Can Dogs Eat Reese’s Pieces?
Reese’s Pieces are a delicious delicacy full of buttery peanut sweetness and covered in a crispy candy coating.
While you eat the pieces selfishly, there is no question that your dog will come groveling to you for some Reese’s pieces.
Reese’s Pieces are mostly fat and sugar, with a little salt, fiber, protein, and iron. While these nutrients are beneficial, they pale in comparison to the negative effects that sugar and fat may have.
A few pieces will not damage the dog, but you should not make it a practice of sharing your candy bag with your canine buddy, as this might lead to major health problems in the long term.
Fat and sugar consumption is bad for dogs because the ingredients eventually lead to maladies such as pancreatitis, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
These are all medical issues that require expert treatment with medicine, so you and your dog would be better off if you just offered it vet-approved goodies instead!
What Exactly are Reese’s Pieces?
Reese’s Pieces are an iconic American confectionery that first appeared on the market in September 1978.
However, Reese’s Pieces did not hit store shelves in Canada until 1980.
Reese’s Pieces are an offshoot of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups range. These two sweets are similar in that their major component is peanut butter ( which is good for dogs) and are distinguished by the absence of chocolate.
Instead, this peanut butter sweet is flat, round, and covered with a variety of colorful candy shells. It is roughly the size of a pumpkin seed and is available in orange, yellow, and brown shades.
Reese’s Pieces Ingredients
Reese’s Pieces are peanut butter bites coated in candy. Dog parents often ask if this product contains chocolate.
There is no chocolate in Reese’s bits. The bad news is that they are high in sugar and fat, which are toxic to dogs in excessive numbers.
One candy bar has 0.41g of sugar, 0.18g of fat, and 4 calories. If you phrase it that way, it is not hazardous to any dog, regardless of size. The issue with these goodies is that you can never just have one.
Let’s take a look at the primary components in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Sugar
Let’s see how much sugar is in a single serving, which is what Hershey’s calls 38 pieces- about 150 calories.
There is a lot of sugar in it (31 percent of the recommended daily value).
Your dog doesn’t need to eat that much sugar and giving it Reese’s Pieces can cause stomach problems immediately.
Sugar can cause diarrhea and vomiting, which are both common stomach problems in dogs. This is because too much sugar pulls water into the intestines. This can then cause your dog to lose water and have other stomach problems.
Giving your dog sugary foods all the time and letting it keep a high-fat percentage can lead to metabolic problems, diabetes, and obesity over time.
Oil Extracted from Palm Kernels and Soybeans
Reese’s treats include both palm kernel oil and soybean oil. The saturated fats in palm kernel oil counteract the claim that it is high in antioxidants.
A regular serving has 6g of saturated fat, which is 30% of the average person’s recommended daily value (RDV). For a small to medium-sized dog, that would be about all the fat it would eat in a day.
Peanuts
The label says that the candies are made with peanuts that have had some of their fat removed. Peanuts are good for dogs because they are a good source of antioxidants and protein. They shouldn’t be a problem unless your dog is allergic to them.
Corn syrup
The food sector uses this sweetener extensively because of its low cost. Fructose is one of the worst types of sugar, and sweets presumably include High Fructose Corn Syrup.
So, Can Dogs Eat Reese’s Pieces?
Dogs can eat Reese’s pieces, but you should only feed them a few (we recommend feeding them one to three pieces at most).
If dogs really want to eat, they can finish off the entire bag. Yet this can lead to major issues because of excessive sugar and fat content. Pancreatitis, nausea, and diarrhea can occur when these two components are present in excessive amounts.
When you administer these sweets on a regular or long-term basis, the results are tooth decay, cardiac troubles, diabetes, and weight gain.
What Happens if my Dog Consumes an Excessive Amount of Reese’s Pieces?
If your dog ate too many Reese’s Pieces by mistake, they are at risk of consuming too much fat and sugar.
This indicates that a single Reese piece has around 4 calories, 0.18 grams of fat (0.16 grams saturated), and 0.49 grams of carbohydrate (0.41 grams of sugar).
So 80% of one Reese’s Piece contains sugar and fat. When your dog eats this candy, he consumes raw sugar and fat. A dog can eat one to three Reese’s Pieces, but because this candy is so little and colorful, it may swallow a lot of it when you’re not looking.
Keep your Reese’s Pieces plastic packets on a high shelf, out of sight, or wherever your dog can’t get them. Your pet may accidentally devour the entire packet if it is within its grasp. This is potentially fatal since the quantity of sugar, fat, and calories ingested into their system might have long-term or immediate implications. Furthermore, eating the plastic wrapping poses the risk of choking, suffocation, or intestinal blockage.
Because your dog most likely had GI distress, some acute side effects may include vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or stomach pain and bloating.
Furthermore, eating too many Reese’s Pieces or ingesting them on a regular basis can lead to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and even pancreatitis. Let us examine each of these impacts in further detail.
What to do if my Dog Consumes a Lot of Reese’s Pieces?
If your dog ate too many Reese’s Pieces, you should not make him puke since this might injure him. If you suspect or know that your dog has had numerous servings of Reese’s Pieces, contact or visit your veterinarian immediately.
The veterinarian will advise you on the best course of action for your puppy. If they decide that vomiting is the best choice, they may suggest you use 3% hydrogen peroxide at a rate of 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds of body weight to induce vomiting in your dog.
Remove all Reese’s Pieces and ensure that your pet drinks lots of water and does not eat anything else for the rest of the day. If your dog is vomiting or has diarrhea, let him rest.
Is it Okay to Feed your Dog Reese’s Pieces That have Beyond Their “Best By” Date?
Because Reese’s Pieces are mostly sugar, they have a lengthy shelf life. You can feed them to your dog even after the “best by” date has passed. However, the texture and taste will alter, which most dogs would not notice.
If you are still set on giving your dog Pieces, check to see if they are in good shape before giving them to your dog. Usually, the expiration date will be written on the package so you can make an informed choice.
Even if you can feed your dog Reese’s Pieces, it’s not a good idea because they have a lot of fat and sugar.
Conclusion
Can a dog eat Reese’s Piece? Technically speaking, the answer is yes, meaning your dog may safely consume modest amounts without any harmful effects.
But given the high sugar and fat levels in Reese’s Pieces, it’s best not to give any to your dog. If you’re not paying close enough attention to your dog, they might easily eat the entire bag at once, leading to potentially fatal results.
Reese’s Pieces contain over 80% fat and sugar per serving, which can cause immediate side effects like nausea, stomach cramps, and even severe pancreatitis.
Further, they can exacerbate preexisting illnesses like dental decay and raise the danger of chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
Please exercise caution if you ever consider feeding your dog Reese’s Pieces as a treat.
Further Reading: