Can Dog Treats Make a Dog Sick? Understanding the Risks and Precautions

If you enjoy feeding your dog treats, you are not alone. A survey has shown that around four dog owners out of five feed treats to their furry friend regularly, with biscuits and dental care treats being the most common ones.

While treats can be a great enrichment to a dog’s life, an important aspect of pet care is recognising that dog treats can sometimes lead to health issues. Just like people, dogs can suffer from overconsumption or allergies, and not all treats are created equal in terms of nutritional value and ingredient quality. It's crucial to assess whether the treats you give your dog align with their dietary needs and to understand the signs that a treat may not be agreeing with your pet.

Recognising the problems treats can cause is the first step to ensuring your dog's health. Some dogs may have intolerances or allergies to certain ingredients commonly found in dog treats, leading to symptoms such as digestive upset, itching, or more serious reactions. The quality of the treat also matters, as subpar ingredients can be detrimental to your dog's health over time. Knowing the warning signs and being proactive in selecting the right treats can help reduce the risks.

Key Takeaways

• Treats must be aligned with a dog's dietary needs to prevent health issues.
• Dogs can have intolerances or allergies to certain treat ingredients.
• Quality and moderation of treats are crucial for a dog's health.

Overfeeding Of Dog Treats

When you treat your dog, it's essential to keep moderation in mind. Overfeeding dog treats can lead to several health issues:

• Weight Gain: Excessive treats add extra calories, leading to obesity.
• Nutrient Imbalance: Treats should not constitute more than 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake, since besides providing extra energy, they also provide extra nutrients, and potentially this could lead to nutritional imbalances..
• Digestive Troubles: Too many treats can lead to gastrointestinal upsets such as vomiting or diarrhoea.

To prevent overfeeding:

1. Use a Treat Limit: Set a daily treat limit based on your dog’s size, breed, and overall health.
2. Choose Quality Treats: Opt for high-quality dog treats that contribute to your dog's health. A smaller number of high-quality treat is much better than a larger number of mediocre treats.
3. Measure Treats: Keep track of the number of treats given per day.
4. Integrate Training: Use treats for training purposes, rewarding good behavior.
5. Health Check-ups: Regularly check with your vet to ensure treats are not adversely affecting your dog's health.

Remember, treats are a form of affection and training tool, not a food substitute.

Identifying Issues

When choosing dog treats, it’s crucial for you to be aware of potential issues that could arise from certain products. These problems are often due to allergic reactions or the purchase of tainted or low-quality treats.

Davide Stefanutti, DVM, PhD, explains that “Research that investigated the nutrient composition of commercially available treats for dogs identified simple sugars in most treats, with sucrose being the most prevalent. Simple sugars are not only non-necessary for dog nutrition, but when in excess they can also cause negative consequences. For example, treats rich in simple sugars tend to be very caloric, and while to our eyes they may appear like small treats, their caloric content can be really high in relation to the dietary requirements of dogs, especially small-sized dogs. A 100 kcal treat would only add 5% of calories to the average adult person, but it can add >30% of calories required by a small dog. This is a drastic example, but even with small numbers, when extra calories are provided on a daily basis in excess to the actual energy requirements, it’s inevitable that the dog will become overweight in a few weeks”.

Allergic Reaction Or Sensitivity To Dog Treats

You might notice that your dog is experiencing discomfort or adverse health effects after consuming a new treat. This could be due to an allergic reaction. Common symptoms include:

• Skin issues: itching, redness, or rash.
• Gastrointestinal distress: vomiting or diarrhoea.
• Respiratory problems: sneezing or coughing.

If these symptoms occur, it's important to stop feeding the treat immediately and consult with your veterinarian.

Buying Tainted Or Poor Quality Dog Treats

Purchasing dog treats requires careful scrutiny. You should look for treats that have clear ingredient labels and quality certifications.

According to Dr. Stefanutti: “In many treats ingredients are not precisely described in the label. That alone is an indication not to buy those products. I always give my clients the advice I would follow for my own dog, and if instead of specifying the exact ingredients the label just reports ‘meat and meat derivatives’, ‘vegetable byproducts’ or ‘cereals’ I would never feed it to my dog. While technically legal, these indications are too vague and do not allow you to identify what you are actually putting in your pet’s body”.

Indicators of poor-quality or tainted dog treats might include:

• Off smell: A strong, unusual odour can indicate spoilage.
• Discolouration: Changes in color might be a sign of contamination.
• Packaging damage: Compromised packaging can allow bacteria to enter.

Always opt for treats from reputable sources, such as Marleybones treats, to minimise the risk of adverse effects on your dog's health. 

Mineral content

Treats must be carefully considered in the diet of dogs suffering from chronic heart failure and chronic kidney disease due to their potential high mineral content. The minerals to be kept under closest control in the disorders above are sodium for heart disease and phosphorus for kidney disease. If your dog is suffering from one of these conditions, you are probably feeding them a diet with restrictions in these minerals. It is therefore essential to avoid committing the mistake of increasing the content of sodium and phosphorus with treats.

Prevention And Safety

Keeping your dog safe from potential sickness caused by treats requires mindful selection and proper handling. Attention to these details will help ensure that treats remain a healthy and enjoyable part of your pet's diet.

How To Prevent Sickness From Dog Treats

• Check Ingredients Carefully: Ensure that treats do not contain toxic substances like chocolate, xylitol, sorbitol or other artificial sweeteners. Look for high-quality ingredients and avoid those with extensive chemical preservatives or unknown filler substances.
  
  
• Mind the Expiry Date: Always check the expiration date on treat packaging. Consuming expired treats can lead to foodbourne illnesses in dogs.
  
  
• Proper Storage: Store treats in a cool, dry place to prevent them from becoming stale or moldy, which can cause sickness.
  
  
• Follow Feeding Guidelines: Do not overfeed treats. They should only constitute a small percentage of your dog's daily intake. Overfeeding can lead to obesity and digestive issues.
  
  
• Introduce New Treats Gradually: When introducing new treats to your dog's diet, do so slowly to monitor for any adverse reactions or allergies.
  
  
• Moderation is Key: Even with healthy treats, it's important to feed them in moderation. Treats are a supplement to a well-balanced diet, not a substitute for meals.