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Not all snacks are good for our canine companions. That’s why it’s so important to check before ever giving your pet a new food. When it comes to an ordinary candy like a lollipop, though, you might wonder if giving your dog a lick or two is okay. Or perhaps they got into your candy stash and downed a few crunchy lollies on their own accord.
Regardless, lollipops are not necessarily problematic in tiny quantities. However, if your dog eats the lollipop stick or the candy part contains certain ingredients, a vet trip might be required.
Can Dogs Eat Lollipops?
No. Dogs shouldn’t eat lollipops.
That said, assuming that this isn’t a life-threatening circumstance, we want you to know that if your dog ate a lollipop, it generally won’t hurt them. But that statement is only true if your pup ate the candy, not the stick, and if it contains no toxic ingredients.
If you’re holding your lollipop and your dog takes a lick, it’s probably not going to hurt them. After all, these candies are comprised of mostly sugar and artificial flavor; there’s not much else to them.
Don’t Wait During an Emergency
Remember that this article is not a substitute for medical advice. If you think your dog has eaten a lollipop and you’re concerned with the ingredients or material that they consumed, get them to your vet right away.
Some lollipops contain ingredients that can be irritating or even detrimental to our canine friends. The paper or plastic sticks might get lodged in their throat, gut, or bowels, causing an emergency situation. The sooner you seek treatment, the better. You must get them the help that they need right away rather than delay the process and regret it later.
If they just ate a piece of the candy and you saw the entire thing, they will likely be okay. However, a toxic artificial sweetener in lollipops and other candies called xylitol can be problematic for our canine friends.
As long as you’ve swept the ingredients and verified that nothing is eminently toxic, you can look for alternative answers. If you have any doubts, though, get to your vet quickly.
If you need to speak with a vet but can’t get to one, head over to PangoVet. It’s an online service where you can talk to a vet online and get the personalized advice you need for your pet — all at an affordable price!
Traditional Lollipop Ingredients
We chose one of the most popular lollipops available on the market to gauge exactly what’s in this candy. Here’s a further look at one of the most popular lollipops, the Dum Dum.
- Sugar
- Corn syrup
- Citric acid
- Malic acid
- Salt
- Artificial flavor
- Color added (Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1)
None of these ingredients will kill your dog immediately, but they can impact their overall system. Some dogs can also be sensitive to artificial dyes.
Dangers of Lollipops
If you think your dog swallowed a lollipop stick, it’s best to visit the vet quickly. If your dog ate it whole, it could lead to a bowel obstruction, which can be awful news for your dog. So it’s always best to be safe rather than sorry.
Even though the ingredient composition of lollipops doesn’t normally pose any toxic risk, that doesn’t mean there aren’t problems with dogs eating them. Here are some things to consider.
Toxic Xylitol
Unfortunately, we can eat xylitol with no problem, but our dogs have major issues with it. This is an artificial sweetener that’s used in many different candies and sweets. It’s highly toxic to many domestic animals. You can use this website the Preventive Vet website to look up a lollipop brand to see if its product contains xylitol. Since it is so toxic, ingestion is considered an emergency. If your pup consumed a product containing xylitol, get them to your veterinarian right away.
Choking Hazard
Clearly, one of the biggest concerns when a dog is eating lollipops is that they’ll swallow the stick. That’s why letting your dog chew on this hard candy is never good. You might think they’ll dissolve the stick or otherwise be unaffected, but it can pose a significant choking hazard.
Just as you wouldn’t let a small child chew on a stick, you should not allow your dog access to it either. It can easily lodge in the throat, causing choking, airway obstructions, and even bowel blockages.
If any of these things happen, it can be detrimental for your dog, not to mention rack up expensive vet bills.
Too Much Sugar
Even though a bit of sugar won’t hurt your dog, a large amount of sugar in their diet can. Too much sugar can do lots of things to our canine companions, such as lead to obesity and issues like diabetes.
Realistically, dogs shouldn’t have anything outside of their normal diet, especially not sugary people foods. Our responsibility as owners is to ensure that our dogs stay as safe as possible. This includes providing the proper diet and ensuring that their health is on a good path. Too much sugar can not only cause specific health issues like diabetes and obesity, but it can also lead to dental problems and tooth decay.
Homemade Pup Pop Recipes
Rather than giving your pup lollipops that are made for humans, you can try a couple of homemade recipes to provide them with their very own lollipops—or rather, popsicles—when it’s treat time. Here are a few yummy ideas.
Frozen Pup Pops by This ‘N That With Olivia
- Banana
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Smooth peanut butter
- Honey
This frozen treat is a pop your pup can enjoy! You simply whip up this concoction and freeze it, so you can get one out anytime to serve it to your pet. Of course, we recommend only doing so in moderation.
Pupsicles by Live Eat Learn
- Banana
- Nonfat unsweetened yogurt
- Unsweetened peanut butter
This is a yummy pet popsicle idea to cool your pal off on a summer day. These treats consist of only three ingredients, all healthy for your pup in moderation. You can use carrots, celery, or dog biscuits in place of the stick for freezing.
Final Thoughts
Lollipops for humans just aren’t good for our pups. They’re full of sugar and other potentially harmful ingredients that might not agree with our dogs’ stomachs. There’s really no way to avoid this.
However, if your pup got a hold of a lollipop, the choking hazard or bowel obstruction threat alone is worse than having extra sugar. So, always take your dog to the vet immediately if you suspect they might have swallowed a lollipop stick or eaten a toxic ingredient.
Featured Image Credit: Anastasia_Makarevich, Pixabay
