Hello there, my name is Bertie the Beagle, and I’m here to talk to you about granola.
If your canine friend is anything like me, they’ll be all over you when you’re munching down a bowl of granola.
This might leave you wondering whether or not it’s safe for us to eat.
The answer to this question is usually yes – granola is fine for us dogs to eat so long as it doesn’t contain ingredients that are toxic to us, like raisins or chocolate.
Plain granola is usually made out of rolled oats and puffed brown rice, and generally, these are completely safe for us and are included as “filler” in many dog foods and as a source of carbohydrates to normalize our energy levels.
You should be mindful of the high fiber content in granola, though. While fiber is good for encouraging healthy digestion, if we eat too much too fast, it could cause stomach upset.
Can dogs eat granola bars?
Granola bars pretty much follow the same rules as granola. Most contain rolled oats and puffed brown rice, and these carbohydrates are found in many dog foods as “filler” – so they’re fine for us to eat.
However, there are a few things to bear in mind about granola bars. They’re high in fiber, and while a little fiber is beneficial for us, too much can cause temporary diarrhea.
There’s also the risk of added ingredients, especially if the granola bars are store-bought.
If they contain nuts, certain nuts can be harmful to dogs, and you definitely want to avoid feeding us granola bars with chocolate or raisins, as like we say, these are toxic to us and could cause serious health issues.
A safer alternative is to make your own dog-friendly granola bar alternative out of plain granola and a dollop of peanut butter – which most of us adore!
Also avoid any granola bars that are high in sugar and fat, as these can cause us to gain weight, and some sweeteners are toxic to dogs.
Will granola hurt my dog?
Generally, granola won’t hurt us! What will hurt us however is if the granola contains raisins, chocolate chips, or other toxic ingredients to dogs.
Raisins and grapes can be fatal for us dogs, and can cause a range of side effects, from acute kidney failure (develops within 48 hours of ingestion), increases in the blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, phosphorus, and calcium, dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea, and even trouble breathing.
Chocolate contains an ingredient called theobromine, which is similar to caffeine and is toxic to dogs. We canines can’t break theobromine down or metabolize it as you humans can.
So if we eat chocolate, it can affect our guts, heart, central nervous system, and kidneys.
Symptoms of dog chocolate poisoning include vomiting (which may include blood), diarrhea, restlessness and hyperactivity, rapid breathing, muscle tension, incoordination, increased heart rate, and seizures.
This is why it’s essential to ensure the granola is free from these ingredients, and the safest way to do this is to make it yourself or purchase dog-friendly granola – yes, it exists!
Are oats OK for dogs to eat?
Oats are contained in granola, so yes – they’re safe for us to eat. They’re also found in many dog food as filler ingredients.
Oatmeal is high in fiber and is packed full of nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s also a great source of soluble fiber, which can regulate our blood glucose levels and help those of us who suffer from irregular bowel movements.
Oatmeal contains vitamin B, which keeps our coat in good condition, and linoleic acid, which is a type of omega-6 fatty acid that helps to keep our skin and coat healthy and naturally moisturized.
However, as with other types of human food that we are able to eat, it’s still important to recognize that too much oatmeal can upset our stomach.
Just because you eat a bowl of oatmeal daily doesn’t mean we can! Generally, vets advise that dogs can be fed one tablespoon of cooked oatmeal for every 20 pounds of his or her weight.
We shouldn’t have this more than 1 or 2 times a week though, as oatmeal contains a lot of carbohydrates and is relatively high in calories.
If we consume too much at once, it can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, or can cause us to bloat. You should introduce oatmeal into our diet slowly and should monitor us to see how we take to it.
What type of cereal can dogs eat?
All this talk of oatmeal and granola may leave you wondering what other types of cereal are safe for us to eat. The following brands and cereals are OK for us to eat:
- Bran Flakes
- Cream of Wheat
- Oat Bran
- Cheerios
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch
- Corn Flakes
- Honey Bunches of Oats
- Grits
- Rice Chex
- Rice Krispies
- Special K
However, we should avoid these:
- Coco Puffs
- Froot Loops
- Lucky Charms
- Raisin Bran
- Reese’s Puffs
As we explained above, certain cereals may be unsuitable for us to eat as they may contain raisins, chocolate, or other toxic ingredients.
Some brands are also high in sugar and fat, and of course, cereals in general are high in fiber and carbohydrates so we shouldn’t be fed too much at once.
Can dogs drink milk?
If we’re talking about cereal, it seems natural to talk about milk, as the two go hand in hand right?
Most of us dogs are lactose intolerant, after all, we are not baby cows! However, if we are able to tolerate dairy products, milk can make a safe treat if given to us in small quantities.
A few tablespoons of cow’s milk or goat’s milk as an occasional treat can be a great way to reward us without us suffering the side effects of overindulgence.
However, don’t forget that milk is high in natural sugars and of course, fat, so too much milk and dairy products in our diet can lead to obesity and pancreatitis, which are serious conditions.
Dogs can have varying degrees of lactose intolerance, and while some of us might experience mild symptoms, others can experience more severe reactions.
The most common symptoms of lactose intolerance in dogs include:
- Loose stools
- Gas
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
And if we display these symptoms, you should definitely avoid feeding us milk and other dairy products.
