Easter is coming and that means Peeps are hitting store shelves. And while we love those bunny and chick marshmallows, they aren’t necessarily for dogs and their Easter basket.
But what about regular marshmallows? Whether we are talking about throwing them into a cup of hot cocoa or setting them ablaze over an open fire, there is something special about this fluffy bits of deliciousness. And yet, that still doesn’t necessarily mean they are a dog safe treat.
So of course, we wanted to know whether or not our dogs can actually eat a marshmallow safely (just in case).
Are dogs able to eat marshmallows safely?
According to the American Kennel Club, the reality is that marshmallows are actually not a dog safe treat. While not every marshmallow will be toxic, they are still chock full of ingredients that our dogs shouldn’t be eating to begin with.
But, it is especially important to pay attention to what happens to any marshmallow that may fall on the floor because some of them contain xylitol, an artificial sugar which known to be toxic to our dogs. Even when ingested in very small quantities, xylitol can wreak havoc on our pup’s health.
Even if marshmallows do not contain xylitol, they can still be problematic. In fact, according to two separate veterinarians, “eating too many can lead to gastrointestinal upset. Your pup would likely exhibit signs of vomiting, lack of appetite, and diarrhea.” And in many cases, these are the same symptoms that a dog who ingests a marshmallow with xylitol may exhibit.
At the end of the day, just because we may enjoy something that doesn’t mean that our dogs can. And in this case, the treat we love but our dogs can’t have is the fluffy marshmallow. (It may not be that surprising, but it is always good to know what our dogs should avoid.)