Should You Share Fruit Snacks With Your Dog?

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Fruit snacks are among the most human food for both children and adults. These snacks come in a variety of flavors, and they are often time made from fruit juice or fruit puree. While this food seems safe for humans, what about our dogs? Can they safely eat fruit snacks?

Before we answer this question, we first need to investigate what ingredients can be found in this snack, and this will help us better understand all the benefits and dangers connected to this food.

Fruit snack ingredients

To determine whether or not fruit snacks are safe for dogs, we must understand all the ingredients in these snacks. Usually, fruit snacks consist of

• Sugars – to enhance their taste, fruit snack contains a lot of sugars, usually high fructose corn syrup
• Gelling agents – this will give the fruit snack a chewy texture, and the most commonly used gelling agents are gelatin and pectin.
• Food coloring – used to change the color of the food. To better understand the impact of food coloring on dogs, make sure to check this article – Is Food Coloring Safe For Dogs?
• Preservatives – certain food snacks contain preservatives, usually citric acid or sodium benzoate, to make fruit snack taste better

What are the potential risks of fruit snacks for dogs?

When we talk about potential risks, we must understand all the ingredients found in fruit snacks, and only that way can we understand what is bad for our dogs. While some ingredients in the fruit snack will not harm our dogs, others can be potentially harmful.

Here are a few ingredients that can cause harm to your dog

• Sugars- consuming large amounts of sugar will cause certain health problems for your dog in the long run. Your dog could end up with dental problems, gastrointestinal upset, pancreatitis, but also with obesity
• Xylitol – This is a highly toxic substance for dogs, and even if your dog ingests a small amount, it can still be life-threatening. Xylitol is usually used as a substitute for sugar
• Artificial sweeteners- things such as aspartame or sucralose can cause different problems for your dog
• Preservatives – certain preservatives can cause stomach upset or even an allergic reaction

You must understand all the potential risks and always check the ingredient list of the fruit snack. Only by doing so can you ensure that your dog will not get hurt.

Are there any benefits for dogs from eating fruit snacks?

Generally speaking, the potential risks will outweigh the benefits when it comes to sharing fruit snacks with your dog, but still, if you do all the things right, your dog could have some benefits from eating this food.

The most important thing you should ensure is not only to offer your dog a small amount of fruit snacks, but you will also have to ensure that the fruit snacks don't contain any harmful ingredients.

Here are some of the possible advantages that fruit snacks can offer our dogs

• Vitamins and minerals – fruit snacks that are made from real fruit juice or puree will contain many vitamins and minerals that can boost your dog's overall health.
• Hydration – fruit snacks have high water content, which can help your dog stay hydrated, especially during hot weather.
• Fibers – fibers found in fruit snacks will help with digestive health for your dog.

What are the safe alternatives to fruit snacks for dogs?

Since fruit snacks are not the safest and best option to share with your dog, we would advise you to find alternatives from which your dog will benefit much more.

These are a few alternatives that are healthier and safer for your dog:

• Fresh fruits – offering fresh fruits for your dog can be a great addition to their diet since it will provide additional benefits for your dog's health
• Dehydrated fruits – dried fruit with no additional sugars, sweeteners, or preservatives are a great and healthy option for your dog.
• Homemade dog treats – preparing dog treats using safe dog ingredients is the best way to boost your dog's diet and health. Check this Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats Recipes

What to do if my dog has a reaction after eating a fruit snack?

You should remain calm and contact your vet whenever you notice your dog reacts to a particular food. Depending on the ingredients found in the food your dog has ingested and the amount of food he ingested, your vet could suggest bringing your dog to the clinic.

In some severe cases, your vet could suggest to induce vomiting in your dog, and if you are not sure how to do it, you can check this article and be ready for any emergency in the future – How To Make Your Dog Vomit?

Conclusion

Although most of the population loves fruit snacks, it is best to keep them away from our dogs. Depending on the main ingredients found in fruit snacks, they could potentially cause harm to your dog, and we don't see a valid reason why you should risk your dog's health.

A far better option is to find some good food alternatives that you can offer your dog since this will not only ensure that your dog will not get harmed but will also provide a healthy boost for the dog. If you are unsure what you can offer your dog to be completely sure not to disrupt his health, we advise you to seek advice from your vet or professional canine nutritionist.

World Dog Finder team