Can Dogs Eat Jelly Beans?
Jelly beans, who doesn’t love a pack of these colorful and delicious treats? They are popular snacks shaped like beans and are a crucial part of our childhoods.
Can my dog eat jelly beans? Many people ponder on this question, seeing that dogs will always want to have a bite of your snacks. We will handle this topic to give you all the answers you need.
Are Jelly Beans Toxic to Dogs?
Your dog should not eat jelly beans due to their harmful ingredients that can cause several reactions. The following are the ingredients in this snack and their effects.
Sugar
Jelly beans have a lot of sugar, which can bring various complications to your canine. It can spike conditions like diabetes and obesity, which are hard to manage.
Another long-term effect of excess sugar consumption is addiction, a challenging situation for your pet.
The sugar in jelly beans can also cause oral problems like tooth decay that may progress to gum diseases.
Your dog may also get a sugar high if it eats a lot of jelly beans at once. It will show signs like restlessness, salivation, and aggressiveness. Some dogs may pass out after the sugar rush spell.
Xylitol
If the sugar in jelly beans is harmful to dogs, sugar-free jelly beans will do it good, right? Wrong! Sugar-free desserts have xylitol, which brings the sweet essence and is toxic to dogs. Your dog should never consume this substance due to the upsets it can cause.
Problems xylitol can bring to canines include hypoglycemia, liver and kidney failure, and seizure. Excess xylitol ingestion may lead to death. Consult your vet promptly if you think your dog ate sugar-free jelly beans.
Starch
Jelly beans have starch to give them a jelly-like consistency. It is not toxic to dogs but may upset your dog’s gut, leading to constipation, pain, and discomfort.
Flavors and Artificial Additives
The candy comes in various flavors, and some, like chocolate and grape, are harmful to dogs. The number one rule to follow when handling dogs is to keep chocolate away from them due to its toxicity.
Artificial additives like food coloring and preservatives are also hazardous. They may interfere with your dog’s health or bring up issues in the digestive system.
Caffeine
Some jelly bean brands have caffeine, whose effects are severe in dogs. Absorption takes place within 45-minutes, and you will start seeing the signs of caffeine toxicity in like 2-hours.
Restlessness, aggressiveness, increased heart rate, and high temperature are some symptoms to be on the lookout for. Other risky ingredients are edible wax and anti-foaming agents.
Jelly Beans Can Choke Your Dog
Apart from the toxicity of the ingredients, jelly beans can also choke your dog due to their small and dense form. It can be a significant cause of worry if your dog gets a bag of jelly beans when you are not around, seeing that choking can get fatal.
Related: Can Dogs Eat That Food? The Answers in 2022
What to Do When Your Dog Eats Jelly Beans
You need to act fast if your dog eats jelly beans. Start by ascertaining the flavor it took to know how serious the issue is. The standard jelly beans, while not healthy, are tolerable in small amounts. Other flavors like chocolate, grape, and cinnamon can be very toxic and hard for your dog to handle.
Additionally, you should estimate the amount your dog has had. A few pellets won’t hurt and your dog may overcome it. Call your pet doctor if you suspect your dog has overeaten jelly beans.
Do not induce vomiting as you may complicate matters unless you have instructions from the vet. Carry the candy packaging to the pet doctor to make it easy to diagnose the problem.
The following are the signs to be keen on should your dog eat jelly beans.
- Restlessness and aggressiveness
- Breathing difficulty
- Choking
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- General discomfort
- Seizures and tremors
After treatment by the vet, you need to stick to a bland diet for your dog. By bland, we mean plain white rice, plain white bread or boiled chicken. This diet is crucial for cleaning away the ingredients that brought the upsets.
Alternatives to Jelly Beans for Dogs
Seeing what jelly beans can do to dogs, you should keep them away from them. However, some dogs are too curious and may want whatever is in your candy bag. Avoid having this candy near your dog, or get dog-safe snacks.
An excellent alternative for jelly beans for dogs is fruit chips. They are healthy, and your dog will enjoy every bite. Banana, apple, and mango chips are some of the most available varieties. Ensure the chips have no flavoring that can upset your canine’s stomach.
