Can You Share Jalapenos With Your Dogs?

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We have all experienced what it's like when a dog looks at us with a pleading look while we are eating to see if he can get a little something for himself. This tactic often works; the dog gets a bite or two from our plate. However, if there are jalapeños on our plate, we should not share our meal with our dog. 

What is a jalapeño?

A jalapeño is a medium-sized chili pepper that comes in various colors and varies from mild to hot. Usually, jalapeños have between 4,000 and 8,500 Scoville heat units, but depending on cultivation and preparation, some can have over 10,000 Scoville heat units and are extremely spicy. These peppers were first cultivated in Mexico.

Can dogs eat jalapeños?

Although jalapeños, unlike some other human food, are not toxic to dogs, you should not give a jalapeño to your dog (or any other pet for that matter).

Jalapeño peppers can have a negative effect on your dog's gastrointestinal tract and can cause a number of unpleasant and painful symptoms, such as:

• stomach pain
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• gas
• excessive thirst
• dehydration
• bloating
• pain
• stomach ulcers

These symptoms are caused by capsaicin - a chili pepper extract that gives them their spicy flavor.

RELATED: Will Spicy Food Hurt Your Dog?

Why jalapeños are they bad for dogs?

Jalapeños are simply too hot for dogs to eat and can cause various health problems. Dog's digestive systems can't handle food that spicy. 

As a result of experiencing the symptoms mentioned earlier, your dog might end up with anxiety from having all these gastrointestinal problems. The least that will happen if your dog eats a jalapeño is that he will be sick from both ends – vomiting and having explosive diarrhea for the next 24 hours or longer until his organism and gastrointestinal tract calm down.

RELATED: Can Dogs Eat Red Peppers?

What to do if your dog managed to eat some jalapeños?

If eaten in small amounts, jalapeños are not toxic and won't kill your dog, but for dogs, there is plenty of side effects from eating a jalapeño.

If you catch your dog eating a jalapeño, the first thing you need to do is to separate him from the pepper. Use your hand to remove all the jalapeño left in his mouth and try to establish how much he has eaten already. Then call your veterinarian and tell him what happened. Your veterinarian will ask you some follow-up questions and then tell you whether bringing your dog to the vet clinic is necessary. 

No matter what your veterinarian tells you, monitor your dog closely and look for any signs of discomfort, pain, gastrointestinal problems, and symptoms. Make sure your dog has access to fresh water. You can put a little bit of milk in his water bowl. The milk will help with his stomach ache. Feed your dog plain white rice, boneless chicken, white fish, plain oatmeal, or canned pumpkin to ease the stomach pain. If the symptoms last for more than 48 hours, take your dog to the vet.

If you notice that your pup has bloody stool or is vomiting blood, get him to the vet as soon as possible because bloody vomit and/or stool suggest that there might be an ulcer in your dog's digestive tract that needs to be treated.

RELATED: Can Dogs Eat Guacamole? Here’s Why It’s a Bad Idea

Can my dog eat any spicy food?

The answer is no. Just like jalapeños, other spicy food can and will cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs, so we recommend you keep your dog away from any spicy food.

Are there any alternatives to jalapeños to offer my dog?

Although dogs are more of meat and meaty snack lovers, you can give your dog vegetables, just not spicy ones. Try broccoli or lettuce. If your dog loves a crunchy snack, give him regular, non-spicy bell pepper. Bell peppers are a healthy alternative snack with plenty of vitamins. Carrots and celery are also great choices.

World Dog Finder team