Dogs are known for their love of sweets, and it’s no different when it comes to cotton candy. It can be tempting to give them a taste, but surely dogs can’t eat cotton candy right? This leaves many pet owners wondering; can dogs have cotton candy?
Dogs cannot have cotton candy. Cotton candy contains sugar and food coloring which can cause a spike in the blood pressure of dogs. In clinical terms, they become hyperglycemic. Dogs can’t process and digest a high amount of processed sugar.
In this article, we will be discussing five different reasons why you should not feed dogs with cotton candy. We will also answer some frequently asked questions as regards dogs and cotton candy. We will also analyze some signs to watch out for if a dog has accidentally taken cotton candy. Take your time or grab a cup of coffee as you read through.
Reasons Dogs Shouldn’t Eat Cotton Candy
As a dog owner, you must know that your dog can also take not everything a human takes. Cotton candy is on the list of things that dogs shouldn’t take. These are a few reasons:
Cotton Candy Is Toxic To Dogs
The average cotton candy is made up of xylitol, refined sugar, and chocolate. These ingredients won’t kill dogs directly, although they affect the overall health of dogs. Both xylitol and chocolate are toxic for dogs to process and digest.
Chocolate mainly contains theobromine which is harmful to dogs. When dogs take theobromine, it leads to a racing heart, vomiting, restlessness, thirst, and many other symptoms.
On the other hand, xylitol ingredients cause the blood sugar levels in dogs to drop significantly. It may also cause the liver to fail at times.
Tooth Decay
We all most likely know that consuming high sugar content is not too good for our dental health. The same thing applies to our canine friends. Sugar provides a suitable environment for microorganisms like bacteria to grow and reproduce.
The bacteria found in dogs’ mouths use sugar to create an acid that leads to the degradation of their gums and other dental diseases. Since dogs can not do without sugar to a large extent, it is advisable to limit your dog’s sugar intake and refrain from giving him cotton candy!
Weight Issues
Are you aware of the fact that dogs can become obese? Yes, they can! Loading your pup with cotton candy and other food high in sugar content can make him obese. Obesity is not only peculiar to humans; dogs too can become obese.
Obesity in dogs can cause a broad spectrum of diseases. The common diseases linked to obesity are; heart disease, joint problems, respiratory issues, lethargy, and diabetes.
It would help if you did everything within your means to ensure your dog doesn’t become obese. Obesity decreases the quality of life in dogs. Avoid giving cotton candy to your pup to prevent obesity.
Metabolic Problems
When dogs consume high sugar content, insulin is automatically released into the bloodstream to mop up the sugar so that it can be used by different cells in the body.
The more sugar consumed by a dog, the higher the insulin released. Moreover, increased levels of insulin have been known to cause metabolic problems in both humans and dogs.
Insulin affects the hormonal system; it can also bring about changes in the way the body stores fat, uses energy, and even the muscle tone of your pup.
Science has made us understand that uncontrolled sugar levels in the body can have a long-term effect on the body’s metabolic system. The effects could come in the form of diabetes and obesity.
Stomach Issues
Diarrhea and vomiting are part of the most important signs to watch out for to know whether a dog has taken something it shouldn’t have taken. When a dog takes cotton candy, vomiting and diarrhea would most likely be experienced by your dog.
Dogs can’t process and digest the ingredients of cotton candy. Unlike humans, who have some essential bacteria in their gut to fully process and digest high sugar levels, dogs don’t possess this capability.
Therefore, when they take sugar, it upset their stomach. If you love your pup, don’t ever give him cotton candy!
What Is In Cotton Candy
Cotton candy is made up of refined sugar, xylitol, and a small amount of food coloring. The candy is made by heating and liquefying sugar. Xylitol, one of the main ingredients of cotton candy, is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is used in the production of candies, toothpaste, and many other materials.
The sweetness of xylitol is closely similar to sugar, but it has just one-third of sugar’s calories. While it is entirely safe for humans to consume xylitol, dogs are not safe to consume. The table below further illustrates the content of cotton candy.
| Ingredients of Cotton Candy |
| Refined sugar Xylitol (not all types of cotton candy contain xylitol) Corn syrup Raspberry extract Food coloring |
Is It Safe For Dogs To Have Cotton Candy
Considering the level of harm a cotton candy can cause for dogs, it is generally not safe to give dogs cotton candy. It can cause severe complications in dogs. Although cotton candy won’t harm a dog immediately, he takes it.
