Who doesn’t love Goldfish crackers? They’re cheesy, delicious, crispy, and shaped like a fish— the perfect snack!
So while we love them, children and adults alike, what about our dogs? Sometimes they can get a few crackers, or maybe they get the whole bag and go to town.
Want to know if you can sneak a few of those tasty crackers to your buddy? Keep reading to find out.
So, Can Dogs Eat Goldfish Crackers?
No, dogs should not eat goldfish crackers because even though they taste so good, they are not the best option for your furry companions. Aside from being unsafe, they also aren’t healthy for dogs either.
The ingredient label says that Goldfish crackers have onion powder in them, along with under two percent of other generic spices, including garlic, and some others not listed. It’s not the highest amount, but garlic and onion powder are two toxic ingredients for your dog. Therefore, dogs cannot eat Goldfish crackers.
Let’s say your dog accidentally eats a few of your Goldfish crackers, it’s not fatal. Therefore, if you think your dog somehow ate a lot of crackers and they seem to be showing signs that they have food poisoning, you have to contact your veterinarian immediately.
Which Ingredients in Goldfish Crackers Are Toxic For Dogs?
Keep an eye out for the ingredients in Goldfish crackers that may hurt your dog.
Onions
You should keep all forms of onions – raw, powdered, dehydrated, and cooked – away from dogs. They may cause serious damage to their red blood cells, which could cause anemia. Your dog may encounter poisoning if they eat a lot of Goldfish crackers, because of the onion powder.
Every part of the onion plant and the onion is toxic to pups. That includes the flesh, leaves, juice, and any processed powder. It doesn’t take much to become a problem; only one hundred grams of a medium-sized onion for every 40 lbs of your dog’s weight has harmful side effects.
You may be surprised to know that the onion powder in Goldfish crackers is worse than in fresh onions. I don’t know many dogs that would show restraint if there was an unattended bowl of goldfish crackers. Be sure to keep them out of reach!
Symptoms of Onion Poisoning
If you suspect that your dog has eaten way too many Goldfish crackers, look for these symptoms:
- Weakness
- Lethargy
- Pale gums
- Fainting
- Decreased appetite
- Urine containing blood
The ASPCA has also stated that an irregular heart rate (elevated), panting, and vomiting are signs of onion toxicity. If you see these symptoms in your pet dog, call the vet right away. They can conduct blood tests to determine your dog’s condition.
Salt
Salt in high doses is harmful to adults as well as your dog. Goldfish crackers contain a whopping 250 milligrams of sodium in every serving. So while your dog probably won’t eat 55 crackers at once, those little fish can add up in the salt department.
In high quantities, salt is toxic to dogs. Never share salt foods with your dogs (goldfish crackers, pretzels, and so on). It can cause dehydration as well as make them sick. They may also experience sodium ion poisoning.
Symptoms of eating too much salt include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Depression
- Fevers
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Disorientation
- Swelling
- Dehydration
- Increased thirst
Consult emergency vet services if your dog experiences any of these symptoms.
Garlic
Dogs may be enticed because they can smell the roasted garlic in the goldfish crackers. Goldfish are popular all over the world and have become a staple snack in America. Moreover, there’s scientific proof that garlic can be beneficial for us humans. So it’s easy to see why a person would think that their dog could eat it too.
So can they?
In short, absolutely not. In general, if you’re still wondering can dogs eat Goldfish? They cannot.
Although garlic adds to the flavor of the crackers, it happens to be toxic for your dog. Even though garlic helps us in different ways, dogs don’t metabolize food in the same way that humans can. Garlic and some other allium family spices have thiosulfate in them. This ingredient is like poison to dogs.
When dogs ingest thiosulfate it causes hemolytic anemia through red blood cell damage.
Symptoms of Garlic Poisoning
- Jaundice
- Weakness
- Anemia
- Dark-colored urine
- Mucous membranes that are pale
- Rapid breathing
- Shallow breathing
- Weakness
- Lethargy
Garlic toxicity may also upset your gastrointestinal system. You’ll see symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, low appetite, and depression.
Around 15 to 30 grams of garlic for every two pounds of your dog bodyweight may cause harmful effects. Moreover, garlic powder will make your dog more sick than fresh garlic will. Furthermore, some dogs show more of a sensitivity to garlic than breeds.
Can dogs have Goldfish crackers? Although only a few won’t hurt your dog much, they may be in danger if they eat the whole bag.
Related:
My Dog Consumed All of the Goldfish Crackers – Now What?
In case your dog has eaten too many Goldfish crackers, the first thing you want to do is give them a lot of water to get the toxic ingredients out of their system as quickly as possible. You’ll want to check for all of the symptoms of toxicity mentioned. If your furry companion has any of these signs, call the doctor right away.
How to Treat Toxicity
Veterinarians may try a few different options to treat the toxicity and to stabilize your pet as well as help them to recover. For example, they may induce vomiting or flush your dog’s stomach to remove any residual toxins.
Other vets may give your dog activated charcoal. This substance absorbs any toxins from your dog’s gut. Moreover, your veterinarian may give your dog IV fluids to flush your dog’s bloodstream and to keep their hydration levels elevated. Next, they will monitor your dog until your dog’s body starts making healthy red blood cells again.
In serious poisoning situations, a blood transfusion and oxygen may be required.
Final Thoughts
So, can dogs eat goldfish crackers? It’s never a great idea for you to let your dog eat goldfish crackers. There are ingredients within Goldfish Crackers that are highly toxic to dogs. However, if your dog manages to eat just a few Goldfish Crackers, you shouldn’t have to worry about anything.
On the other hand, if your dog begins to show signs of garlic toxicity or sickness of any kind after consuming Goldfish Crackers, contact your veterinarian immediately. So just keep those Goldfish Crackers out of reach and there will be no danger whatsoever to worry about.
