A blend of sweet and spicy flavors, who doesn’t like ginger snap cookies? These crisp and crunchy cookies are yummy holiday treats that people all over the world love.
But what about your 4-legged furry friend? Can dogs eat ginger snaps? If you want to know the answer to this, read on.
Is It Safe for Dogs to Eat Ginger Snaps?
Yes, dogs can eat ginger snaps, but these cookies may not be the best or healthiest choice of a treat for your pooch. If your pet does manage to sneak a ginger snap from the cookie jar and gobbles it up before you can stop them, there’s no need to panic.
Ginger snaps are not toxic for your dog, but should be given to them in very limited quantities. Ginger, in itself, is quite safe for dogs and, in fact, has many benefits.
But the amount of ginger in ginger snaps is abysmally low and most often than not, manufacturers use an artificial ginger flavor instead of real ginger in these cookies for a robust ginger flavor.
Also, the other ingredients contained in ginger snaps such as sugar, flour and fat are not good for your canine.
So, your pet can have tiny pieces of the ginger snap cookie as a once-in-a-while treat, but if they have it more frequently, then it may be harmful to your pet’s health.
Effects of the Ingredients in Ginger Snaps on Your Dog’s Health
Store-bought ginger snap contains ingredients including ginger, flour, sugar, molasses, lard or shortening and artificial sweeteners and flavors.
In this section, we’ll discuss how each of these ingredients can impact your dog’s health.
Ginger
Ginger, when eaten by dogs in small quantities, is safe and even offers numerous health benefits. Fresh ginger root has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce pain due to arthritis.
It can also promote healthy digestion, ease bloating and stomach pain, boost blood circulation and improve heart health.
Ginger contains antioxidants that can support the immune system and help to soothe your pet’s stomach caused by car sickness or a stomach bug and also reduce heartworms.
Sugar
Ginger snaps contain a lot of sugar that can be harmful to your pet because their digestive systems cannot process such a lot of sugar.
Sugar may not be toxic to your pet, but it can upset your pet’s stomach and cause health problems such as diabetes and obesity in the long run, which can shorten your pet’s lifespan drastically.
Also Read: Can Dogs Eat Cupcakes?
Molasses
Ginger snaps contain molasses, which can be harmful to your dog’s health and cause an upset stomach, diarrhea and vomiting.
If your pooch eats too much molasses, it can lead to molasses toxicosis, a serious health condition, which can even be fatal.
Artificial Sweeteners
Some manufacturers may use artificial sweeteners like xylitol in the ginger snaps instead of sugar and you may think that this is a healthier alternative. But xylitol is toxic to dogs and can be extremely harmful to your pet.
Flour
Ginger snaps contain flour, which may not be toxic for your canine, but it may upset your pet’s digestive system because the gluten in the flour can be difficult for your pet to digest.
Lard or Shortening
Typically, ginger snaps contain lard or shortening, which are essentially butter substitutes.
Although these are not toxic to dogs, when consumed in large quantities, they can cause vomiting and diarrhea. And, in the long run, the fat can cause your pet to become overweight or obese and also lead to health problems like pancreatitis.
Also Read: Can Dogs Eat Vanilla Wafers?
My Dog Ate Too Many Ginger Snaps, What to Do?
If your furry friend ate a couple of small ginger snaps, it may not cause your pet any harm.
But if your pet has managed to eat quite a few of the cookies, it may irritate your pet’s stomach and they may have vomiting and diarrhea. Keep your dog in a quiet place and allow them to rest. Give them plenty of water to drink.
If the vomiting and diarrhea do not stop, or if your pet loses appetite, stops eating or is lethargic, you must take your pet to the vet immediately.
Also Read: Can Dogs Eat Cake Icing?
Parting Thoughts
Dogs simply love the yummy taste of ginger snaps, and if your dog does eat a small bite, it is not harmful to their health. But too many of these sweet, tasty treats can be bad for your pet.
The ingredients in ginger snaps can upset your pet’s stomach, causing diarrhea and vomiting and feeding them too much can cause serious health problems such as diabetes, weight gain, obesity, pancreatitis, etc. in the long run.