Oreos are a popular chocolate cookie that can be found in almost every part of the world. These have become a renowned human food item that not only children but even adults enjoy. Oreo cookies are used as a snack and in a variety of desserts, including oreo stuffed brownies, oreo ice creams, oreo milkshakes, and oreo fudges.
These are supposed to be a good match with milk. Oreos were made in New York City for the first time but are now enjoyed worldwide as sweet food and are available in a variety of flavors.
Can Dogs Eat Oreo Cookies?
If you are fond of Oreos, you must have plenty of them in the kitchen rack, and it is possible that your dog may pick up some cookies from a pack unnoticed. It is also possible that he comes begging for them as these will look appetizing to him. But have you ever wondered: Are Oreos safe for dogs?
Absolutely Not! Oreos are not so safe for dogs. Oreo is a sandwich cookie made of chocolate, and we all know chocolate is toxic for dogs. Oreos don’t have enough amount of chocolate that can cause immediate damage to your dog, but it is not the best idea to feed it to your dog.
Oreos are bad for dogs as they contain too much sugar and can become the reason for weight gain and diabetes. Feeding these cookies to your dog as a regular dog treat is a silly act. Oreo cream is also not suitable for dogs to eat as it is made up of a lot of sugar and palm oil.
Can Dogs Eat Oreos Ice Cream?
Oreo ice cream is not a good choice for our canine friends. Milk is the main ingredient in any ice cream, whether it’s a strawberry, mango-flavored, or oreo ice cream. Dairy products like milk can cause constipation and bloating in dogs. Many dogs are lactose intolerant to some extent and cannot digest dairy products, and it results in severe gastric issues.
Both Oreos and milk are not good for your dog’s health, and when combined together, they can become even worse. Not only oreo ice cream but ice cream in any flavor can be adverse for your dog.
Another reason to avoid feeding your pup ice cream is the high quantities of sugar in it. Don’t ever take the risk if you want to treat your dog with the oreo ice cream free of sugars. Sugar-free ice creams often contain artificial sweeteners like xylitol which is highly toxic for a dog.
When the dogs eat oreo ice cream containing xylitol, their bodies show threatening severe hypoglycemia and liver failure symptoms. Its consumption in large quantities can even lead to death.
Can Dogs Eat Oreos Cake?
Cakes are not toxic to dogs unless they contain chocolate, but they are not healthy either. Take an example of baking soda, which is an essential ingredient of cake and can be unsafe for your pets if consumed in large amounts.
Oreo cake is not a good pick for your dog because it is made of a number of ingredients that can cause harm to your dogs, and the most important of these ingredients is oreo, of course. If your pup ate a large amount of cake, then you gotta be cautious, especially if your dog shows some signs of being diabetic.
Also, too much cream and sugar in cakes can cause obesity and make your pet prone to a number of other diseases. If you really want to feed cake to your dog, then go for the ones that are specially baked for dogs and are super safe for them. But, we recommend keeping your dogs away from the oreo cakes.
Are Oreos Rice Treats Safe for Dogs?
Dogs can eat rice treats in small quantities but not the ones with Oreos. Rice treats are actually rice-based snacks but have plenty of sugar in them. Pet owners, therefore, should not let their dogs consume rice treats in vast amounts as they can be quite problematic, and oreo rice treats can be even worse.
One regular-sized bar of rice treats consists of almost 90-100 calories, or we can say that rice treats inhold 4 calories per gram. So, what’s the point of feeding your dog this unhealthy food with that much empty calories?
Can Dogs Have Oreo Milkshakes?
If you truly care about your dog’s health, we advise you not to feed him an oreo milkshake because it will not be favorable for him. It’s not only about Oreo milkshakes. In fact, all types of milkshakes, regardless of the flavor, whether its strawberry or mango, are not supposed to be consumed by your pup. Most of the ingredients in milkshakes are unwholesome for your dog.
The pivotal carbohydrate found in milk is lactose, and the majority of the dogs have lactose intolerance. They are not able to digest lactose into simpler sugars like glucose and galactose because they can’t produce lactase enzymes, or this lactose digesting enzyme is produced in negligible amounts in their bodies. So, this major component of milk can cause quite a few stomach disorders in your dog.
Moreover, other ingredients besides milk in Oreo milkshakes, like sugar, fats, and chocolate, etc., are also not satisfactory for your dog’s diet. So the best option is not to share an oreo milkshake with your adorable pup.
Is Any Flavor Safe for Dogs?
Golden Oreos
Golden Oreos are sandwich cookies with vanilla creme filling. Now you must be busy estimating that it’s the safest treatment for dogs as they don’t inhold chocolate. But, no! Golden Oreos are not safe to consume by your dogs. It is a fact that they don’t have chocolate in them and are not toxic, but they are no better than regular Oreos.
The main disputed point of golden Oreos is sugar. They carry even more sugar than regular Oreos. Consuming too much sugar leads to diabetes, upset stomach, diarrhea, tooth cavities, and other dental issues. Accordingly, pet owners are not supposed to feed golden Oreos to their pets.
White Oreos
White Oreos are no different from the regular Oreos; they are just Oreos but coated with white fudge. Fudge contains chocolate as its main ingredient. It is almost white chocolate with some other added ingredients, including milk and sugar.
We all know chocolate causes toxicity in dogs no matter in which form it is added to the dog’s food. Chocolate poisoning can be the reason for pancreatitis, which is unpleasant and can cause death.
