We love ketchup and put it practically everywhere. So it’s natural to curious if your dog be fine after eating some too. What’s odd about ketchup is that we don’t know what’s actually in it. Obviously, ketchup is mostly produced from tomatoes. But that’s not the biggest problem here, there are way more dangerous ingredients in this sauce too. Learn more about it for the sake of your dog’s well being.
What’s in the ketchup?
Mass produced ketchup contains about 112 calories per 100 g on average, including 907 mg of sodium (too much!) and 22 g of sugar (even worse!). Some brands offer sugar-free variation which implies that instead of regular sugar or fructose syrup, those kinds of ketchup generally contain synthetic sweeteners, often xylitol, which can be deadly to animals.
Supermarket goods, including ketchup, often comprise a startling quantity of chemicals. For dogs, many of these components are dubious. In addition to tomatoes, mass-produced recipes often include onions and garlic. Both are dangerous to dogs. But it’s getting worse. Most of the kinds of this sauce have other chemicals. Among them is the xanthan gum that works as a stabilizer, thickening the product. And don’t overlook flavored ketchup with some more dog-toxic components. You don’t want your pet to eat that. (And, to be honest, it would be good to avoid it yourself, too).
So, can dogs have ketchup?
Technically yes. It’s doubtful that a bit of ketchup will hurt a dog. While classic ketchup is technically secure for dogs, it has zero dietary value. Too much of the sauce, however, holds some risk. At the very least, it’s a poor feeding choice for any dog.
Is ketchup good for dogs?
Ketchup includes almost no fiber, no protein, no nutrients, and no vitamins (unless you add a small amount of vitamin A and C. This lousy proportion does not justify the harm induced by all the sugar, salt, and a lot of chemicals in this condiment. So, there’s not much value from ketchup to your pet.
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Is ketchup bad for dogs?
Specific components may trigger allergic responses or in some extreme cases, a disease recognized as hemolytic anemia.
The confusing part is that this sauce has so many components that it’s hard to figure out what exactly may trigger an allergic reaction.
And there’s more. Since there’s a lot of sugar in ketchup, the sauce potentially can also contribute to diabetes, obesity, and heart diseases in your dog. It’s also salty. And canines are not doing well with salt too.
Ketchup and dogs. Summary
Avoid giving your dog’s commercial ketchup or foods the goes along including French fries, hamburgers and hot dogs. Want to share the joy of favorite meal with your pup? Well, you HAVE to be more selective if you care about your pet’s health. Ketchup includes lots of chemical, pup-dangerous ingredients. So we strongly advise to keep it out of your pup.
Credits: thanks for the cover photo to Canva.
