If you have kids, they would occasionally give your pet the food that they are eating if they’re left unchecked. Some people won’t mind this because they would think that it’s human food and if it’s good for people, it must be okay for the dogs.
Well, that’s where they are wrong. Not all edible foods that people could eat can be eaten by dogs. There are treats that must not be given to dogs at any time like chocolates. As for peanut butter, that’s an entirely different matter.
Is peanut butter safe for dogs or how much peanut butter is safe for dogs?
Can Dogs Eat Peanuts
Peanuts are the main ingredients of this tasty snack; it could actually be beneficial for dogs when given it the right amounts. Peanuts are a good source of protein that is essential for muscle development and muscle growth, vitamins for a stronger immune system, and healthy fats that are used for energy. Dogs can definitely eat peanuts in a sense that it’s given in the appropriate amounts at any day.
Are Peanuts Bad for Dogs to Eat?
A major drawback of peanuts is that your dog could develop a peanut allergy if he/she is constantly given peanuts or peanut butter. The allergic reactions may range from acute to chronic types of allergies.
Acute Type Allergies: This type of allergy includes vomiting, excessive scratching, diarrhea, difficulty breathing and hives. This usually happens when your dog has his/her first taste of peanut butter. It goes without saying; you should monitor your dog for the first signs and symptoms that your pet is allergic. Try to give your pet a spoonful first. If he/she shows no signs and symptoms after a couple of hours, then it’s probably fine.
Chronic Type Allergies: Chronic allergies include ear infections, hair loss and having impacted anal glands and severe itchiness that could lead to rashes. This is maybe because your dog has been eating peanut butter for a long time and has greatly affected the whole body.
Other Ingredients of Peanut Butter You Should Know About
Sugar: Sugar is what makes the peanut butter a very appealing taste especially for kids. Different brands of peanut butter have varying amounts of sugar in their products. Some brands also include artificial sweeteners like xylitol which is like a more dangerous version of chocolates to dogs. Sugars are definitely bad for dogs because they could cause a lot of health problems like premature aging, inflammation and even diabetes. Not only that, but they can also be a source of nutrition to parasites, yeasts that cause fungal infections and cancer cells.
Aflatoxins: You will never find aflatoxins in the ingredients of any peanut butter brand because the makers of the peanut butter didn’t put them there. Instead, the aflatoxins are naturally occurring by-products or mycotoxins produced by some microscopic fungi (particularly Aspergillus) found in the peanuts themselves. This could be dangerous because this is a leading cause of cancer to some dogs.
What Peanut Butter is Safe for Dogs?
If you decided to give your dog some peanut butter after you have read and understood the precautions of this article, then what’s next is choosing the best peanut butter that’s best for your dog.
As you know, there are two kinds of peanut butter out in the market, the smooth and the crunchy. Smooth type of peanut butter can be given to dogs in all sizes because they could be easily digested and has no restrictions to a bowel movement. Crunchy peanut butter, on the other hand, can be only consumed by big dogs like Labradors and retrievers. They could not be given to smaller dogs like chihuahuas and poodles because they would not digest the bigger chunks of peanuts.
Conclusion
Your dog can be your loyal servant as well as your best friend. That’s why we should always give them the best of care so they could protect and serve us well. It’s always advisable to reward them every now and then if they have done a good deed.
A lick on a spoon with peanut butter or even a biscuit smothered with this delectable product can be a great way for you earn respect and be loved by these innocent creatures.
