Can Dogs Eat Goldfish Crackers? What You Need to Know!

If your dog is like most, they are not picky when it comes to food. Dogs will eat just about anything that they can get their paws on, whether it is good for them or not. Your kids love those goldfish crackers that you keep in the cupboard, and chances are that your pooch loves them just as much. But the question is, are goldfish crackers good for dogs? Is this a food that they should eat at any time?

When considering whether or not dogs can eat Goldfish Crackers, the answer is not a simple yes or no. In truth, dogs probably should not eat goldfish crackers because they simply do not need the nutrition that is found within them. However, giving your pooch a goldfish cracker or two on occasion will likely not cause any harm if there are not any health conditions to worry about. The choice to feed your dog a goldfish cracker here and there is up to you and your veterinarian. But before making any decisions, you should learn everything you need to know about dogs and goldfish crackers below.

Goldfish Crackers: Here Is What They Are Made Of

Before deciding whether to feed any goldfish crackers to your dog, it is a good idea to know exactly what they are made of, so you can understand how the ingredients might affect their health. Here are the ingredients you should know about.

Enriched Wheat

The predominant ingredient in goldfish crackers is enriched wheat, which is not toxic to dogs but is certainly not healthy for them. If your pooch is going to eat carbohydrates, which is important for energy, they should eat them in form of healthy fruits and vegetables. Too many empty carbs made of enriched wheat can result in problems like diabetes and obesity in the long run. Also, dogs do not tend to digest grains well.

Cheddar Cheese

Cheese is a decent source of protein, and dogs love the flavor. Cheese also contains important nutrients like calcium and vitamin B that can benefit your pooch’s health. However, it also contains fat, which is not good for dogs, so it should not be provided as a regular part of your dog’s diet. However, some cheddar cheese is an acceptable snack even when it is in powder form, like the stuff that goldfish crackers are made of.

Vegetable Oils

Dogs never need any extra oil added to their diet to maintain good health. They get all the fatty acids they need from the balanced commercial food that you feed them. Unfortunately, oils made from things like canola, sunflower, and soybean are included in the ingredients list of goldfish crackers. This is one big reason that your pooch should not eat goldfish crackers regularly.

Salt and Onion Powder

Other troublesome ingredients found in goldfish crackers include salt and onion powder. Salt can be toxic to dogs if too much is eaten and can result in vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and even seizures. Luckily, salt is one of the last ingredients on the list. Still, the salt content gives you one more reason to offer your pooch goldfish crackers sparingly.

Onion powder is also concerning because it can cause serious problems in dogs, such as lethargy, weakness, jaundice, difficulty breathing, and even death. Like the salt, garlic powder is low on the ingredients list, which means that little is used. A goldfish cracker or two will likely not hurt, but a handful could.

So, Should Dogs Eat Goldfish Crackers or Not?

The bottom line is that it is best if your dog skips the goldfish crackers and sticks with fruits, veggies, and commercial treats for snacks. However, if you just cannot resist sharing those goldfish crackers with your furry family member, keep it to just one or two and they should not experience any adverse side effects.

Conclusion

Now that you know all about what is in goldfish crackers and how the ingredients could affect your pooch, you can have peace of mind in knowing that you are making an educated decision when deciding whether to let your dog eat Goldfish Crackers. While we think that there are plenty of other awesome snack options to choose from, there is no reason to feel bad about sneaking a couple to your dog occasionally. How do you feel about feeding your dog snacks like goldfish crackers? We want to read about your thoughts in our comments section below.