While dogs technically can eat potato chips as it’s not toxic to dogs, it’s not good for them. Although dogs may be fine after eating a few chips, these snacks offer no nutritional value and can be packed with lots of processed ingredients. Over time, this can lead to health issues in dogs.
As always, you must ask your vet before sharing any human food with your dog, including potato chips. Here’s what you should know about potato chips and why they’re not appropriate for dogs to eat.
Why are potato chips bad for dogs?
Potato chips, though a delicious snack, are not a very healthy treat for dogs. Most potato chips offer zero nutritional value and contain no vitamins whatsoever. In fact, they contain a lot of processed oil, fat, and sodium — none of which serve any beneficial contribution to your dog’s health.
Beyond the high fat and carbohydrate content, potato chips are usually salty. Too much salt can lead to salt poisoning in dogs, which can be a medical emergency.
These snacks also contain an unhealthy amount of artificial flavors and additives to make them more appealing to humans. And while humans might like the flavors, they might not be healthy for your dog to consume.
Some of the symptoms your dog might have if they eat potato chips are:
- Stomach aches
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Flatulence
- Dehydration
Though potato chips might not be toxic or deadly to your pooch, they can still cause a lot of discomfort and pain in the short term and more severe health problems if dogs eat a lot over a long time.
What should I do if my dog ate potato chips?
If your pup consumed potato chips, make sure to take away the rest if there are any left, and monitor your dog closely. If any of the symptoms presented above appear within 24 hours after consuming potato chips, then be sure to bring your dog to their local veterinarian to get treated.
Always make sure that whatever snacks you have for yourself are not reachable by your dog. There are always better alternatives for your dog to snack on.
