Does your dog stare at you while you snack? But can dogs eat fruit roll ups? Read this guide before sharing this sugary snack with your fur baby.
It’s no secret that fruit roll-ups are full of sugar and food dyes, but are they bad for dogs? How many fruit roll ups can dogs eat? Keep reading this guide to learn more! As a protective pet parent, I will look through all the information and share the most reliable sources to get to the real answers.
Use the table of contents to get to the exact answers to your questions, or read the entire guide.
For ultimate pet safety, I recommend consulting with your vet about all the questions you have about your dog eating fruit roll ups.
What Are Fruit Roll Ups
Created by General Mills, Fruit Roll Ups are a snack marketed to kids. Their boxes describe them as “fruit flavored snacks” and their website calls them, “more than just a candy, Fruit Roll-Ups are an edible piece of art.”
But, what exactly are fruit roll ups?
Well, they are a stretchy sugary snack. The texture resembles really thin sticky taffy. And they come in a variety of bold colors and fruit-inspired flavors. They aren’t marketed as healthy. They are marketed and advertised as being fun and sweet and tasty.
General Mills is constantly coming up with new and different varieties and colors. The original one flavor is “strawberry blast” and you can usually find it at the grocery store.
What Are Fruit Roll Ups Made Of
This answer depends on which flavor you buy. Since the bright red “strawberry blast” flavor is the easiest one to find in the grocery store, let’s look at the ingredients in this one.
According to their website, these are the ingredients in the Strawberry Blast Fruit Roll Ups:
- Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Pear Puree
- Maltodextrin
- Palm and/or Palm Kernel Oil
Contains 2% or less of:
- Citric Acid
- Sodium Citrate
- Monoglycerides
- Fruit Pectin
- Malic Acid
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
- Natural Flavor
- Color (red 40, yellows 5 & 6, blue 1)
Can Dogs Have Fruit Roll Ups
Even though they don’t contain any toxic ingredients, dogs should not eat fruit roll ups. Not only do they have too much sugar in them, but they will get stuck to your dog’s teeth, causing tooth decay and cavities.
Fruit roll ups also contain food dye. Some dogs are allergic to food dyes, others react negatively to them in different ways that aren’t allergies.
It might say they have pear puree in them, but it’s better to give your dog a few bites of a fresh pear than it is to give them some fruit roll ups.
Let’s look closer at the dangers of fruit roll ups for dogs.
No Nutritional Benefit
Don’t let the word “fruit” fool you. They aren’t a healthy snack and don’t offer any nutritional benefit to dogs.
Corn syrup and sugar are the main ingredients in fruit roll ups. If dogs eat too much sugar, it could contribute to health issues in the future. Dogs that eat a lot of sugar are at a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, and pancreatitis.
Fruit snacks like these are not a replacement for real fruit. Dog owners, it’s better to give your dog real fruit puree.
Dangers To Watch For
The sugar, artificial colors, texture, and the wrapper are all potential hazards for your dog.
Too much sugar can negatively affect your dog’s blood sugar levels. It could also make them gain an unhealthy amount of weight and contribute to cavities. Dogs can eat carbs in small amounts, you just have to be mindful about the carbohydrate choices you make for your pet.
And always read the ingredients label. Never give your dog anything that contains xylitol, since it is toxic to dogs.
The texture of this fruity treat is harmful to your dog’s teeth. Sugary snacks like these could get stuck to your dog’s teeth. Then, your poor canine companion could get cavities from it. Even small quantities can harm your furry friends in this way.
The artificial coloring in fruit roll ups could give your dog an upset stomach, too.
And the actual product packaging is dangerous for dogs too.
Fruit roll ups are protected by a thin sheet of food-grade plastic wrap. This prevents it from sticking to itself. Do not let your dog eat the plastic wrapper. The wrapper could cause a gastrointestinal blockage.
What To Do If Your Dog Eats Fruit Roll Ups
If you think your dog ate fruit roll ups, take inventory and try to figure out how much they ate and whether they ate the wrapper with it.
The wrapper is the biggest concern. This is because it could get stuck in your dog’s digestive system. If you think your dog ate the wrapper, watch for signs of gastrointestinal blockage. This will look like refusing to eat, acting lethargic, and vomiting a lot.
Signs of a blockage usually take about 24 hours to show up. Some veterinarians suggest putting a little bit of Metamucil on their food to help them pass it wrapper. But please talk to your veterinarian before trying to treat your dog at home.
How Much Fruit Roll Ups Can Dogs Eat
The best answer is not to give your dog fruit roll ups at all. It has too much sugar and could cause health issues.
Just because it doesn’t contain any toxic ingredients doesn’t mean dogs can eat them. It’s best to keep them away from your dog entirely.
Better Choices
When it comes to your dog’s health, it’s better to make dehydrated fruit leather for them than it is to give them anything with artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup.
Avoid the high sugar content of fruit roll ups and make homemade fruit leather instead. These chewy treats don’t contain and actually do have nutritional value. The fruit flavor is bolder because they are made from real fruit.
Final Thoughts
Pet owners, do not give your dog this fruity snack. Fruit roll ups are not healthy treats and they could negatively affect your pup’s blood sugar levels and even contribute to heart disease. It’s better to give your dog real fruit instead.
More Dog Food Resources
Here are some more articles about more candy and sweets dogs can and can’t eat:
Find lots of articles on food dogs can and can’t eat here on Spoiled Hounds!
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