Can Dogs Eat Salsa? Can it Harm Them?

Can a dog eat salsa? Dogs should not eat salsa because it contains ingredients such as garlic and onion powder that are toxic for dogs. Most dogs can tolerate small quantities of salsa, however you won’t know how your dog will react to the potentially harmful ingredients in salsa until it has been digested.

The chili peppers found in most salsas are not toxic to canines, but most dogs won’t like the spiciness and can give them a poorly tummy as their digestive systems are not designed to process spicy foods. Unlike for humans, salsa does not provide any nutritional benefits for dogs, so don’t take the risk and avoid serving it to your dog.

When a dog eats onions it creates thiosulphate ingestion, which most animals are unable to digest. This can then lead to the destruction of red blood cells and vital organs. Bone marrow will work hard to replace the red blood cells with new ones, however the damage caused can make this vital process ineffective. Accumulated toxicity is very serious in dogs.

The first thing to do if you think your dog has gobbled up some of your salsa is not to panic. Remove all traces of salsa away from your dog’s reach to prevent any further harm. If it’s been more than an hour, chances are the salsa has been digested.
Watch your pooch carefully for signs of poisoning or onion toxicity including:

• Vomiting
• Upset stomach
• Breathing problems
• Convulsions
• Drooling
• Pale gums
• Dizziness

Don’t waste time if you think your canine has been poisoned. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you see any of the symptoms listed above and follow their advice. The quicker you act, the more chance your dog has to recover. Don’t be tempted to try and induce vomiting as this can cause your canine friend more harm.

Tortilla chips can be a choking hazard for dogs, so keep them out of a paw’s reach. Make sure you securely seal open bags and keep them in cupboards that are too high for canines to jump to. These types of snacks also contain high levels of fat and salt, which can cause health issues such as obesity in animals.

You may like a squeeze of lime juice in your salsa to give it a zesty kick but did you know that it contains several toxins such as essential oils psoralens that can cause harm to your dog if consumed? Limes have been known to cause canines serious health problems such as liver failure, seizures and even sudden death so it’s important to keep this citrus fruit away from your pet.

Tomatoes are a staple ingredient in salsa but additives are usually included which may cause your dog harm.

Fresh, ripe tomatoes are considered safe and non-toxic, which means you can feed them to your furry friend in moderation as a snack. Green, unripe tomatoes contain the chemicals solanine and tomatine which should be avoided as they can cause tomatine poisoning in rare cases.