Imagine you are streaming your favorite film this weekend and relishing some crunchy snacks. And the moment when you’re about to put some tortilla chips into your mouth, your doggo cleverly begs for some. What do you do?
Yes, dogs can consume many food items their owners eat, like carrots or cooked rice. However, it would be best to be wary of processed foodstuffs like tortilla chips. They are never an excellent option for your dog’s metabolism.
Read this article to understand whether dogs can eat tortilla chips or not.
Are Tortilla Chips Good For Your Dog?
- Tortilla chips are fried triangles made from corn tortillas and are not healthy for your canine companions. We believe the following reasons would be enough for you to understand that.
- Tortilla chips are basically processed food items. And as a dog owner, you must know that processed foods are never suitable for dogs.
- A combination of unhealthy condiments like oils and fats is predominantly present in tortilla chips. Not only this, but they are also very starchy.
- Tortilla chips contain high doses of salt. It can lead to severe kidney issues in your dog.
- They consist of unhealthy food colorings and seasonings like minced garlic, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. All of them make tortilla chips very harmful for your dog.
- Tortilla chips are a gluten-based snack. Gluten is a bane for your dog if he is allergic to it.
TIP: If you wish to feed corn-based foods to your pup, go for fresh corn instead of unhealthy tortilla chips.
What Sorts Of Nutrients Are There In Tortilla Chips?
The following chart immaculately shows the nutritional value of tortilla chips:
| Serving Size | 1 medium |
| Calories Per Serving | 101 |
| % Daily Values | |
| Total Fat 2.01g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat 0.445g | 2% |
| Trans Fat – | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0.571g | |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0.871g | |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 129mg | 6% |
| Total Carbohydrate 18.24g | 7% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.8g | 6% |
| Sugars 0.53g | |
| Protein 2.66g | |
| Vitamin D- | |
| Calcium 40mg | 3% |
| Iron 0.87mg | 5% |
| Potassium 65mg | 1% |
| Vitamin A 0mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
Source: https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/generic/tortilla
What Are The Harmful Effects Of Tortilla Chips On Your Dog?
Do you know what the most common flavors of tortilla chips are? They include onion, barbeque, bacon, and garlic, which are considered harmful for your dog.
Tortilla chips may have the following effects on your dog if eaten in excess:
- Obesity
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Upset stomach
- Diabetes
- Allergies
- Heart disease
- Dehydration
- Unwanted eating habit
- Digestive problems
Excessive salt is the worst part about tortilla chips for your dog. Dogs cannot tolerate much salt, and in fact, salt is poisonous for dogs.
Extremely salty snacks like tortilla chips have several adverse effects on your dog’s metabolism. He is most likely to suffer from unrestrained thirst and subsequently excessive urination.
Moreover, tortilla chips typically fall in either flour or corn-based snack category. If your dog is intolerant to corn or wheat-based products, then he’ll inevitably get sick after eating loads of tortilla chips.
TIP: If your dog is allergic to corn and/or wheat, you can go for their alternative- amaranth. It is a high-protein plant with no gluten and all the essential amino acids.
Are The Components Of Tortilla Chips Toxic For Dogs?
Apart from the previously mentioned corn, salt, and oils, let’s look at some other harmful ingredients present in tortilla chips:
1. Transglutaminases, oxidoreductases, and proteases: These three components are put in tortilla chips for altering the properties of wheat-based tortilla chips.
-
A recent veterinary study shows that transglutaminases cause inflammation of a dog’s central nervous system.
Researches have also demonstrated the risk of cancers in canines due to excessive consumption of oxidoreductases and proteases.
2. Nixtamalization: The process of nixtamalization is a primary process in the manufacturing of tortilla chips. Herein, an alkaline solution of calcium hydroxide (limewater) is used for cooking the corn kernels. While food-grade limewater is usually safe, its industry-grade counterpart is poisonous and can cause severe injuries, even death.
Other ingredients: Tortilla chips contain numerous acidulants, preservatives, and emulsifiers to improve their shelf life. A 2015 study on lab mice showed that emulsifiers cause gastrointestinal inflammation, obesity, and high blood pressure levels.
3. Amylases and xylanases: They are often used in corn and wheat tortilla chips to extend their shelf life. However, a high level of amylases and xylanases could harm your dog’s bloodstream. They can even lead to pancreatic disorders in dogs.
WARNING: You must also be very careful with guacamole, the most popular dip for tortilla chips. Its extremely aggressive spices will most likely upset your dog’s stomach.
Can You Feed Homemade Tortilla Chips To Your Dog?
Unlike the store-bought ones, the homemade recipe of tortilla chips would not be so bad for your doggo. By yourself baking some tortilla chips and putting minimal salt, it can be a relatively nutritious snack.
Thus, dogs can safely eat moderate amounts of homemade tortilla chips. This would give them rich dietary fiber, magnesium, Vitamin B6, calcium, and protein.
FAQs
Q. Can your little puppy consume tortilla chips?
No. You must avoid feeding tortilla chips to your sensitive puppies. At such a tender stage of development, the oils, salt, and fats present in tortilla chips would be very harmful to your pup.
Q. Can your dog eat the Salsa dip that comes with tortilla chips?
No. The popular Salsa dips are unsafe for your dog’s consumption. As it is basically a spicy sauce containing tomatoes, garlic, onions, and chili peppers, salsa dip is toxic for your pup.
Conclusion
Dogs tend to enjoy crunchy meals. However, this does not mean that you can put junk in their sensitive tummies. There are a lot of healthier substitutes out there, such as carrots, turnips, oatmeal, and turkey.
Even the base ingredient of tortilla chips- the tortilla is harmful for a dog’s consumption. The American Institute for Cancer Research states that a 12-inch tortilla comprises around 300 calories, thrice the calories present in one bread slice.
Moreover, it has more carbs than three slices of bread put together!
We are sure that now you would refrain from feeding tortilla chips to your dog after analyzing the risks involved.
Did this article solve your concerns? Do not hesitate to reach out to us in the comment section below with your queries and opinions!
Dr. Aram Baker has been with Santa Clarita Animal Hospital since 1995 and his special interests include behaviour medicine and dermatology. He graduated from the Cleveland Humanities Magnet Program in Reseda, CA and attended California State University at Northridge where he received a Bachelor’s degree in biology. He went on to pursue his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis. He also spent time in the zoological medicine department at U.C. Davis during his Junior and Senior years. He is dedicated to caring for all pets big or small, young or old with compassion, patience, kindness, and love.