Can Dogs Have Ketchup

While having French fries, nuggets, or any tasty treat, we don’t forget about ketchup. Sometimes, we see our dogs getting baffled seeing ketchup as its texture looks interesting to them. But can dogs have ketchup?

Unfortunately, ketchup falls into the list of harmful treats for dogs. We like the taste of ketchup because it has many spices, seasonings, sweeteners, etc. Also, we know these ingredients are not good for dogs. So it is inevitable that ketchup is a no-no for dogs. This article will tell you more about why dogs should never have ketchup. Stay tuned.

Can Dogs Have Ketchup?

Dogs should not eat ketchup, as it is loaded with harmful ingredients. Generally, veterinarians restrict them from eating foods that contain garlic powder, onion powder, and many spices. Meanwhile, ketchup has all these ingredients.

Dogs go through various health issues after consuming ketchup. Such as vomiting, diarrhoea, heart disease, lethargy, dehydration, seizures, and so on. We will discuss more about it later.

Reasons Why Ketchup Is Bad For Dogs

One of the main reasons for dogs not to consume ketchup is because of its ingredients. It has salt, sugar, sweetener, preservatives, additives, seasonings, etc. that can take a dog’s life.

High Sodium Content

Dogs are not allowed to have numerous human goods due to their sodium content, and ketchup is one of them. When a dog consumes ketchup, he is talking salt too. This can be the reason for his increased blood pressure, which leads to dehydration. If his condition gets worse, he can show symptoms like sunken eyes, excessive thirst, lethargy, and so on.

For a diabetic dog, the sodium level can be risky. Sometimes it can result in salt poisoning too.

Has Toxic Ingredients

We usually add garlic powder and onion powder to ketchup to enhance its taste. Meanwhile, these ingredients are harmful to dogs, even in small amounts. They can break down dogs’ red blood cells, resulting in hemolytic anaemia. Other risks associated with these ingredients include low blood sugar levels and intestinal upset.

Contains Sugar And Sweeteners

Most kinds of ketchup include xanthan gum, sugar, and other flavours that can spike dogs’ blood sugar levels. This can cause lethargy, with the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea. Since vomiting and watery poop takes away necessary fluid from the body, your dog will again suffer dehydration from it.

Don’t think sugar-free ketchup can do any good for dogs. They have an artificial sweetener as a substitute for sugar, named xylitol. This sweetener is toxic for our canine friends and can sometimes lead to xylitol poisoning.

When a dog eats too much ketchup, he is indirectly consuming too much sugar or artificial sweetener. This can be the reason for his weight gain, obesity, and diabetes.

Contains Preservatives

Preservatives like calcium disodium EDTA, sodium benzoate, and potassium sorbate are commonly found in ketchup. Their job is to increase the shelf life of dogs. It means preservatives in ketchup do no good except for giving side effects. This ingredient can cause dogs to have diarrhoea, stomach pain, and allergic reactions.

Some Tomatoes Can Be Risky For Them

Ripe tomatoes are safe for dogs, not green tomatoes. If the ketchup contains a mixture of green tomatoes, then dogs can have more side effects than we can expect. It is because these tomatoes have tomatine and solanine, which are not good for our canine friends. It means green tomatoes will add more toxicity to ketchup for dogs. The symptoms can be an upset GI tract, abdominal pain, vomiting, etc.

Can Dogs Have Ketchup Sometimes?

For example, you just had a tasty meal with ketchup, and there is some leftover ketchup on your plate. Your paw friend was walking beside it, and he noticed the plate with leftover ketchup. He licks once on the plate; this won’t cause him any health issues. But if he does that every day, he will have health issues. This can lead to obesity, heart disease, and organ failure. It would be better if you didn’t let your dog have ketchup at all.

What Should You Do If Dogs Eat Ketchup?

No doubt, your dog will have multiple side effects from having ketchup. If you don’t want your paw friend to get into a bad health situation, make sure you follow some rules.

Sometimes, dogs don’t react immediately after licking ketchup. They may show symptoms after one or two days. That’s why you should observe your dog for about two days to see if he is having any behavioural changes or not. Even if he doesn’t throw up, he may feel weak, drool, or restless. Then note the ingredients of the ketchup that your dog had. You must inform his vet everything about them. Meanwhile, let your dog drink some water to calm down.

After the consumption, don’t let your dog eat any food that has salt or sugar for many days.

Frequently Asked Questions: Can Dogs Have Ketchup?

Can ketchup kill dogs?

Eating ketchup does no good to dogs, except for offering side effects. Besides, the severity of the reactions depends on how much ketchup the dog eats. If he eats too much of it, he can even die.

Is tomato sauce safe for dogs?

If ketchup is not good for dogs, so is tomato sauce. They will get the same side effects from having tomato sauce as they will from ketchup, as both are almost the same.

Can dogs eat mayo instead of ketchup?

Compared to ketchup, mayo has fewer toxic ingredients. Its salt and sugar content can pose health threats to dogs. But if you can choose mayo wisely by checking out its ingredients, it can be safe for dogs.

How do I prepare ketchup for dogs?

Ketchup is mainly harmful to dogs because of its ingredients. If you can skip those ingredients, this treat might be safe for dogs. For example, you can use small amounts of salt and sugar but no onion powder, garlic powder, seasonings, or artificial sweeteners.

Final Thoughts

Those who don’t know about the toxicity of ketchup’s ingredients may wonder, Can dogs have ketchup? The answer is no, not even a little bit. Almost all ingredients in this treat are harmful to dogs, so you can’t expect a dog’s well-being after having it.

If your dog is acting stubborn and wants ketchup, you can blend a ripe tomato to make a puree. This can make the texture like ketchup, and your dog will enjoy it as ketchup. But don’t add any ingredients to it, like salt, sugar, or spices.