Can Dogs Eat Skittles? If you have a dog, then it is likely that he has eaten some of the candy that you have left in your house. This article will tell you if your dog should be able to eat skittles or not.
Table of Contents
What are Skittles?
Skittles are small candies that come in different flavors such as cherry and grape. They are made from sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, tartaric acid, natural flavorings, artificial colorings, and other ingredients. The most popular flavor for these candies is grape. There are also many other flavors like strawberry, lemonade, orange, lime, watermelon, raspberry, and more.
The Ingredients
There are two main ingredients in skittles: sugar and corn syrup. Sugar is used to make the candy soft and chewy while corn syrup gives it its sweet taste. Gelatin is added to give the candy its shape. Tartaric acid is used to help preserve the candy’s freshness. Natural flavorings are added to give the candy a unique flavor. Artificial colors are added to give the candies their bright colors.
Can Dogs Eat Skittles?
The short answer is yes. Your dog can eat Skittles just like any other food for him. However, the longer answer is a little more complicated.
If you want to know whether your dog will enjoy eating Skittles or not, there are certain things you need to consider first before giving him these candies.
First off, let me tell you something about Skittles. They are actually made from natural ingredients. All of the fruits used to make Skittles are grown on farms where they are harvested at peak ripeness and then processed into delicious candy treats.
So basically, Skittles are safe for dogs. In fact, many people choose to feed them to their pets because they contain no artificial colors, preservatives, flavors or sweeteners.
However, Skittles are still considered to be high-calorie snacks so you should limit how much you feed your pet. This is because too much of anything can result in health problems. You don’t want your dog to become overweight, do you?
Is Skittles Bad for Dogs?
Now that we’ve talked about the benefits of feeding your dog Skittles and how it won’t cause them to gain weight, let’s talk about some of the possible risks associated with this snack.
There are two main reasons why you shouldn’t feed your dog Skittles:
1) It can lead to obesity.
2) It can cause kidney damage.
Let’s take a look at each one of these issues individually.
Obesity
As I mentioned earlier, Skittles aren’t really bad for your dog. But they are also not good either. Because they are high in calories, they can contribute to your dog gaining excess weight.
This is especially true if you overfeed your dog Skittles. If you do that, your dog will consume so much of these candies that his body will begin storing them as fat.
This means that even though Skittles are healthy for your dog, they can still end up making him obese.
Kidney Damage
Another thing you need to keep an eye out for when feeding your dog Skittles is that they can potentially damage your dog’s kidneys.
When you give your dog Skittles, they pass through his digestive tract and get absorbed into his bloodstream. From there, they travel throughout his entire body until they reach his kidneys.
Once they arrive there, they start doing their job which is filtering waste products from his blood. Unfortunately, Skittles are not filtered properly by the kidneys and instead get passed right back into the bloodstream.
In case you’re wondering, this can have serious consequences. For example, if your dog eats too much Skittles, he could experience kidney stones.
In addition, Skittles can also block the flow of urine. This is because they are quite hard and can cause small clots to form inside the urinary tract.
Do Skittles Benefit Your Dog?
Even though Skittles are not great for your dog, they are still very beneficial. First off, they provide lots of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin A, C, E, B6, K, Mg, Zn, Fe, Ca, P and Se.
These nutrients help build strong bones and teeth, improve digestion and boost overall immunity.
Secondly, Skittles contain antioxidants such as vitamin C and beta carotene. These antioxidants protect against free radicals which can harm cells in your dog’s body.
Thirdly, they are low in sugar and carbohydrates. So, they won’t raise your dog’s blood glucose levels which can lead to diabetes.
Finally, Skittles are relatively inexpensive compared to other types of treats. Plus, they taste great!
How Many Skittles Can Dogs Eat?
The number of Skittles your dog can eat depends on several factors including his size and age.
For example, puppies usually require less food than adult dogs. And since they grow quickly, they tend to eat more often.
On the other hand, older dogs may eat fewer meals per day. This is because they generally lose interest in food after they hit middle age.
You’ll notice that most dogs seem to prefer Skittles over any other type of treat. So, if you want to make sure that your dog doesn’t overeat Skittles, then you might want to consider giving him something else first.
What Should You Feed Your Dog Instead Of Skittles?
If you don’t want to feed your dog Skittles or another sweet treat, then you should probably choose a healthier alternative.
One option would be to give your dog some dry kibble. Dry kibble contains all the same nutrients as regular kibble but it has no added sugars or preservatives.
It also tends to be lower in calories than other types of treats. In fact,one cup of dry kibble only contains about 100 calories.
Another good choice would be raw meaty bones. Raw meaty bones are high in protein and calcium. They also contain important minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and iron.
Lastly, you can always try giving your dog some fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is full of fiber and vitamins and minerals. Plus, it tastes really good!
What Other Candies Your Dog Must Avoid?
While Skittles aren’t necessarily bad for your dog, there are certain candies that are definitely toxic.
Most of these candies contain caffeine or artificial coloring agents. Some examples include:
• Candy bars
• Gum
• Lollipops
• Jelly beans
• Hard candy
• Chocolates
• Licorice
• Gummy bears
• Sour gummies
• Fruit snacks
• Marshmallows
So, if you’re looking for a healthy snack for your dog, then you should avoid these candies.
However, this isn’t to say that you shouldn’t ever feed your dog anything with caffeine. It just means that you need to limit how much he eats.
Conclusion
Skittles aren’t bad for your dog. However, they do contain a lot of sugar so they should be used sparingly.
Also, they are best fed before bedtime when your dog is tired and hungry. If you insist on feeding them during the day, then you should only give them one or two at a time.
This way, they will last longer and won’t have an adverse effect on their health.
Leave a Reply