Weetabix is a wholegrain breakfast cereal. A lot of people like it because it tastes good and is easy to prepare. If you are one of the people who likes to have Weetabix for breakfast, then you might even think about sharing this delicious cereal with your dog. But can dogs eat Weetabix? Is this breakfast cereal safe for our canine friends?
While Weetabix is made out of whole grains and it does contain quite a few important nutrients, it’s actually not something we would recommend to feed your dog. Weetabix with chocolate chips is toxic to dogs and while the other flavors are not exactly toxic to dogs, there’s still quite a few reasons why it’s best not to give your dog Weetabix and most other breakfast cereals as well.
Can Dogs Eat Weetabix? 3 Things You Need to Know about Feeding Your Dog Weetabix
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1. Weetabix Breakfast Cereals Are Too Sugary for Dogs
The main problem with Weetabix for dogs is the high sugar content. There are many reasons why you should not give your dog such sugary treats.
For one, sugar is bad for your dog’s teeth just like it’s bad for our teeth. Your dog’s teeth can survive a rare sugary treat, but if you make a habit out of giving your dog Weetabix or other sugary foods, then it’s very likely to cause enamel wear and lead to tooth decay.
It is especially important to avoid giving your dog Weetabix and other sugary treats if you don’t regularly brush your dog’s teeth.
However, the risk to dental health is not the only reason why Weetabix and other sugary treats are best left out of your dog’s diet. Just like as humans, dogs too can experience sugar highs and lows after having a sugary snack. Sugar highs can make a dog act hyper and unfocused. The lows, on the other hand, make dogs feel lethargic and irritable.
Canine diabetes is also a risk if you regularly feed your dog Weetabix or other high-sugar treats.
2. Weetabix Contains Too Many Calories for Dogs
Mainly because of the high sugar content in Weetabix, it contains quite a lot of calories as well. As little as one serving of Weetabix, which is only 2 biscuits, already contains around 160 calories.
Depending on your dog’s size and activity level, he or she normally consumes around 500 to 1200 calories a day.
For a large and active dog, who consumes around 1200 calories a day, getting 160 calories from 2 Weetabix biscuits is not that bad, but it’s another story for smaller dogs.
Feeding a few Weetabix biscuits to your small dog would make up a good portion of his daily recommended calorie intake, but wouldn’t provide much nourishment.
A healthy dog diet requires a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat. As Weetabix is not made for dogs, but for humans, it fails to provide that.
3. Weetabix with Chocolate Chips Is Toxic to Dogs
To make Weetabix more irresistible for us humans, it’s available in different flavors. One of the flavors is chocolate. And there’s a huge problem with chocolate for dogs — chocolate is downright toxic to dogs.
Chocolate poisoning in dogs is a serious conditions and dogs can even die from chocolate poisoning. This, of course, means that Weetabix with chocolate chips is definitely something you should not give your dog.
Frequently Asked Questions about Weetabix and Dogs
If you did not find an answer to your question above, then here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding dogs and Weetabix.
Can Dogs Have Weetabix with Milk?
How do you eat your cereal if not with milk?
We already talked about why Weetabix is not good for dogs, but if you still want to feed your dog Weetabix, then know that serving your dog Weetabix with milk is not a good idea.
It’s not just that Weetabix is bad for dogs, but milk too is not suitable for most dogs. The problem with milk for dogs is that most dogs are lactose intolerant. This means that their bodies simply cannot digest milk sugar (lactose).
Because your dog’s body might not be able to digest lactose, feeding him Weetabix with milk is likely to cause bloating, diarrhea, gas and stomach cramps. As I’m sure you do not want to upset your dog’s stomach, it’s best to avoid giving him Weetabix with milk or any other dairy products.
What about Puppies? Can a Puppy Eat Weetabix?
While proper balance of nutrients is important for dogs in all ages, it’s especially important for puppies who are still growing. Puppies also consume less food than fully-grown adult dogs. Because of that it’s best if you would not feed your puppy Weetabix.
You have to be careful with other human food as well. However, it’s is okay to give your puppy tiny portions of healthy fruits and vegetables, like apples or bananas. Just remember to introduce new foods gradually and make sure that they are safe.
Can Dogs Have Other Breakfast Cereals?
As there are hundreds of different breakfast cereals available world wide, it is possible that some are not as bad for dogs as Weetabix, but most still contain too much sugar for dogs; and lot of breakfast cereals are also toxic to dogs.
Two of the most common ingredients in breakfast cereals that are toxic to dogs are raisins and chocolate. If a breakfast cereal contains raisins or chocolate, then it’s a definite no-no for canines.
Because breakfast cereals are made for us humans, they do not provide dogs with all of the nutrients they need; because of that it’s a good idea to not feed your dog any breakfast cereals.
Conclusion on Can Dogs Eat Weetabix
Weetabix with chocolate chips is toxic to dogs, so that’s definitely something you cannot share with your dog. And while other Weetabix flavors are not toxic to dogs, they still contain an unhealthy amount of sugar, so it would be for the best if you wouldn’t feed your dog any type of Weetabix.
However, if you dog already ate some Weetabix, then (as long as it wasn’t Weetabix with Chocolate) there’s no need to panic. Just don’t make a habit out of feeding your dog breakfast cereals or other sugary treats.