Are hot dogs safe for our dog to eat?

Summer is nearly upon us and if there is one thing we can count on, it is that barbecues and cookouts are going to happen. And one item that always seems to be on the menu during the summer is hot dogs.

All things considered, we love a good hot dog and we especially love a good hot dog off the grill. But as pet parents, we already know that there are plenty of things that our dogs need to avoid when it comes to those summer cookouts. The real question is are hot dogs one of the things that our furry friends need to avoid.

Can our dogs actually eat hot dogs? Here's what you need to know.

Hot Dogs are not good for dogs to eat for a number of reasons

Unfortunately for Fido, they will have to skip on the hot dogs this summer. While a single bite really won't hurt them, it could upset their stomach. And a full hot dog is problematic for a few different reasons.

One thing we really have to pay attention to when it comes to the meats that we are feeding our pets, is the salt content. And hot dogs actually have a lot of salt in them. Not only that, but as The Wildest points out hot dogs, "often contain ingredients that are unhealthy or may even be toxic to dogs."

While there are some things that could make a hot dog a decent choice for dogs, including the fats and protein, the reality is that there are more negatives to the hot dog than there are positives. Many hot dog brands use onion and garlic in their meat mix, and we already know that both of these flavor enhancers are bad for our dogs.

Although there any number of brands of hot dogs on the market, that does not negate the fact that at the very least, the salt content of a hot dog is bad for our dogs to ingest. And depending on the brand and the way they flavor the meat filling, there can be any number of other ingredients and seasonings that our pups should be avoiding.

That being said, a single piece of hot dog is unlikely to cause too many issues in a larger dog, but smaller dogs should definitely avoid even a smaller piece of this particular meat.

Are you at all surprised that hot dogs are a no for our pups?