You may also give it fresh fruit. Restrict the serving to a few bites, as too much fruit can cause minor digestive issues. The other option is doggy treats, a favorite for many dogs, and they pack several nutrients.
How Many Jelly Beans Can a Dog Handle?
The number of jelly beans that your dog can withstand depends on various factors, for instance, dog breed. Some breeds are more tolerant of toxins than others and may eat up to six pellets without any problem. Despite the dog’s resiliency to the candy, it is best not to take the risk as it may turn fatal.
Your pet’s health is another determinant: healthy dogs can eat a lot of jelly beans without falling ill, and sick dogs may fail to handle the toxins in the candies. Moreover, old dogs and puppies have weak immunity; thus, a few beans can be problematic.
Dogs can handle several pellets of the standard jelly bean fruity flavors. However, that is not the case with chocolate, grape jelly, and cinnamon-flavored candy because these flavors are toxic, and a single pellet can cause issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Black Jelly Beans Bad for Dogs?
The flavor of black jelly beans is licorice, which is not very harmful to dogs. They contain sugar and other artificial ingredients that your dog should not consume. A bean or two won’t cause much harm, but it is wise to keep this candy away from your dog.
According to research, the black variety and others have glycyrrhizic acid that can spike blood pressure. In addition, it may deplete the amounts of electrolytes like potassium in the body.
Do Jelly Beans Have Health Benefits for Dogs?
No, jelly beans have no health benefits for your dog. They have a great taste, that comes from sugar, and many dogs appreciate it. Sugar can cause obesity, diabetes, and heart problems. You may consider doggy treats or fruit chips, which are tasty and nutritious.
Is One Jelly Bean Bad for My Dog?
A healthy dog can eat up to four jelly beans without any reactions. Sick, aged, and young dogs may have an issue with even one bean.
A single bean of chocolate or cinnamon flavors is bad for your dog, as the ingredients are toxic. Also, you have to deal with a choking hazard, as the candy is hard and small.
Should I Induce Vomiting After My Dog Eats Jelly Beans?
It is normal to panic when you realize your dog has had a toxic substance. When your dog eats jelly beans, you need to be calm to prevent making a costly mistake. Never induce vomiting unless with clear instructions from the vet.
At the pet hospital, you will realize that the doctor induces vomiting primarily via injection. Using other methods can be dangerous.
My Puppy Ate Jelly Beans: What Should I Do?
Puppies still have a weak immune system, and eating things like jelly beans can have severe results. If it took the candy, you should determine how much it ate and the flavors. You then contact your veterinary doctor for further instructions.
Depending on how bad the situation is, you may have to visit the vet or follow their instructions from home. A few candy pellets are manageable, as long as they are not chocolate or cinnamon flavors.
After a visit to the vet, you should feed your dog plain rice or white bread to soak up the toxic ingredient it consumed and hasten the recovery process.
Keep Jelly Beans Away from Your Dog
Most of us cannot resist the fantastic taste of jelly beans, but you should not give them to your dog. It contains ingredients like sugar, xylitol, and artificial flavors that can upset your dog.
Ingestion of the ingredients can have profound effects, like kidney and liver diseases due to xylitol. Excess sugar consumption leads to obesity and diabetes. Looking at this candy’s risks, keeping them away from your dogs is advisable.
Do not hesitate to contact your veterinary doctor if your canine eats jelly beans. Carry the package with you for the doctor to know what they are dealing with.
Further Reading:
- Can Dogs Eat Gummy Bears?
- Can Dogs Eat Skittles? Here’s What Experts Want You to Know
- Can Dogs Eat Cotton Candy?
- Can Dogs Eat Candy Canes?
- Can Dogs Eat Swedish Fish?
- Can Dogs Eat Sour Patch Kids? Here’s What You Need to Know
- Can Dogs Eat Fruit Snacks?
- Can Dogs Eat Twizzlers?
- Can Dogs Eat Jello?