Can Frenchies eat French fries?
Yes, technically, Frenchies can eat French fries. However, this does not mean they should.
French fries don’t make healthy treats or snacks for dogs, and shouldn’t thus be fed to dogs. While they are not toxic, they are high in fats, salts, and carbohydrates, which dogs’ bodies are incapable of handling.
Besides having no real nutritional benefits, the following are reasons why french fries can be harmful to dogs;
- They are very high in carbs: While potatoes are non-toxic, they are packed with carbohydrates that the dogs’ digestive systems cannot handle. Consuming too many carbs can cause obesity in dogs.
- High-fat amounts: French fries are prepared in oils, making them high in fats. Too much fat can cause digestive upsets, obesity, and pancreatitis in dogs.
- Too much salt: French fries are usually seasoned with lots of salts. Ingesting too much salt can lead to sodium poisoning, which can turn fatal if not properly handled.
- Harmful ingredients: Seasonings and condiments like sauces, chili, onion, garlic, salt, and ketchup are incorporated in French fries. These ingredients are toxic and poisonous to dogs. Consuming such can lead to severe poisoning and other health issues.
However, if your dog steals one or two slices of French fries, it’s likely to be fine. Watch out for any signs of adverse reactions.
Fried French Fries
Fried french fries are cooked by deep-frying them in substantial amounts of oil. This makes them crispy and delicious, but laden with fats.
Can Frenchies eat fried french fries?
Absolutely not. Frenchies can’t and should not eat fried French fries. This is because they are very high in fats. Excessive ingestion of these unhealthy fats can lead to digestive upsets, including life-threatening bloat in the short term, while in the long term, it can cause pancreatitis, obesity, and diabetes in dogs.
All these conditions are potentially fatal if not properly and promptly handled. While one or two fried french fries may not cause harm to dogs, a whole packet may cause serious harm.
The signs of bloating include excessive drooling, dry heaving, swollen stomach, panting, pacing, heavy breathing, and signs of pain. Pancreatitis, on the other hand, can be shown through the following symptoms;
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Decreased appetite
- Abdominal pain
Raw French Fries
Raw French fries are uncooked slices of potatoes. Dogs can only eat cooked and never raw potatoes.
Can Frenchies eat raw french fries?
No, raw french fries are not only unsafe but toxic to dogs. This is because raw potatoes contain a toxic substance called solanine. Ingesting large amounts of raw french fries can lead to solanine poisoning. When solanine builds up in the body tissues of dogs, it causes reduced functioning of the nervous system and body organs.
A dog with solanine poisoning will exhibit symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, and gastrointestinal upsets.
Swallowing large chunks of raw French fries can also pose a choking risk to dogs, especially small ones. It’s thus important to keep raw french fries out of your dog’s reach for its safety.
If you suspect your dog has consumed raw French fries, talk to your vet immediately to avoid more serious problems.
French Fries with Ketchup
Ketchup is among the condiments used with French fries. Condiments and seasons are a complete no-no for dogs due to their high sodium content.
Can Frenchies eat French fries with ketchup?
No, dogs can’t and shouldn’t eat fries with ketchup. Even without seasoning or condiments, French fries are still unsuitable for dogs due to their high fat content. Adding ketchup doubles the harm. This is because ketchup contains lots of salts, leading to sodium poisoning if ingested in large amounts.
A single tablespoon of ketchup contains up to 154 milligrams of sodium, higher than the daily recommended amount for a medium-sized dog. Besides causing dehydration and making your dog excessively thirsty, feeding ketchup can also upset your dog’s stomach.
The high-fat amounts in French fries, on the other hand, can lead to unhealthy weight gain, diabetes, or even pancreatitis.
French Fries with Salt
To make french fries tastier, they are seasoned with salt. While human beings are capable of handling salts, dogs cannot tolerate this, even in minimal amounts.
Can Frenchies eat french fries with salt?
No, dogs can’t eat french fries with salt. Dogs have low tolerance levels for salt, hence, any salty food is unsafe. Too much salt is the biggest reason you should never offer this food to your dogs.
Symptoms of salt poisoning include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Excessive thirst
- Seizures
- Staggering
- Loss of appetite
- Water retention
Salt poisoning can lead to neurological problems in its severe stage, including coma, convulsions, or death.
French Fries with Cheese Powder
While cheese is a byproduct of dairy milk, cheese powder contains other artificial ingredients, including colorings and flavors. These doubled with the high fats and salts in french fries make this food unhealthy and unsafe for dogs.
Can Frenchies eat French fries with cheese powder?
No, Frenchies should not eat French fries with cheese powder. Since cheese is a dairy product, it contains lactose, which may elicit allergic reactions in lactose-intolerant dogs.
