Thank God for protein bars! Brands like Perfect, Quest, Luna, and YouBar ensure you can maintain your lean muscle and develop some energy on the go. However, if there is a Fido in the home, a protein bar is not one item you want to leave lying around untended.
Protein bars may provide ample energy when needed, but your dog shouldn’t be nibbling on them or sharing them with you. This is because the ingredients may or may not be a health hazard. Some natural or man-made substances shouldn’t be found in your dog’s belly, and your protein bar brand may contain some of them.
The curious nature of dogs is adorable, but it may lead them to eat and touch unseemly things. However, even the ones that smell so great, like a protein bar, should not be explored without your supervision. So, what should you expect if you return home to find that your dog ate a protein bar? And most importantly, what can you do to help your puppy through the worst conditions?
Can Dogs Eat Protein Bars?
This is a good question, considering that the curious nature of our pet dogs always pushes them to find things in the most bizarre places. Moreover, chances are a treat that smells as great as a protein bar will easily be discovered by your fur baby, especially if it is not consciously hidden away. But dogs cannot eat protein bars, or rather, it is not advised because of the ingredients used to make them.
Protein bars are found in the homes of 44.5 million Americans. There are options made with all-natural or organic ingredients, while some brands may substitute some ingredients with man-made varieties, such as xylitol. And to give you a range of flavors to choose from, many other natural or lab-made food-friendly items are added to the mix. Believe us when we say your pet does not need them.
By following a veterinarian-approved diet for your pet and ensuring they are continuously well fed and given water, they will be as healthy as can be! So, keep your protein bars to yourself; don’t leave that treat hanging around as a temptation for your body pet because even though some protein bars are safe for dogs, you never know which contains a toxic ingredient for canine companions. If your pet has eaten a protein bar, there is no cause for panic; check the manufacturer’s ingredients and follow the instructions in subsequent sections.
Are Protein Bars Toxic to Dogs?
The answer is no, but mostly, yes too. Some ingredients in protein bars, such as xylitol and cocoa, are very bad for dogs. If your pet ingests any of it, it can cause a series of medical problems ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to a dire liver condition; this is why you must not delay a trip to the veterinarian if your pet has eaten a protein bar.
Of course, not every brand uses harmful ingredients for dogs, but you can’t be too sure. Peanut butter, for instance, is quite common in many protein bars because of its caloric density, but it may contain xylitol which is harmful to dogs. And your manufacturer may or may not indicate if the peanut butter in their protein bar contains this ingredient or not, so you should choose the safe side.
If a protein bar is chocolate-flavored, has a high sugar content, or contains an alcohol/based substitute for sugar, it is highly toxic to your dog. These ingredients include substances that don’t do well in a canine’s digestive system and may cause hypoglycemia and liver damage in the worst-case scenario. Moreover, the quantity consumed also says a lot about how your fur baby would feel afterward, the symptoms to expect, and the most suitable procedure to help your pet back to optimal health.
Why Are Your Protein Bars Bad for Dogs?
First, dogs already have a lot of energy that most of their owners cannot keep up with, so they certainly do not need that protein bar. But that’s not why it is bad for them – the ingredients that make you healthier and more energetic are the same ones that may disturb your pet’s health. Here are the reasons protein bars are bad for dogs:
They May Contain Xylitol
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar found in berries, oats, mushrooms, and various other fruits. However, it is a very concentrated form of sugar that can cause side effects in dogs within ten minutes to an hour of consumption. The resultant health conditions may be hypoglycemia or liver failure, which can cause fatality.
Some Are Chocolate-Flavored
This one is a no-brainer; every dog owner worth their salt knows that chocolate or other byproducts of cocoa can be deadly for dogs. And cocoa is a go-to additive for protein bar brands because it makes an incredible flavor and, therefore, great sales. However, the theobromine content makes these protein bars highly unsuitable for your fur baby, and consumption may cause mild symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting, but seizures and death are worse-case scenarios.
High Chances of A High Sugar Content
Protein bars are loaded with sugar, which dogs don’t need, even though their taste buds can identify the sweetness. The average protein bar is almost thirty percent sugar, and unfortunately, a dog’s digestive system cannot handle the insulin overdose that occurs when this ingredient is in excess and it is absorbed into your pet dog’s bloodstream almost immediately. Your fur baby can eat sugar found in natural foods, like fruits, but artificially included sugar is no good for them. A high sugar content is bad for a dog’s diet, so just as your dog cannot eat your Chinese leftovers, they should not also eat a protein bar.
High Caloric Content
A high caloric diet is not needed for dogs; it can even be harmful, causing medical conditions like kidney damage or bone growth. Of course, this will not happen after your pooch eats a single protein bar, but you get the drift. Whether they are eating this protein-dense product by mistake or you feed them little bits of yours, the content may be too high for your pet.
These substances are most harmful to our canine companions, but they are almost always present in a protein bar. For instance, the high sugar content may be great for providing energy, but your body easily digests it. On the other hand, your poor pooch would have the most challenging time breaking it down and may even need intensive care with lots of intravenous fluids to overcome the situation.
What Happens if My Dog Eats a Chocolate Protein Bar?
It depends on the concentration of chocolate and the type; typically, cocoa is the most harmful for dogs because it contains the most amount of theobromine and caffeine. These substances are methylxanthines and stimulants, which your body craves and needs, but your pet’s insulin system is not as advanced to receive them. It may result in overstimulation which causes seizures and a heart attack.
But wait, you may be lucky enough that your pet doesn’t eat enough chocolate to kill them. You can use a chocolate toxicity calculator to determine if your pet has eaten enough chocolate to cause significant damage. In many cases, the concentration of cocoa is not enough to cause any harm because sometimes, the content is barely enough to trigger stimulating responses in your pet.
Well, that is if they have eaten perhaps one, two, or three bars because the cocoa flavor may not be potent enough. However, if your Fido has eaten its weight in chocolate, perhaps all the protein bars in a single pack, that may be an overload their body may not handle well. Vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, excessive urination, and an abnormal heart rate are some less severe effects. In the worst-case scenario, a heart attack may occur.
What Should I Do if My Dog Ate a Protein Bar?
Don’t panic; calmly reach for the manufacturer’s ingredients to see if it contains any of the items we discussed. You would be fortunate if your protein bar lacks xylitol and cocoa, as these are highly toxic substances for pets. Next, gauge the quantity consumed – if your dog hasn’t had too much, there is no cause for alarm.
Monitor your pet for the next twenty-four hours, but typically, you will know in six to twelve hours if your dog has overeaten chocolate for their weight. It starts with restlessness, frequent tremors, diarrhea, and frequent peeing and may develop into a racing heart and seizures. When you notice the first abnormal reaction in your dog, please call the vet.
The same applies to xylitol poisoning or a sugar overdose; similar symptoms also occur when your dog eats Starburst, the famous sugary candy, or any sugary treat in excess. Ultimately, the average protein bar will not kill your dog or do any significant damage. If your dog eats a protein bar, there may be nothing to worry about. Essentially, it depends on the quantity, your pet’s size, and the protein bar’s contents.
Conclusion
If your protein bar suddenly disappears from where you left it, it could be that Fido ate that bar. But before you panic, remember that it may not cause any significant harm to your pet. If the bar that was eaten contains chocolate, use a chocolate toxicity calculator to see if you are safe
