Enchiladas are a popular and delicious Mexican dish that many people worldwide adore. Most people love this dish and your pets may also want to get a taste. The smell of meat and seasonings may cause your dog to beg for a bite, but that may not be the best decision. While enchiladas are not necessarily toxic for dogs in small amounts, they’re not the healthiest or safest option either. They often contain ingredients such as garlic, onion, and seasonings, which are potentially toxic.
Read on below to find out more as well as a healthy alternative to feeding your dog enchiladas.
What Are Enchiladas Made Of?
Enchiladas are a popular Mexican dish made of various ingredients to create one delicious meal. They usually contain meat, vegetables, beans, tortillas, cheese, salsa, and sauce. They often come with side ingredients such as rice, guacamole, sour cream, and coriander. Chicken and beef are the top two choices for the filling, and the sauce is commonly made of coriander, garlic, lime juice, and parsley.
- Calories: 389 kcal
- Total fat: 38%
- Total carbohydrate: 16%
- Protein: 34%
- Sodium: 961 mg
- Cholesterol: 66 mg
Are Enchiladas Safe for Dogs to Consume?
As you can see above from the nutritional value of enchiladas, we can conclude that they’re not healthy or safe for dogs to consume. They have very high levels of fat and carbohydrates, while the amount of sodium is close to their daily recommended intake. Plus, they often contain garlic and onions which are toxic to dogs. Overall, enchiladas are not healthy for your dogs and should not be fed to them, even in small amounts. While enchiladas, in general, are not recommended for pet consumption, certain parts of this dish are safe and certain parts are toxic for dogs.
- Tortillas: Safe but without nutritional value
- Meat: Safe only without oils and seasonings and thoroughly cooked
- Some vegetables
- Oils
- Salts
- Spices
- Sauces
- Garlic
- Cheese
What Happens If Your Dog Eats Enchiladas?
If your dog accidentally eats a piece of enchilada or the whole dish, monitor their behavior carefully. A small amount of enchilada shouldn’t harm them considerably but may cause vomiting or loose stool. However, consuming onions and garlic from this Mexican dish can cause illness so contact your veterinarian for advice. If your dog exhibits acute vomiting or diarrhea, seek immediate veterinary attention.
A Safe Alternative to Enchiladas
While enchiladas are not safe for dogs to eat, there are other alternative ways to prepare this dish and make it safe for your pet to consume. If you replace certain ingredients in this dish with dog-safe alternatives, you can create a delicious and healthy meal for your pup to enjoy safely.
- Meat: Make sure to choose lean meat such as turkey breast or lean ground beef.
- Vegetables: Instead of onions and garlic, add carrots, zucchini, or bell peppers.
- Spices: Instead of using spicy and irritating seasonings, use mild herbs or leave them out completely.
- Cheese: Low-fat cheese such as cottage cheese or soft goat cheese.
- Preparation: Instead of frying the enchilada, you can bake it in the oven.
Closing Thoughts
Once learning about the potential risks of feeding your dog enchiladas, you will hopefully be able to resist them begging for a bite. If you really feel like treating your dog to this delicious meal, you can always go for the alternative and make this meal without any salts, oils, or other harmful ingredients, and include only those which are healthy for your dog.
Featured Image Credit: Bartosz Luczak, Shutterstock
