It’s a well-known fact that dogs should never eat corn chips, but sometimes they just can’t resist. They roam around the house with fresh bags of crunchy snacks, and your best bet is to simply lock them out of the kitchen with no escape. So, if you were wondering, “Can dogs eat corn chips?”, then let’s put it this way: As with many other salty foods, it is not a good idea to feed corn chips to your dog.
Also check out: “Can Dogs Eat Corn Tortillas?”
Why Corn Chips Are Bad For Your Dog
Corn Chips are bad for your dog’s health for two main reasons. Firstly, they are full of salt, spices as well as preservatives, which could be bad for a dog’s health. And secondly, they are highly processed food.
While feeding salty snacks such as corn chips in a small amount might not cause any serious health issues, it can be a bigger threat if provided in large quantities. Dogs who consume loads of salty corn chips in one sitting or daily may suffer from sodium/salt poisoning. Let’s discuss this in detail, shall we?
About Sodium Poisoning
Sodium/ salt poisoning occurs when a dog consumes a high concentration of sodium. When your dog consumes too much salt by eating heavy salty snacks, their body cells start to release water so that the salt level is balanced in the bloodstream. This, however, leads to the destruction of the dog’s brain cells because of the lack of water in their body, which consequently causes neurological symptoms such as dizziness, seizure, and headache. Since dogs cannot digest salt efficiently like us, they are more susceptible to this poisoning than humans.
Dogs that are diagnosed with sodium poisoning may be prone to urination problems, potential kidney injury, abnormal fluid buildup, and even death. But most of the time, your dog can combat salt poisoning by drinking loads of freshwater which can effectively dilute the excess salt and cleanse through urination. So, you’ll want to make sure that your pup has access to plenty of water when they have eaten salty snacks such as corn chips.
Some of the major symptoms of sodium poisoning in dogs include:
- Extreme thirst
- Frequent urination
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Convulsions
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Seizures and muscle spasms
The above symptoms can potentially be present as soon as your dog consumes loads of salty corn chips. Make sure you rush your dog to the vet soon after you’ve noticed any of these signs in your furry companion. It is best to steer clear of anything that contains salt and stick to dry biscuits and chewy treats for your pet.
Processed Food
Corn chips are also highly processed food, which does not have any significant nutritional value for your dog. So, they are better kept afar from your dog’s regular diet. Such chips are deeply fried which means they can be detrimental to your pup’s gut in the long term. Moreover, onion or garlic-flavored corn chips are NOT recommended for dogs since onion and garlic are toxic to dogs.
Conclusion
It’s always better to avoid health risks from feeding excessive corn chips to dogs. So, can dogs eat corn chips? NO, corn chips aren’t recommended for dogs because of their low nutritional value and higher risks of serious health issues like salt poisoning. Although a bowl of fresh water might be sufficient to combat excess salt from your dog’s body in some cases, this isn’t always a good option. Instead, what you can do is, provide your furry companion with nutritious supplements that keep them healthy and vibrant.
Now that you know how corn chips can be bad for your pup’s health, find out all about other corn-related food in corn for dogs.
Have you ever shared a bag of corn chips with your dog? What was their reaction? Did they have any digestive issues right after? We would love to hear from you. Please share with our community by leaving a comment below!