Can Dogs Eat Jello?
My dog just ate jello! You’ll likely say these words with gasps of air between words. You’re scared, and it is understandable. Various human foods can be dangerous to your pet. If you don’t know how to manage such situations, you might endanger your dog’s health. For this reason, it would be best to keep the following insights into jello in mind.
Jello is a popular and incredible treat that most humans enjoy. Yet, it is not suitable for dogs, particularly in large quantities. You can attribute it to its high sugar content, exposing your pet to various health complications in the long run.
What Is Jello?
Jello is a dessert whose main ingredient is gelatin, a protein sourced from the skin and bones of specific animals. This product contains various ingredients, including artificial sweeteners, food coloring, sugar, and artificial flavors. Its preparation requires dissolving gelatin in hot water, chilling it, allowing it to set, and keeping it refrigerated until served.
Suppose you consider homemade jello. You could limit sugar, sweeteners, and food colorings in that case. Limiting these ingredients will often help improve the safety of your snack and will also make it less adverse to your pet. However, that does not mean the jello offers significant nutritional value in this form.
Gelatin is a product of flavorless, colorless collagen and is commonly used in the food industry to make yogurts, ice cream, and candy. While it is harmless to dogs, it comes alongside sweeteners that could hurt the dog in the long run.
What If Your Dog Eats A Little Jello?
Jello is not the worst food you could give your dog. While it is not the healthiest, it will less likely expose your dog to significant health complications in the short term. However, substantial amounts of sugar and xylitol should be a red flag. In such instances, you’ll need to take various remedial steps to cushion your dog against stomach upsets and fatality.
Jello is highly sugary and sweetened. The artificial flavors and sweeteners used in making this product are associated with different health complications, particularly when taken in substantial amounts. Too much sugar makes your dog susceptible to diabetes, obesity and increased weight issues.
Excessive sugar is also associated with weak dental health. It provides a conducive environment for harmful bacteria to thrive in the mouth, leading to gum inflammation, enamel chipping, and teeth weakness.
It is also vital to understand the effects of other jello ingredients. Here is a breakdown.
Protein
Jello offers a substantial amount of proteins. While this amount might not be significant enough to impact the dog’s health, it is essential in building muscles, bones, and cartilage. It could also help oxygenate the blood, albeit momentarily. However, the adverse effects of eating too much sugar outweigh the few benefits of the protein in the jello.
Xylitol
Xylitol has proven toxic to dogs. It is an artificial sweetener associated with a damaged pancreas. This substance will force the pancreas to produce large amounts of insulin, decreasing blood sugar. A significant decrease in blood sugar exposes your pet to hypoglycemia. Unfortunately, this substance is common in jello.
Various symptoms show that your dog has consumed xylitol. Stomach upsets will be the first sign, meaning your dog will experience nausea, diarrhea, and extensive vomiting. In addition, your pet will gradually become docile and inactive. Its body will become weak and lethargic, forcing it to stagger. In extreme cases, collapsing and seizures will be inevitable.
The FDA recommends taking your dog to a vet as soon as it consumes xylitol. This move will cushion it against various adverse effects. In most cases, the condition worsens within 24 to 48 hours, meaning you must be proactive. You can consider hospitalizing the dog for further medical monitoring.
Yet, the best way to avoid these issues would be to take preventive measures. Various approaches suffice in this pursuit. For instance, you can keep the xylitol products out of your pet’s reach, avoiding temptation. Putting these xylitol products in lockable cabinets will be an excellent decision. You’ll also need to use pet toothpaste, avoid jello, and restrain from butter products.
Healthy Alternatives to Jello
Jello is an excellent treat for most people. Yet, it is unsuitable for dogs. You can attribute this to the various sugary and sweetening ingredients it has. Its primary ingredient is gelatin, which has proven safe for consumption. This ingredient comes from natural cartilage and skin, mainly collagen. Understandably, this flavorless ingredient offers proteins that could help the dog. Yet, it is not enough to assure your pet’s unmatched health safety.
You’ll need to consider various healthy alternatives to jello. Fruits and meat are an excellent choice in this case. Your top selection should be the strawberry fruit, which is rich in vitamin C and fiber. Strawberries come with an enzyme that helps whiten the dog’s teeth. However, they contain some sugar, meaning you should use them in moderation.
Watermelons, bananas, mangos, and blueberries are other alternatives. These fruits are rich in vitamins and fiber, critical for muscle and body development. They also play a crucial role in enhancing gut health, including improving digestion. In addition, you could consider meaty foods, including beef and chicken. They guarantee exceptional health in the long run.
Final Thoughts
It would be best if you prioritized the health of your dog. Investing in healthy, premium-quality treats will be the first step toward this goal. While jello is sweet and savory, it is not the best for your dog. Consider the alternatives above. Preferably, eliminate jello from your dog’s diet to avoid health concerns.