But it can cause severe issues in the long term. You shouldn’t show you love your pup by giving him cotton candy; there are other ways to express love for dogs. Xylitol is the chief constituent of cotton candy which is what makes it unsafe for dogs.
Xylitol can increase insulin flow in the body. And by extension, it can lead to liver damage in the long term. If it happens your pup has taken cotton candy, don’t panic, it might be nothing serious, especially if the amount ingested by your pup is little.
But make sure to keep an eye on your dog. If your dog starts to feel some discomfort, you should call your vet right away.
What Happens If A Dog Eats Cotton Candy
When a dog consumes cotton candy, there would immediately be a spike in the dog’s blood sugar levels. Immediately after the spike, there would also be a drastic fall in blood sugar levels.
The spiking and falling of sugar levels in the blood disrupt normal body metabolism. One thing about dogs is that they cannot process and digest a large amount of sugar at once.
Since cotton candy is loaded with a large amount of sugar, it causes discomfort for holdings when they consume it. Although dogs need a small amount of sugar in their diet, the sugar contained in cotton candy is not suitable.
Can Cotton Candy Kill A Dog
In simple terms, cotton candy cannot directly kill a dog. Since cotton candy contains a lot of refined sugar, it can make a dog very sick. Since cotton candy offers no nutritional benefits to dogs, it is better not to offer our furry friends any of it.
Like humans, dogs can as well get addicted to sugary treats. A dog owner should be careful not to encourage the addiction of his dog to sugary treats. Dogs addicted to taking sugar are more likely to suffer from many health-related issues than dogs that take healthy food and snacks.
If you are looking for an alternative to cotton candy for your pup, a banana is a good choice for him. Dogs find bananas tasty, and it provides essential nutrients for them.
In summary, cotton candy won’t kill a dog immediately, but the long-term effects and consequences are not looking too good! If you genuinely love your furry friend, you would refrain from giving him cotton candy.
What Happens If My Dog Eats Xylitol
Xylitol ingestion by your dog can lead to seizures and even death in some cases. Xylitol is an artificial sweetening agent that is found in some fruits and vegetables. In recent years, the use of xylitol is increasingly becoming popular in baking.
Regardless of the quantity of xylitol consumed by your pet, severe health issues can still occur. As a rule of thumb, 50-100mg of xylitol per one kilogram of body weight can cause reduced blood sugar levels in dogs (hypoglycemia).
This data made us understand that the active agent in chocolate, theobromine, is not as toxic to dogs as xylitol. When humans swallow xylitol, it doesn’t stimulate the release of insulin.
But it is quite different in dogs; the ingestion of xylitol rapidly stimulates insulin release, which mops the sugar in the bloodstream of dogs, leading to hypoglycemia.
What Are The Symptoms Of Xylitol Poisoning In Dogs
Symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs include vomiting, staggering, incoordination, weakness, decreased activity level, seizures, and collapse. If you feel your pup has taken xylitol, put a call across to your vet or go to the nearest vet clinic.
When you get to an animal hospital with your dog, it’s likely your dog will be hospitalized. Adverse reactions of xylitol take about 12 to 24 hours to show up. The common cause of xylitol poisoning in dogs is the eating of chewing gum by our furry friends.
Some chewing gums may contain a high level (1 gram) of xylitol in just one piece. When dogs take this chewing gum, they start showing symptoms of xylitol poisoning. To better protect your dog, on no occasion.
Other Considerations
Dogs are wonderful friends of humans. We would not intentionally give them food that would harm them. We discussed earlier the adverse effects of cotton candy on dogs. We’ll answer a few more questions about cotton candy and better protect them from poisoning.
What Can You Do To Avoid Xylitol Poisoning In Your Dog
When you go to the store to purchase food products for your pup, always check the ingredients label.
If the product you are buying contains xylitol, it is better to search for xylitol-free products. In addition, endeavor to keep all the products that contain xylitol, such as toothpaste and food, beyond the reach of your dog.
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