Jam is a thick edible spread made with crushed fruits cooked with a lot of sugar. The significant components of jam are fruits pulp, sugar, pectin, and acid. In this article, we will cover “Can dogs eat jam?” what are the benefits and risks of jam in your pet, how to give jam to your dog, what will happen if your dog has eaten jam, etc.
Can dogs eat jam?
No, dogs cannot eat jam as they contain high sugar content, which has no nutritional value for your dog. All of us love to eat Jams, but they are not suitable for dogs because of the harmful effects of preservatives present in them.
Jams are not poisonous for dogs but are not recommended due to the high levels of sweeteners and sugars in them. So it is best to avoid feeding jam to your dogs. Jam contains pectin and acid, which are not suitable for the health of dogs.
Pectin is a naturally occurring substance that is derived from plants. Pectin is used as a preservative in jams. It gives a thick consistency and texture to jam, but it can be toxic to dogs. The toxicity of pectin can disturb the stomach of dogs.
Most dogs have sweet teeth and love to eat jam when offered, but it is not suitable for them. The high sugar content can cause weight gain in dogs. It also leads to other stomach problems.
What are the benefits of eating jam in dogs?
Following are some of the benefits of feeding jam to your dog:
- Pectin is a significant component of the jam, and when given in small amounts, it helps your dog get rid of diarrhea. However, the jam has some nutritional properties in it. But those dietary values are negligible as compared to the amount of sugar and additives present in it.
- Jams are fruit-based spreads that contain fruit pieces in them (fruits contain vitamin C and nutrients), but heating them at high temperatures diminishes the nutritional properties of the fruit.
Giving jam to your dog is not beneficial at all because of the additives present in it. Some jams contain fruits that are safe for your dogs to eat, like strawberries or blackberries. But some others are highly toxic, like grape jam.
So it is best to avoid feeding your dog with jam or consult your veterinarian before giving jam to them.
What are the risks of eating jam in dogs?
The dogs can suffer from the following side effects due to the consumption of jam:
- Sugar content leads to obesity and diabetes in your dog.
- Sugar can rot your pet’s teeth, resulting in infections and pain in the teeth.
- Sugar consumption can cause the pancreas to produce extra enzymes to metabolize glucose. This production causes Inflammation of the pancreas, which leads to pancreatitis.
- The acid in a jam can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.
- Dogs are usually less tolerant of sugar, which means jam can cause hypersensitivity in dogs.
- Xylitol decreases blood sugar levels causing hypoglycemia.
Xylitol is a naturally occurring artificial sweetener. It is an alternative to sugar in jams because it has the same sweetness level as sugar but 40% less sugar content. It is highly toxic for dogs. Xylitol poisoning causes liver failure, vomiting, seizures, lethargy, and coma.
Jams are not suitable for pets as they contain 65% sugar, and dogs do not need them. The other primary ingredients are pectin and pesticide-laden fruits cooked directly at high temperatures.
Pectin is obtained from plants, and it comes in powder form, which gives a thick texture to jam, but it is highly toxic to your pet.
How to give jam to your dogs?
Despite all the harmful effects of preservatives and sugar in jam, if you still want to feed jam to your dog, you should only give organic ones to them that should not contain any artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or additives.
But give them in minimal quantities on rare occasions because excess of it can cause significant health issues to your dogs.
What should you do if your dog has eaten jam?
The urgency of the situation depends on the type of food your dog has consumed. Some fruits are safe for your pet, but some are highly toxic, like grapes, so if your dog has eaten any jam which contains contaminated fruits, then check if there are any symptoms of allergy signs like hypersalivation, watery eyes, difficulty in breathing, or inflammation on the body.
If you discover any symptoms, immediately take your dog to the veterinarian.
Conclusion:
Today, we covered the article “Can a dog eat jam?”, what are the benefits and risks of eating jam, etc. Feeding your dog with the jam is unsafe because it has some significant harmful effects on the canines. If you want to give jam to your pet as a treat, then you should consult your veterinarian before doing this.
Only a veterinarian can tell you whether your pet can digest jam or not and to what extent it should be given. In case of any emergency immediately take your dog to a veterinarian.
