Many children love gummy bears (and gummy candies in general!). These gummy sweets are so creative and delicious. Not to mention, they are marketed to kids with fun shapes, colors, flavors, and packaging.
And similarly to children, your dogs may also attempt to eat these candies. Dogs will eat some weird things if given the chance. Whether they’re healthy or toxic (or even a food item at all!). But just because they WILL eat something, doesn’t mean they should eat it.
It’s up to us humans to keep our dogs safe and make sure they don’t eat foods that are bad for them. So what should you do if your dog starts giving you those puppy dog eyes when you and/or your kids are snacking on gummy candies? Can dogs eat gummy bears?
In this article, we will tell you whether gummy bears are safe for dogs. Additionally, we will dig into whether this treat has health benefits or has harmful effects on our dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Gummy Bears?
The short answer is no. Dogs must absolutely not eat gummy bears. There are many types of foods that are not good for dogs such as grapes, bones, and chocolate. You can definitely add gummy bears to that list.
A gummy bear is unhealthy for your doggos. And, in some cases, may even be toxic.
Gummy bears are essentially fillers or extra calories for dogs who need a high-energy diet.
It is important to remember that gummy bears and gummy candies have a very high sugar content. And this could be very dangerous to dogs.
Why Gummy Bears are Bad for Dogs
The effects of gummy bears on your dogs would depend on the amount they consume. If given a large quantity, the overload of sugar can pose health problems. It puts them at risk of getting diabetes, Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), and even weight gain.
Consuming a lot of gummy candy can also cause an upset stomach. Some types of gummy bears may even be poisonous or toxic to dogs.
What Types of Gummy Bears are Toxic?
Gummy bears and candies that contain the ingredient xylitol are considered toxic to dogs. Thus, they must avoid this at all costs.
Xylitol is an ingredient that acts as an artificial sweetener to decrease the calorie of foods yet tastes sweet at the same time. Foods containing xylitol must never be fed to dogs.
Xylitol can cause severe hypoglycemia or a large decrease in the blood sugar levels of dogs. This condition can be fatal to dogs.
Xylitol can also possibly severely damage the liver. This can be bad not just for dogs, but for pretty much every organism.
Gummy bears with cannabis or marijuana are also toxic dogs. Cannabis contains the active ingredient known as tetrahydrocannabinol or THC which is toxic to dogs.
So in conclusion, it is best for dogs to stay away from gummy bears as it could be very bad, if not fatal, for them.
Learn More About What Human Foods Are Healthy or Harmful for Dogs
This article is part of our special series of articles about “What Human Foods Can Dogs Eat?”