Vanilla Oreos
Vanilla is unfavorable for your dogs as vanilla extract contains alcohol. Just like chocolate, alcohol is also toxic for dogs. Although vanilla extract carries a small amount of alcohol, even a minor amount of toxic products can be risky for the dog, especially when your pup is small and young.
When talking of the size, large dog breeds are likely to show fewer signs of toxicity in this case because alcohol is present in very minute amounts in vanilla extract and the dose causing toxicity is practically unattainable.
On top of that, artificial sweeteners like xylitol may also be added to vanilla extract by some food companies. As explained earlier, xylitol is an extremely toxic ingredient for dogs, even in little amounts.
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Why are Oreos bad for dogs?
Oreos are not natural dog treats. Instead, they have artificial flavor and food color. If a dog eats Oreos, he might suffer from the following harms caused by its ingredients.
Baking Chocolate
Never give dogs chocolate, whether it be a real chocolate bar, cocoa powder, baking chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, or any other form, as they can cause chocolate poisoning in dogs. All kinds of chocolate products should be avoided, and chocolate cookies are not an exception. Though an oreo cookie doesn’t have that much real chocolate to cause chocolate toxicity, prevention is better than cure.
Chocolate Toxicity
Chocolate has chemicals such as theobromine and caffeine. Humans are able to digest and metabolize both the chemicals, whereas dogs are not capable of it. The common symptoms of its poisoning include increased heartbeat, increased thirst, frequent urination, panting, vomiting, and diarrhea. If not treated timely, your dog might be susceptible to some serious conditions such as tremors and heart failure.
The symptoms appear a few hours after a dog ate chocolate and become fatal if the chemicals remain in the blood for a long period of time. So, you can save your dog from this chocolate poisoning if you take him to a vet as soon as you find your pet sitting in a corner with chocolate in its mouth. Moreover, don’t try to induce vomiting in him.
If one asks how much chocolate a dog can have before it causes poisoning, it depends on the dog’s body weight and the type of chocolate.
Sugar
Sugar can be a part of dog food in moderate amounts, but it’s bad for dogs when fed in large amounts, such as the amount in oreo cookies and other oreo desserts. If you let your dog eat without keeping a check, it can cause the following problems:
Diabetes
Sugar and diabetes go hand in hand. The dog’s body might produce less insulin or show an abnormal response to it. As a result, the body cells might be unable to uptake glucose or other sugars coming from dogs’ food. It can lead to its accumulation in the bloodstream, accompanied by the symptoms of diabetes such as frequent urination and excessive thirst. If unchecked for long periods, it can become the cause of blindness in dogs.
Weight Gain
Gradually the percentage of obese canine friends is increasing, as reported by many vets. After the lack of exercise, overfeeding is the major cause of this issue in dogs. The condition can be even threatening if your dog loves sweets and desserts. Once a dog is addicted to these treats, it would be difficult to make him back off. Do remember they are not safe as dog treats. Obesity or excessive weight gain can also become the reason for diabetes.
Dental Problems
When the dog eats sugary foods or has sweet syrups, bacteria accumulate on the particles that remain in between the teeth. They are the masters of fermentation and can easily ferment it into acids that harm the teeth enamel. If not checked timely, dental problems can cause many other problems in your dog.
Wheat Flour
Oreo cookies are made up of wheat flour. It is generally safe for dogs unless they have gluten allergies.
Gluten Allergy
Oreos contain unbleached enriched flour or whole wheat flour fortified with nutrients. This ingredient of the Oreo cookie can cause severe anaphylactic reactions in dogs with gluten allergies. Allergic dogs should not eat even lone oreo because it can lead to hypersensitivity in them, and in most severe cases, the dogs die.
Oil
Oil found in these cookies, such as palm oil and canola oil, is bad for dogs. They cause fatty liver disease. While canola oil is not that toxic and immediately harms dogs, palm oil can.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is toxic to dogs. In addition, it has a laxative effect that can cause diarrhea and dehydration in dogs.
Milk
Though milk and milk products are safe in small quantities for some dogs, many dogs are lactose intolerant. In addition, dog treats having milk can show adverse reactions in their body.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn syrup in Oreos can raise sugar levels in the blood. Fructose is a simple sugar and is diffused readily to the blood. We, therefore, recommend not feeding your dog Oreos, especially if your dog is diabetic. He is already unable to metabolize sugars, and you are adding some more to his diet.
How Many Oreos Can a Dog Have?
Oreos are not safe at all. But if a dog ate oreo cookies from the kitchen counter without you knowing, make sure he only ate a single oreo. A single oreo doesn’t have enough chocolate to harm the dog. But it doesn’t mean you can let him eat one after a while. No, the scenario is only acceptable if he had eaten only when you were unaware. In fact, you need to be cautious and keep them away from this treat. If you find your dog eating Oreos that you forgot on the kitchen counter, it is better to take them away from him.
What if a Dog Has Eaten Too Many Oreos?
In case a dog ate Oreos in large quantities, such as a whole pack, look for the signs of ill health or pain. For example, he might experience stomach aches and diarrhea, which might be because of an upset stomach. Besides this, he might show the symptoms of chocolate toxicity and side effects to other ingredients as well.
For those asking, can oreo cookies kill my dog? Yes, they can actually be fatal when fed in large amounts. So, with the appearance of any symptom, take your dog to a vet immediately.
Conclusion
Oreos are not safe as dog treats. Many ingredients can be toxic to dogs. If a dog ate a single oreo cookie, it might not harm him much. But if a dog ate Oreos in bulk, it can be a problem.
So, don’t share Oreos bought from the grocery stores with your friend. You probably love dogs; that’s why you are reading this article. Choose a healthy diet for them.