This dog blog will answer the major question, “Can dogs eat trail mix?” we will also discuss the major ingredients that are harmful to your dog, how you can manage your dog, and how to prevent such toxicity from happening again.
Can dogs eat trail mix?
No, dogs cannot eat trail mix. It has several types of nuts such as macadamia nuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, chocolate, and dried fruits which are not healthy for your dog to eat. You should lock up trail mix as it is for the consumption of humans only.
What are the major unhealthy ingredients in trail mix?
Following are the unhealthy ingredients in the trial mix:
Nuts
Following are the nuts present in the trail mix:
Macadamia nuts
Macadamia nuts are not healthy for your dog to consume because they can cause vomiting,m diarrhea, and dehydration in the body.
It can also affect the nervous system of the body which can cause tremors, seizures, and incoordination in the body. When your dog starts to show nervous signs it means the disease has reached the deadly stage of your dog’s life.
Pecans
Pecans have mycotoxins in them which can cause long-term problems in your dog. The liver and kidney are the major organs in the body that are damaged in the long run. The mycotoxins affect the body by mold growth. Fungus takes time to grow and develop. If the liver is damaged, you will see the following signs:
- Edema of the body tissues
- Jaundice
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Enlarged liver
Almonds
Almonds are also unhealthy for your dog due to the high amount of oil content in them. The high amount of oil content is not healthy for your dog as it can increase the cholesterol level and can cause obesity and heart problems in your dog.
Heart problems are due to the excess fat that can block one of the major arteries in the heart. This increases the blood pressure of the heart and it ultimately leads to a heart attack if not corrected in time.
Dried fruits
Following are the major dried fruits present in trail mix:
Grapes and raisins
Raisins and grapes are not healthy for your dog because they can cause kidney damage in your dog. Kidney damage is a severe condition which means you have to be very vigilant with your dog all the time. The kidney performs its function by excreting waste material from the body.
If the kidneys are damaged, you have to shift your dog to dialysis. Dialysis is an artificial kidney that performs its action by excreting waste material from the body. In case of a severe condition, a kidney transplant is the only option left for your dog.
Dried blueberries
Dried blueberries are not healthy for your dog to consume. Dried blueberries have a high amount of sugar content which can cause diabetes and other problems in dogs. Dried blueberries can also cause constipation in your dog. Constipation is a deadly condition in your dog.
Chocolate
The next ingredient is the chocolate in the trail mix. Chocolate has methylxanthines and theobromine which are not healthy for your dog. Both of them can cause toxicity in your dog. Following are the major clinical signs of chocolate toxicity in dogs:
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Increased heart rate
- Increased breathing rate
- Stumbling
- Staggering gait
- Confusion
- Incoordination
- Lethargy
- Weakness
Xylitol
Trail mix also has xylitol in it which is not healthy for your dog. This artificial sweetener can cause a sharp drop in blood sugar level which can cause the collapse and death of your dog. Xylitol is healthy for you but not for your dog to consume.
What can you do if your dog ate trail mix?
You should take your dog to the vet. The vet will analyze the situation of your dog and will treat your dog according to the condition of your dog. If the condition of your dog is not bad, your vet will give supportive therapy such as fluids, electrolytes, and antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infection.
What can you do to protect your dog from these kinds of toxicities?
You should lock up all the trail mix in the upper compartment of the cupboard so that your dog doesn’t reach it. You should restrict the movement of your dog in the kitchen. Please do not leave trail mix open on the table because dogs have the habit of snatching food.
Your dog will eat it and you and your dog have to face the severe consequences of the toxicity.
Conclusion
In this brief discussion, we answer the major question, “Can dogs eat trail mix?” we also discussed the major ingredients that are harmful to your dog, how you can manage your dog, and how to prevent such toxicity from happening again.
