Can Dogs Eat Popcorn – Is Popcorn Bad for Dogs?

Popcorn is a healthy snack for humans. In fact, I love to munch on popcorn while watching some TV or my favorite movie. Often my dog seems interested in what I’m eating and wants a taste of it. But, is popcorn safe for dogs to consume?

The thing is that some common human foods can be toxic to our furry little bundles of joy and can even prove to be fatal. So, it is always a good idea to look up a human food before giving it to our dogs to ensure that it is safe. In this blog post, I’ll answer the question, “Can dogs eat popcorn?” in as much detail as I possibly can. So, let’s get started!

Yes or No: Can Dogs Eat Popcorn?

Yes, dogs can eat popcorn as long as it doesn’t have any additives in it. Although popcorn is nontoxic to dogs, it doesn’t mean that it is entirely safe either. The thing is, popcorn has no nutritional benefits at all for your feline friend, and your dogs gets everything she needs from her dry kibble. So, popcorn isn’t the best thing to feed your dogs.

Also Read: Best Dog Food for Small Dogs – for Your Affordable Pet

Dogs and Popped Corn: What’s the Deal?

The additives you get in the ready-to-make popcorn (especially those that you can make in the microwave) can be potentially toxic to dogs. So, keep that sort of popcorn away from your dog at all cost.

Popcorn which contains butter, salt, garlic, or onion should be kept away from your dogs’s reach, and you should ensure that you have them only if your dog is in the other room. Even small amounts could have an unwanted reaction. Gourmet popcorn isn’t safe for your dogs either.

Caramel, chocolate, or popcorn massively powered with cheese should also be kept away from your dogs. The additives in the ready-to-make popcorn coupled with the artificial flavorings can cause your dog to have a bad reaction and may even cost you your dogs’s life. So, it’s best to keep these away.

What About the Kernels?

The first thing that you need to know is that all the popcorn in your bowl aren’t entirely popped. While it is easier for humans to chew the kernels and the unpopped popcorn, it isn’t the case with puppies. If you are serving your dogs some unsalted and homemade popcorn, you should never feed her the kernels. Following are the risks of doing that:

It is best if you examine a piece of popcorn before giving it to your dogs to make sure that she doesn’t break her teeth.

Also Read: Can Dogs Eat Sunflower Seeds? – Excellent Guides for Beginners

Dogs and Salt

Salted popcorn is the most common one enjoyed by people all over the world. But, you shouldn’t feed them to your dogs! Too much salt in your dogs’s diet can wreak havoc on her system! Excess salt throws a dog’s electrolytes out of balance which leads to a malfunction in their cells. This is known as salt toxicity. Following are some symptoms you should look out for:

Salt toxicity can even kill your dogs within 24 hours if you don’t get her treated on time. Call the vet immediately if you see any of the symptoms. Your vet will start your dog on IV fluids to bring the electrolytes back into balance. So, keep that salted popcorn away from your dog at all costs.

Also Read: Best Dog Bowls – Reviews for Different Breeds

Final Words: Can Dogs Eat Popcorn Without Having Any Problems?

The answer to this is a complicated one. Homemade and unsalted popcorn in moderate quantities is completely fine for your dog to have. On the other hand, the ready-to-make or instant variety is something that can have toxic ingredients which may even cause death. Popcorn ingredients you should keep away from your dogs’s reach include:

Preservatives and additives included in the popcorn are put in keeping humans in mind, not dogs. To protect your dog from having a potentially fatal reaction, it is best to keep them as far away as possible. And, giving kernels to your dog isn’t a good idea either!

I’ve answered another one of your queries! Head over to “ Can Dogs Eat Honeydew ? ” to know the answer! Still, have any questions or concerns? Let me know in the comments section, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!