While some human foods are safe for dogs and others are not. It all depends on the ingredients of the food. For example, takis are tortillas snacks usually made with corn, oil, spices, salt, garlic powder, artificial flavors and preservatives.
Takis are spicy and temping chips with a strong aroma and irresistible taste, which we love to eat but can dogs eat Takis?
Dogs shouldn’t eat Takis. Spicy foods are not meant for dogs and can lead to stomach problems such as vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and gas. Takis also contain salt and garlic powder which is toxic for dogs and can cause excessive thirst and anemia.
While takis is not considered safe for dogs, a tiny bite of takis won’t likely cause any harm to your dog.
Let’s dive deeper and look into the ingredient of takis and discuss what is actually toxic and why Takis is terrible for dogs.
Table of Contents
Can Dogs Eat Takis?
Not really.
Takis are human food and not customized as per your dog’s nutritional requirement and tolerance level.
A small bite of takis probably won’t harm your dog unless they are allergic to certain ingredients. Eating a small amount of takis can make your dog thirsty, and he might drink more water than usual, but overall he should be fine.
However, takis contains numerous ingredients that are toxic for dogs. For example, chili, garlic powder, onion powder and other harmful chemicals. They can cause several health problems, including vomiting, diarrhea, gas and mouth burns due to high chili.
Thus, you shouldn’t share takis with your dogs, and it’s best if you keep takis and other similar products out of your dog’s reach.
Here Is Why Takis Are Harmful To Dogs
Takis are hot chips, usually prepared with corn, spices and other nasty ingredients that are unhealthy for dogs.
They come in many different flavors, but the main culprit is the hot spices they use. Spicy foods like takis usually cause stomach upset and other digestive issues in dogs but are not limited.
Spices & Seasonings –
Spicy food is not good for dogs, and takis are known for their hot and spicy flavor. Dogs have less tolerance to spices, and feeding spicy food like takis can upset your dog’s digestive system resulting in diarrhea, stomach pain, gas and vomiting.
Moreover, eating takis can even cause excessive thirst and oral burning issues in their mouth and tongue.
High Sodium Content –
The sodium content of takis is way too high than your dog’s daily requirement. And dogs are not efficient like us when it comes to digesting excessive salt.
Eating a high amount of sodium is highly toxic for dogs and can make your dog excessively thirsty and later vomit.
In addition, if you suspect your dog has eaten a large amount of salt by mistake, you should look for sodium poisoning symptoms like walking drunk, diarrhea, lethargy, tremors and even can damage their kidneys.
Thus, if any of the above signs are seen in your dog, immediately seek medical assistance before it’s too late.
Too Many Calories –
Typically, a 4 oz takis bag contains about 150 calories, and the majority comes from carbohydrates and fats.
In a dog’s diet, carbohydrates usually help to maintain their energy throughout the day by replenishing glycogen.
However, takis are way too high in calories which means feeding takis on a regular basis can cause your dog to pile on a few extra pounds, and obesity is harmful to dogs and could further lead to other health complications.
In addition, if your dog is suffering from diabetes or has diabetic history, you should strictly avoid junk foods and monitor your dog’s diet.
What Will Happen If A Dog Eats Taki?
Takis are known for their extra hot flavor, but it’s not suitable for dogs. Dogs usually eat raw or cooked plain foods. Takis are junk food with a huge amount of spices, salt and added preservatives which can harm your dog in many ways.
The spices in takis are too hot for dogs’ digestive systems, which means if your dog eats takis, they will likely experience stomach and digestive issues, including vomiting, diarrhea, gas, bloating, and stomach pain.
The hot spices, especially chili powder, can cause a sore throat and burning irritation in your dog’s mouth and inside.
In order to give takis its distinguished taste, salt and preservatives are heavily added, but excessive salt is not good for dogs.
According to Pets.WebMD, eating too much salt is harmful to your dogs and can cause make your dog very thirsty, and sodium poisoning, resulting; vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures and even death in extreme cases.
And this is not the end yet; takis also contain garlic powder which is even worse than salt. They cause hemolytic anemia, a serious condition in which your dog’s red blood cells destroy faster than they produce, leading them to lethargy, increased respiratory rate, weakness, high heart rate, and collapse.
