When it comes to Beef Jerky, you’re probably thinking it’s a meat product so it must be safe for our canine friends, right? There are many different kinds of Beef Jerky and they are all highly processed food. You’re probably about to eat a Beef Jerky right now with your dogs next to you and you’re wondering if it’s safe for doggy consumption. Let’s find out!
Can dogs eat Beef Jerky? Dogs can eat Beef Jerky if it is plain without any flavoring, toxic ingredient, or salt and if it is from one protein source. Preferably, dogs should only eat homemade Beef Jerky and not store-bought Beef Jerky as it contains a high amount of salt, spice, gluten, and even garlic or xylitol which are toxic to dogs. Consider the ingredients in the Beef Jerky before feeding it to your dogs.
Let’s dive in and find out when Beef Jerky can be bad for dogs and when it can be safe for dogs to eat. Different types of Beef Jerky you see at your local grocery store are made differently. We will discuss which type of Beef Jerky is safe for doggy consumption and which ones are not.
Can Dogs Die From Eating Teriyaki Beef Jerky?
While it’s unlikely that your dog will die from eating teriyaki beef jerky, it’s still possible.
As mentioned before, store-bought teriyaki beef jerky often contains unhealthy ingredients that could prove fatal in some instances when consumed in large quantities.
My Dog Ate Teriyaki Beef Jerky What Do I Do?
If your dog happened to eat a bag of teriyaki beef jerky, you’re likely wondering what might happen and what you should do.
I reached out to Dr. Littlejohn to find out what he’d recommend to answer this question.
Here’s how Dr. Littlejohn responded to my question:
Me – “My dog ate some beef jerky. What should I look for to know if I need to come to see you and to make sure Enzo is okay?”
Dr. Littlejohn – “How much has he eaten? How much does he weigh? Is he acting different or unusual? Do they seem off? Is he eating and drinking water? Can you get him excited, or is he lethargic? What does his poop look like? What’s the color of his gums? Is he vomiting? If so, how frequently? Is there any physical discomfort or pain being expressed? What are the ingredients in the beef jerky?”
These questions are designed to determine the severity of the situation without the vet being able to see or feel your dog.
To summarize, I’ve found that vets will usually ask about these main topics when a dog eats something they shouldn’t:
Asking yourself similar questions about these topics can help you determine if there’s a problem.
You know your dog best, so you’re likely right if you think something is off.
Another thing I will note is a way to determine the severity of the situation.
You can estimate this by how extreme your dog is behaving and how many things seem off.
For example, suppose your dog is vomiting, sluggish, not as playful as usual, and not eating. This might indicate a more severe problem than if your dog just vomited once.
What about when symptoms are not so obvious?
In the cases where symptoms aren’t always apparent, it’s up to you to determine if something is wrong.
You should always seek medical advice if you know they ate something dangerous or suspect an issue.
For these reasons, it’s always recommended to go in for checkups so no problems fly under the radar.
Now, when it comes to teriyaki beef jerky, you should contact a vet immediately if there’s onion or garlic in the ingredients.
Signs your dog ate too much onion, or garlic are:
A vet may get you to induce vomiting and give your dog some activated charcoal.
You can also use online services to speak directly with a vet for immediate help.
If the ingredients don’t contain onion and garlic, it’s likely your dog will be OK. However, they may still experience mild vomiting or diarrhea due to gastrointestinal distress.
The severity of their symptoms after eating a bag of teriyaki beef jerky will depend mainly on the size of your dog and the amount they ate.
Due to the high salt contents, they may also appear more thirsty and thus, urinate more.
If they show severe symptoms or symptoms have lasted longer than 24 hours, contact your vet immediately.
Dogs and Beef Jerky: different types
As you may be aware, there are different types of Beef Jerky out there for human consumption. Below are some of the most popular Beef Jerky brands you can find in your local grocery store.
Let’s find out if these different types of Beef Jerky are safe for dogs to eat since they vary in ingredients and the way they are made.
FAQ
What happens if a dog eats the thing in beef jerky?
What happens if my dog eats teriyaki?