kinds of food additives and coloring agents – just have no place in the diet of a dog.
Truth be told, that these kinds of chemical concoction ingredients that make up some of our favorite junk foods probably don’t have that much of a place in a healthy and balanced diet for people, either!
On top of that, canines in general have never had a lot of exposure to chili powder or chili peppers – or anything else that we love to put in our favorite spicy foods or spicy flavor.
It’s not like ancient canines and their dog ancestors were popping into restaurants, having a look at the menu to find something spicy food, and then gobbled it up on a regular basis.
Dog internal systems just aren’t all that wired to handle a lot of extra spice and a lot of extra sodium the way that a human body has been able to adapt to these kinds of food ingredients.
Chili powder, canola oil, and Yellow 6 aren’t found all that often in the wild!
So no, it’s not a great idea to feed your dog hot chips, tortilla chips – especially if you’re trying to make sure that the food they do eat will have positive health benefits later down the line.
FAQ
Can dogs eat one hot Cheeto?
Are Cheetos OK for dogs to eat?
Can I give my dog a hot Cheeto Puff?