There are so many foods that dogs try to get their paws on. Some are completely safe for our furry friends to consume. Some are not. Leave food out long enough and your dog will certainly have a sniff to see if it’s to their liking.
One such food is Takis chips. It’s easy for these spicy chips to fall on the ground as you’re eating. If this happens, more often than not, your hungry dog will be there to vacuum them up in no time. But, is it safe for dogs to eat hot Takis? We decided to find out.
The short answer is, no. Dogs should not eat hot Takis. Spicy foods can be extremely toxic for dogs which can lead to upset stomachs and, in some cases, more serious health problems.
Takis contain no nutritional health benefits for dogs. What they do contain are high levels of salt and chili which can make your dog very ill. So, never feed Tacis to your dog, unless they find them by accident.
In today’s article, we are going to find out why Tacis are so bad for man’s best friend and consider the consequences behind eating this spicy treat.
What will happen to my dog if they eat Tacis?
Dog’s stomachs can be somewhat more sensitive than ours. What is safe and delicious for us to eat may be tasty for a pooch but can also be very bad for their health.
Spicy foods are a typical example. Spices are known to be harmful to a dog’s stomach. Not all dogs suffer so badly but some will experience diarrhea, flatulence, and gastrointestinal pain.
The high salt content found in spicy foods such as hot Taki chips can result in possible vomiting as well as exaggerated thirst. The hot chili can even burn a dog’s throat, digestive tract, and insides. Other ingredients in Takis can be harmful to your dog too. Small traces of onion and garlic are found in these chips and both are known to be toxic to canines.
Think about that strong smell with Taki chips. Well, a dog’s sense of smell is 40 times greater than that of a human. So, when you find an odor, imagine how strong that is to your dog. Hot spices can make our eyes water and that’s with our senses. Imagine what effect spices can have on your beloved pooch.
Harmful Ingredients in Takis
When you look at the ingredients in some of the food you eat, you may wonder if it’s safe for human consumption, let alone a dog’s. The ingredients that make Takis so spicy (and tasty) are not the healthiest, especially for poor old Fido.
Just at a glance, you can see they have a high salt content, high levels of oil, lots of sugar, and onions. Remember, onions can be a toxic ingredient for canines.
Let’s take a look at the whole list of ingredients in Takis chips:
- Soybean and/or palm and/or canola oil
- Corn masa flour
- Sugar
- Iodized salt
- Citric acid
- Natural & artificial flavoring
- Artificial colors
- Soy protein
- Soybean oil
- Sodium diacetate
- Yeast
- Monosodium glutamate
- Maltodextrin
- Sodium guanylate
- Sodium inosinate
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Partially hydrogenated onion powder
- Hot chili powder
- Silicone dioxide
- Antioxidants
Let’s be truthful. When you look at this list of ingredients, how many of those do you think are safe for your dog? While one or two ingredients may be safe, in small doses, together, these additives are a recipe for one sick dog.
Are Takis high in calories?
Yes, Taki chips are not the healthiest option out there and could have some calorific consequences for you and your dog.
As well as the hot, spicy flavors and the unhealthy additives within these chips, there is also the number of calories found in Takis which is pretty high. Even small amounts of this snack can make up a huge chunk of your dog’s daily calorie allowance. Let’s take a deeper look.
For each pound of weight an average dog carries, they should not eat any more than 25 calories. When it comes to treats, these snacks should only make up 10% of their total daily food intake. This is otherwise known as the 90/10 rule.
Take a labrador, for example. The average dog in this breed is about 70 pounds. Therefore, they should not eat more than 1,750 calories a day. Now, let’s consider how many Takis make up a labrador’s caloric intake per day.
Takis Fuego and Outlaw chips contain 230 calories. This makes up 13% of a labrador’s daily intake. Takis Xplosion flavored chips contain 250 calories which make up 14% of a labrador’s daily intake. Just one bag!
This is even more alarming when you take another popular breed, the French bulldog, into consideration. The average French Bulldog is much smaller than a labrador and weighs only 25 pounds. They should not eat more than 625 calories a day.
So, one bag of Takis Fuego and Outlaw flavored chips make up 37% of a French Bulldog’s daily intake while the Xplosion flavor makes up 40% of the daily caloric intake. This is much higher than the 90/10 rule when giving your dog a treat every day!
Are Takis cancerous when eaten by a dog?
One of the main reasons why people don’t want to give their dogs Taki chips is because of a rumor that circulated a few years back. This stated that Takis can cause stomach cancer and even ulcers in children.
This rumor was quashed by Snopes who proved that Takis are safe for children to eat. See their full report here.
Of course, spicy foods can cause stomach pain and gastritis, especially with the amount humans eat. But the rumor that just eating hot Taki chips can cause cancer is simply untrue.
As you can probably guess, the same goes for dogs too. While you should not feed your dog Takis, the chips will not give your furry friend stomach cancer.
Can Takis cause sodium poisoning in dogs?
Taki chips, and other foods like it, are generally very high in sodium. Unfortunately, dogs are far less efficient than us when it comes to digesting salt.
If a dog ingests high levels of salt, it can lead to potential harm to their kidneys. High sodium levels can even lead to increased blood pressure in humans but, overall, the effects are much more dangerous to dogs.
There are some symptoms to check if your dog is suffering from sodium poisoning such as:
- A swollen belly
- Walking in circles
- Excessive thirst
- Weakness
If you notice any of these symptoms, you should seek immediate help. Your veterinarian will then treat your dog with fluid therapy.
Takis Alternatives
Just because your dog can’t eat Takis, it doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy chips altogether. If you still want to treat your dog to chips, you should consider buying natural alternatives that are made for dogs or homemade treats.
Some other healthy snacks for your dog to enjoy are:
- Chips specifically made for canines
- Healthy fruits such as apples, strawberries, bananas, and blueberries
- Healthy vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and sweet potatoes
Unlike Takis, fruits and vegetables have nutritional benefits and will help keep your dog fit and healthy.
So, is it safe to feed my dog Takis?
If you’re still unsure, then you should definitely go through the dangers in this article again. There’s no doubt that your dog will eat some food they shouldn’t. If you drop some chips and your dog eats a few, you shouldn’t be alarmed. Just Do Not feed your dog any Taki chips on purpose.
Remember, your dog has fewer taste buds than humans. While we have 9,000, a dog only has around 1,700. Therefore, spicy food probably doesn’t taste anything like what we experience. It may not taste so strong for them but the after-effects can be very serious. They may not feel the spicy foods in their mouths but they will certainly feel it in their digestive systems.
In Summary
Should you feed your dogs Takis? No. You should never feed your dog anything that is unhealthy and not designed for their diet. This includes hot and spicy snacks such as Takis or similar treats like Doritos.
Although some dogs may just get a little bit of gas, others may experience extreme stomach pain and require immediate assistance.
