Can Dogs Eat Captain Crunch? Vet-Reviewed Advice
By Adam Mann
Updated on
If you have a dog, you know how it feels when they’re begging you for food or when they get into something when you’re not around. But should you feed them Captain Crunch if they want it, and what should you do if your dog got into some while you were away?
You shouldn’t feed your dog Captain Crunch, but if they happen to get into some, it’s usually not a big deal. But why is that the case, and what else do you need to know? We’ll break it all down for you below.
The 5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Feed Your Dog Captain Crunch
You shouldn’t feed your dog Captain Crunch for a variety of reasons. We’ve highlighted five of the most significant reasons you shouldn’t feed your dog Captain Crunch for you here:
1. Sugar
Captain Crunch contains a ton of sugar, and all this extra sugar isn’t good for your pup. There aren’t many negative ingredients in Captain Crunch, but sugar is by far the most detrimental for your dog, and this cereal has a lot of it. In a serving of Captain Crunch Original (38g), there is 17g of sugar. High sugar treats can contribute to obesity in our dogs, which in turn increases the dog’s likelihood of getting arthritis, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer.
2. Food Additives and Colourings
Captain Crunch contains Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 food colourings. Neither of these are thought to be toxic to dogs (at this dose) but as dogs don’t see color the same way we do, it is certainly an unnecessary addition to their diets. Other varieties of Captain Crunch contain even more colourings and preservatives, so all flavors are really best avoided.
3. Choking Hazard
In small and toy breeds, Captain Crunch could pose a small risk as a choking hazard to your dog. The peanut butter and “berry” varieties contain round balls of cereal that could cause problems in smaller dogs, especially if they are eating too fast.
4. Food Allergies
Captain Crunch contains ingredients like wheat and dairy, and some dogs have a food intolerance to those ingredients. This isn’t an issue that affects every dog, but it does affect quite a few, and you might not know if yours will be one of them. Signs that your dog has an intolerance to a particular food usually include loose stools, vomiting and lack of appetite following the ingestion of the offending food.
5. Limited Nutritional Value
When you feed your dog, they should get something out of it. But when you feed your dog Captain Crunch, there’s very limited nutritional value. Your dog doesn’t get anything beneficial from Captain Crunch, so there’s no reason to give it to them at all.
What to Do if Your Dog Eats Captain Crunch
While we don’t recommend feeding your dog Captain Crunch because of the reasons we highlighted above, that doesn’t mean you need to rush them to the vet or take any other drastic measures if they eat some.
Most of the time, when your dog eats some Captain Crunch, you don’t need to do anything. That’s because most of the negative side effects from eating Captain Crunch only happen if your dog continues to eat Captain Crunch for an extended period.
You should keep an eye on your pup to see if they get sick, but if they don’t start displaying any negative signs, you don’t need to do anything. However, if your pup gets sick, we recommend taking them to the vet so they can give them the necessary medication.
Final Thoughts
If you want to give your dog a treat, don’t give them Captain Crunch. While it’s not toxic, you can find so many better, healthier options for your pup. Your dog relies on you to keep them safe and feed them a nutritious and balanced diet as well as healthy treats and Captain Crunch simply isn’t the best option.
Featured Image Credit: P Maxwell Photography, Shutterstock
