Can Dogs Eat Skittles? Here’s the Full Safety Breakdown
Tasting the rainbow isn’t as harmless as you’d think
In This Article:
Are Skittles Safe for Dogs? What Are Skittles Made Of? Potential Risks of Skittles Signs Your Dog Has Eaten Skittles What to Do if Your Dog Eats Skittles What if My Dog Eats the Wrapper?
With their bright colors, fruity flavors, and overall sugariness, Skittles may be a go-to treat to brighten your day. Although having them once in a while may be OK for you, Skittles and other candy can be harmful to your dog. Skittles aren’t toxic to dogs, but eating a lot of them can lead to an upset stomach, weight gain, and more. Here’s what you need to know about Skittles and dogs.
Are Skittles safe for dogs?
Technically, Skittles aren’t toxic to dogs, but that doesn’t make them a great treat choice. Although eating a few here and there probably won’t cause severe issues, eating Skittles regularly can contribute to weight gain and obesity, and eating a large amount at once can cause an upset stomach.
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What are Skittles made of?
You guessed it: Skittles are mostly sugar, and of course, corn syrup. Besides that, they also contain various dyes to make them the colors of the rainbow. If you’re looking at sour varieties, there’s also a coating of citric acid to give them a tanginess that tickles the tongue.
Potential risks of feeding Skittles to dogs
We all know it: Eating a lot of sugar is bad. The same is true for our canine companions. Although we may crave the sweetness, Skittles candy doesn’t provide any sort of nutritional benefits. And even though your dog may like the taste, Skittles are unlikely to boost their mood the way that we hope they would.
What makes sugar so bad? Basically, sugar provides plenty of empty calories. When consumed regularly, those calories can contribute to weight gain and obesity. Now, these things are bad in themselves, but they can also contribute to other issues such as diabetes and joint problems. Dogs with diabetes and other health issues shouldn’t have sugar.
One helping of Skittles isn’t going to change your dog’s weight, but that sugar overload can upset the digestive tract. As you can imagine, your dog’s dry kibble doesn’t contain a lot of sugar, so your pup’s system isn’t used to processing it. This can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain that can last a couple of days or more when they do eat sugar.
One more thing, that crisp candy coating makes for a pleasant crunch, but it can also be a choking hazard if your small dog swallows some whole. Meanwhile, eating a bunch of Skittles, with all their colorful dyes, may change the color of your dog’s poop for a little bit, potentially creating some panic.
Signs your dog has eaten Skittles
Of course, the first sign that your dog has eaten Skittles is catching them in the act or finding a chewed wrapper. However, sometimes that wrapper may disappear alongside the candy.
If the Skittles consumption isn’t witnessed, you may find some overly colorful poop the next day. Or you may encounter a pup who doesn’t want to eat that night and stretches out on the floor, moaning. Of course, there may also be some vomiting and diarrhea to clue you in.
If your little dog chose to swallow their Skittles whole, you may find a pup who’s retching, gagging, or pawing at their mouth. If one is really stuck, your pup may even have difficulty breathing. This is a medical emergency, so you should get to a vet as soon as possible.
What to do if your dog eats Skittles
If your dog helps themselves to some Skittles, there probably won’t be any problems. If there’s no immediate concern about choking or eating the wrapper as well, you can monitor them for a few days to make sure any vomiting or diarrhea isn’t too severe.
Speak to your vet immediately if your dog is gagging or choking on Skittles — or the wrapper — or if their post-Skittles consumption leads to vomiting and diarrhea that is severe or doesn’t get better within a few days.
What if my dog eats the Skittles wrapper?
Without the help of opposable thumbs, opening candy wrappers can be difficult for dogs. So, some choose to just eat the whole package of Skittles. If this is the case, contact your veterinarian. Depending on the size of the Skittles package and your dog, your vet may choose to have you monitor them at home, or they may recommend you bring them in.
Bottom line
Their rainbow brightness and variety of colors have made Skittles a popular candy, but they aren’t for sharing when it comes to your dog. Though Skittles aren’t toxic, they can cause vomiting and diarrhea in your dog. If given regularly, the extra empty calories can lead to weight gain and obesity.
FAQs
Can dogs eat sour Skittles?
Sour Skittles contain the same amounts of sugar and corn syrup as regular Skittles, so they are not good for your dog. On top of that, Sour Skittles get their flavor from citric and other acids, which can be especially irritating to the digestive system, potentially increasing the chances of vomiting and diarrhea.
Will Skittles hurt my dog?
Skittles aren’t considered toxic to dogs, but they aren’t good for them either. Eating a lot of Skittles can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain that may last a couple of days. Eating Skittles regularly can also lead to weight gain and obesity, making issues like diabetes and joint problems more likely.
What happens if a dog eats Skittles?
Most of the time, eating Skittles does little more than present some colorful poop the next day. But eating a lot of them can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain, not to mention weight gain if consumed regularly.
Can I give my dog a single Skittle?
If you’re completely overwhelmed by their puppy dog eyes, giving your dog a single Skittle probably won’t cause any problems. However, it doesn’t provide anything good for your dog either. So, focus on giving them treats such as lean, cooked meat or safe fruits and vegetables instead.