Additionally, dogs have a hard time digesting the artificial additives, colors, and flavors contained in cheese powder. Ingesting these will lead to sluggishness, weight gain, and lethargy.
Feeding high amounts of French fries with cheese powder to dogs can also lead to obesity and pancreatitis, as both the fries and cheese powder are extremely fatty. The digestive systems of dogs are incapable of handling high-fat amounts.
Alternatives of French Fries
While french fries are not toxic, they don’t make a healthy snack choice for dogs. The following are healthier and safer alternatives to French fries for dogs:
Sweet potatoes:
Sweet potatoes are packed with healthy fiber and can make a healthy alternative to french fries. The dietary fiber in this food can aid digestion and improve bowel and colon health. Consuming fiber regularly can also minimize the risk of certain cancers and heart problems in dogs.
Sweet potatoes are also loaded with vitamins A, B6, C, calcium, iron, and potassium. These nutrients play crucial roles in the overall health and well-being of dogs. They can boost immune health and promote healthy nerves, skin, eyes, and muscles.
However, sweet potatoes should be fed in moderation as they are high in natural sugars, leading to obesity in dogs.
Blueberries:
Blueberries are a superfood safe for dogs to consume in moderation. They are good sources of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber which support the overall health of dogs.
The benefits of feeding blueberries to dogs include:
- The antioxidants in these fruits can help fight the free radicals that cause cellular and molecular damage. They also slow down the aging process in dogs.
- They’re rich in phytochemicals that help fight cancer and reduce inflammation associated with chronic acids.
- Blueberries contain anthocyanins which work together with antioxidants to lower the risk of terminal diseases like cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.
Feeding blueberries in large amounts can, however, because stomach upset. They should thus never make more than 10% of a dog’s diet.
Brussels sprouts:
These vegetables are highly nutritious and make a good snack for dogs. They are rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, all crucial to a dog’s health.
The benefits of Brussels sprouts for dogs include:
- They are rich in vitamins, including vitamin K and E, which can help promote bone strength and density, blood clotting, boost heart health, improve the immune system, and maintain healthy skin and coat.
- They are loaded with antioxidants that slow down the aging process, help in fighting diseases like cancer, improve immunity, and protect against cellular and molecular damage caused by free radicals.
- The high fiber content in Brussels sprouts aids the digestive system and improves colon and bowel health. Regular consumption of fiber-rich foods like Brussels sprouts can help regularize blood sugar levels.
These vegetables also contain kaempferol which acts as anti-inflammatories and helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer.
Cabbage:
Whether raw, cooked, or air-dried, cabbage is perfectly fine for dogs to consume. When fed in the right way and amount, cabbage can offer unlimited benefits for dogs.
This vegetable is rich in vitamin K and B6, which help in blood clotting, proper nervous system functioning, gene activation, proper hormone regulation, and better immune response.
Cabbage is also loaded with fiber, which keeps things flowing smoothly in the intestinal tract and improves bowel and colon health.
The vegetable also contains minerals like copper, folate, magnesium, potassium, and manganese, essential for healthy metabolic functions, bones, kidneys, and skin health.
Additionally, the antioxidants in these vegetables can help boost immune system health and combat the effects of free radicals that cause oxidative damage to the body cells of dogs.
However, feeding too much cabbage can lead to gassiness, flatulence, stomach upset, and hypothyroidism.
Are there any health benefits of feeding French Fries to your dog?
Although French fries are neither toxic nor poisonous, they are low in nutritional value and have few health benefits for dogs.
They are high in carbs, which are good sources of energy for dogs. Due to their high fat and calorie content, they may help dogs underweight dogs gain some weight easily. French fries can also be used as special treats to reward good behavior occasionally.
However, the harms of this food outnumber its benefits. Additionally, these few benefits can be obtained from healthier and safer foods rather than French fries.
They are high in fats and salts, which pose serious health risks, including salt poisoning, obesity, and pancreatitis in dogs. These are serious conditions that can be fatal if not properly handled.
It’s thus best to avoid feeding French fries to dogs and instead opt for healthier options. These include dog-friendly fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and watermelon.
What are the risks of feeding French Fries to your dog?
The following are some undesirable consequences of feeding french fries to dogs.
- Stomach upsets: French fries are not an everyday food for dogs. Thus, feeding this in large amounts can cause stomach upset in dogs.
- Obesity: French fries are very high in carbs and calories, which can pack unhealthy pounds in dogs, leading to canine obesity. Too much weight gain causes other severe health conditions like heart problems, joint issues, and diabetes.
- Pancreatitis: This food is prepared with many oils, making it extra fatty. Too much causes the pancreas to overwork. This can be fatal if not handled properly.
- Salt poisoning: French fries usually are seasoned with lots of, which can cause potentially fatal sodium poisoning in dogs.
