Let me guess, your special little fur baby is having a birthday soon, and you are planning on doing something special for them. A brand new chew toy, new water dish, and bone the size of their head are all great go toos on any pup’s birthday! However, you find yourself wanting to do more.
A cake is something special you can add to the mix, but you gotta ask yourself the question, “what all can a dog eat on a cake? Are sprinkles safe for my dog?”
Can Dogs Eat Sprinkles?
Regular sprinkles that we would add to our own cakes are not ideal for dogs. They are full of ingredients (like sugar) that might make dogs sick. So, while dogs can eat sprinkles, it is not advisable unless they consume them very sparingly.
Why Are Regular Sprinkles Not Advisable For Dogs?
As mentioned earlier, regular everyday sprinkles are not particularly good for your dog because of the many ingredients in them that might not be suitable for your dogs’ consumption as they might cause them to get sick.
Sugar
Sugar is not inherently bad for your dog in small amounts, but it is an ingredient that can cause stomach issues with your dog. Too much sugar can cause obesity and diabetes.
Corn Syrup
While dogs can eat corn syrup, it is an ingredient that is very high in its sugar content. As mentioned previously, it might make your dog sick; it is not exactly good for your dog to consume as it can cause obesity and diabetes.
Corn Starch
Corn Starch, Believe it or not, is used in a lot of dog-related food products, such as dog treats, and is not inherently bad for your pup. However, it is also not very nutritional for your puppy either and can cause digestive problems in some dogs.
Wax
Wax is not bad for your dog unless it comes from a candle. Even if they do eat a candle, it has more to do with the actual scent and substance used in the scented candle that would cause problems for your dog. Since wax in sprinkles is only used to bind the ingredients together, it is not bad for your pup to ingest.
Artificial Flavors
Artificial flavors are iffy at best as they can come from a plethra of things. Most artificial substances are not really healthy for humans to ingest. Could you imagine how unhealthy some of them might be for your actual pup when it comes from human-grade sprinkles?
What Would Happen If My Dog Eats Sprinkles?
Honestly, The worst that would probably happen is your fur baby might get an upset stomach, vomit, and possibly have diarrhea. Unless they eat a ton of sprinkles, it is highly unlikely they will get sick from some sprinkles, but why would you want to risk it? I would feel guilty if my pup ended getting sick on their birthday, and it was my fault for feeding them sprinkles when there are much better options.
However, if you MUST use sprinkles on your dog’s cake, I would advise using them sparingly. Use no more than an eighth of a cup across the whole cake. More has a good possibility of making your pup have a bad time on their little birthday.
What Do I Do If My Dog Ate Sprinkles?
If your dog managed to get into some sprinkles, or you are reading this article a little after you gave your dog some sprinkles, then it would be advisable to just monitor your dog and see how they react. If they seem to be having a bad reaction then get in contact with your vet immediately! However, more than likely though, all you will have to do is make sure they are not showing symptoms of being sick. If several hours have passed and you see no signs of diarrhea, vomiting, or some other form of odd behavior, then you are more than likely in the clear. phew!
Conclusion
While sprinkles are not toxic to dogs and will not likely cause a needed visit to the vet, they can still possibly make your dog sick. We understand the desire to make your pup’s special day even better with a fun splash of color on the cake; there are just much better options than risking making your pup sick with sprinkles.