The clinical sign of garlic poisoning may not be seen for several days, but if you suspect your dog has ingested foods containing garlic powder, do not wait for symptoms to appear and immediately contact your vet.
Can I Feed My Dog Takis?
Yes, you can feed takis to your dogs, but you shouldn’t as they are relatively harmful to dogs.
They have no nutritional value for your dog; the ingredients it consists of are highly toxic for dogs, especially garlic powder.
Your dog may chase the smell of takis, but they don’t have the urge to eat spicy foods. Takis are moderately high in calories, which is another problem; it can make your dog gain some pounds if fed consistently.
Therefore, there is no reason to feed takis to your dogs; instead, opt for something nutritious and dog-friendly.
Consequences of Feeding Takis To Your Dogs
As I already mentioned above, takis is not a good option for dogs due to its unhealthy and toxic ingredients.
But still, if you want to feed takis to your dog, you must understand the consequences related to it. And then decide whether you should provide them to your dogs or no.
Takis Are Loaded With Spices
Takis are known for their intense spicy taste, but spicy foods are not good for dogs’ digestive systems.
Feeding them spicy food can lead to an upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and other digestive issues.
Regularly feeding taking can make their digestive system immensely weak, making it difficult for your dog to digest their regular foods.
In addition, the chili in takis is too hot for dogs, and it can even burn their mouth and throat. And spicy food can develop a serious health condition called canine pancreatitis, commonly found in female dogs and older dogs.
High Salt Content
Usually, takis are high in salt to enhance the taste, but a high amount of salt is highly harmful to dogs.
Feeding too much salt can cause sodium poisoning resulting; vomiting, dehydration, lethargy, tremors, kidney failure and even death if unattended.
Furthermore, some takis flavor contains garlic and onion powder to improve their taste, but both are toxic and lethal to dogs.
Potential To Trigger Allergies
Dogs are prone to have an allergic reaction to certain foods, and there are high chances that your dog may be allergic to some ingredients or additives of takis.
Usually, the symptoms of food allergy in dogs are itchy skin, redness, vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, weight loss and even aggression.
Can Takis Kill A Dog?
Well, it depends.
A small amount of takis isn’t likely to kill your dogs, but there is no denying that consuming a large amount of takis can be lethal.
Spicy food like takis can cause upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea as dogs have much less tolerance to spices than us. In addition, takis can lead to a burning sensation in your dog’s mouth and inside.
However, takis contains some ingredients that are toxic for dogs, like garlic and onion powder.
Eating them in large amount can lead to anemia, a dangerous condition which destroys your dog’s red blood cells, resulting; diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, drooling, lethargy, pale gum, high respiratory rate, and collapse.
Thus, it’s always advised to keep human food out of your pet’s reach and don’t share them.
And if your dogs happen to eat a tiny amount of taki, they likely to be fine, but if your dog is experiencing any of the clinical signs, immediately contact your vet.
Is There Any Healthy Alternative Of Takis?
Since takis are not appropriate for dogs, it’s best to offer them healthy and nutritious treats. If your dogs enjoy eating takis, consider buying chips that are specially made for dogs.
I highly advise you to opt for organic and healthy treats for your dogs. So, in my opinion, the following are the best alternative for takis:
- Snacks like cadet rawhide chips
- Homemade biscuits
- Vegetables like sweet potatoes, broccoli and carrots
- Fruits like apples, strawberries, bananas, green Peas, and blueberries
As always, treats should be given in moderation as a reward for good behavior and shouldn’t replace their regular meal.
Final Thoughts
To conclude this, I would say don’t feed takis to your dogs. While a tiny amount of takis is not likely to harm your dogs, they are not healthy either. Takis contains many ingredients that are toxic for dogs and can toll on your dog.
It’s your responsibility to feed your dog a well-balanced and nutritious diet rather than feeding anything that you ate. Thus, throw out takis, and opt for dog-friendly treats that are highly nutritious and healthy.
Lastly, dogs can get addicted to junk foods, which makes it more complicated as they might refuse to eat anything except junk food, leading them to gain unnecessary weight and other consequences.
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