Can Dogs Eat Chili or Is It Bad For Them? Here’s the Answer
Alex Vicente • Updated on August 1, 2023
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- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
I am a dog lover and I often wonder if my dogs can eat chili and other spicy food.
I know that some pet owners are under the impression that chili peppers can be harmful to animals, but is this true? Is it safe for my dog to consume these things or will they make it ill? Can their taste buds even taste it?
This article will look at the possible dangers of feeding your dog chili peppers and answer the question “Can dogs eat chili?”.
Please always consult with a vet if your dog has an adverse reaction to any kind of spicy food.
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- The Best Harness for a French Bulldog: Everything You Need To Know
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Table of Contents
What is chili and what effects can it have on dogs?
Chili contains a compound called capsaicin. The compound is the chemical responsible for the bold taste and spicy heat of chili peppers.
There has been some concern that this compound, capsaicin, can upset your dog’s stomach because it can irritate their intestinal tract. Size and age play a role in whether or not your dog can comfortably eat chili without any negative side effects.
Smaller dogs, such as Yorkies and Maltese do not have the enzyme necessary to digest capsaicin; therefore they should be served plain meat or plain bread with cheese and apple sauce instead of chili or even mildly spicy foods.
If you’re worried about how much chili is safe for your dog’s digestive system, start off by feeding just one cube of regular beef or chicken chili.
If your dog has had no adverse reaction within six hours then you can gradually increase the portion size of the chili cubes. This process should take approximately three days to complete. If there are any problems, discontinue feeding the chili and contact your vet right away for advice.
Dogs that are old or have preexisting medical conditions may not be able to consume chili in any form without suffering from abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or lack of appetite as a result of capsaicin irritating their intestinal lining.
If your household typically consumes spicy foods, it’s best to keep your dog safe by using a mild, plain meat sauce as opposed to an extremely hot variety just in case they decide to lick their bowl clean. You can always feed your dog plain meat with or without egg crackers as an alternative to chili.
The high levels of heat in chili can cause health issues for dogs such as stomach problems and pain, gas and can irritate the intestines which could result in vomiting.
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Is it bad for dogs to eat chili?
This is a common question as many people believe that chili is too spicy and can be harmful to their dog. It is important to know that certain human foods like chili peppers won’t automatically harm your dog if they eat them, but there are certain brands of chilies that can be harmful.
If you do not want your dog eating chilies, make sure you get high-quality brands and monitor them so they don’t sneak any.
What Brands of Chili are Safe For My Dog?
The following are some high-quality brands of chilies that should be safe for your dog to eat: Chipotle, Hainan, Holy Krazy, Lazy Housewife, McClary Bros.
How many chilies Can My Dog Eat?
It is important to note that you should never give your dog an unmeasured amount of chili as this can cause them great damage.
You can feed your dog a couple of chili peppers at a time and monitor them to see how they react, but do not overfeed them strictly because of the capsaicin in chilies which produces the burning sensation and irritation in contact with mucus membranes and eyes.
What Else Should I Know About Giving Chili to Dogs?
There are certain things you will want to know about feeding dogs chilies:
- Chilies are NOT good for dogs if they have an ulcer.
- There is a difference between fresh chilies and dried chilies, so make sure you know which one you are feeding when purchasing them.
- Dogs can eat raw or cooked chilies.
Dog owners should be careful about giving their dog chili since it can cause irritation of the stomach lining if your dog eats too many of them at once or has any other health issues such as gastritis/ulcers/ esophagitis and intestinal problems.
If this happens, you will want to take your dog to the vet immediately. The temperature of the chili pepper also makes a big difference in how harmful it is to your dog’s stomach lining – hotter ones can do more damage than others.
Some dogs are very sensitive to chili so make sure you feed them a little at first. Watch your dog for any sign of discomfort and stop feeding them chili if they show signs of gastrointestinal upset.
If your dog does not have an upset stomach from eating chilies, you can give him some every once in a while as long as they don’t seem to be allergic or have other health problems that would cause a reaction such as stomach ulcers or intestinal problems.
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What if my dog ate raw chili pepper?
There are many different ways to go about this, but below are a few easy steps that can be taken.
First of all, get the dog to vomit up the chili pepper if possible.
Combine 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide with 2 tablespoons of water and give it back to your dog with some food in order to cause vomiting. If necessary, use a syringe or turkey baster to force out as much stomach contents as possible until free of any signs from administering these techniques.
Proceed by rubbing their tummy firmly in order for them to release any more fluids. To do this, rub their abdomen in a circular motion and keep doing so until they vomit again.
The dog will probably start to get itchy skin or irritated eyes after consuming chili peppers. These symptoms usually occur when the body’s blood pressure increases in response to the chilies’ themselves entering the body.
Studies have shown that eating more than half of large chili pepper can cause these symptoms and even prove to be fatal for dogs if left untreated.
Therefore, it is very important that you take the proper steps to get rid of any side effects before they can become dangerous.
What are other signs my dog has eaten chili?
Aside from having an upset stomach because they ate too much of them, dogs can eat chilies and be okay.
However, a dog’s vision can be blurred and they can have increased heart rate or blood pressure. It is possible for dogs to eat chilies and not die, but toxic effects will still occur.
And even though it may not be fatal, it is very important that you take care of your dog right away in order to avoid any long-term side effects from occurring later on.
Will eating one chili kill my dog?
If your dog eats just one chili pepper out of the whole bunch, then chances are they will pass it naturally because they usually only contain about 100 mg of capsaicin per pepper (Capsicum) which is a chemical responsible for creating spice in chili peppers.
The next time you go shopping, you should make sure to avoid any chilies that have holes in them because this can cause problems when eaten.
However, if your dog has eaten more than one chili pepper then this can be very dangerous and cause stomach problems.
If they eat a large number of chilies since they are known to accumulate capsaicin in the membrane surrounding the seeds, thorns, or stems of chili peppers, then we need to give them some Gatorade or Pedialyte right away so their body can rehydrate itself.
Or serve it with water and food before it gets worse. It’s important that you don’t use milk which is often given out in order to calm upset stomachs. This will only cause more harm to dogs.
How long will it be before the chili pepper’s effect wears off?
You should expect your dog to have a stomachache for about 3 days depending on how much of this they ate and what kind of dog they are.
However, if you notice that their symptoms persist even after 3 full days then take them in to see the vet right away!
This is very important because dogs can eat chilies and still die from eating too many of them or could get dehydrated due to losing fluid through vomiting. So it’s best to watch over them until all side effects disappear completely.
Can my dog eat chili with beans?
It depends. If the dog really likes beans and doesn’t have an aversion to peppers, then it’s fine for them to eat some chili with beans every now and again. But if your dog has a strong dislike of beans, peppers, or both, you’ll need to rethink this idea before serving any kind of chili with them at all or adding any of it to your dog’s diet.
In summary
The answer to the question of whether or not dogs can eat chili peppers is a mixed bag and feeding dogs spicy food may not be worth it.
It all depends on if your dog likes them, how many they’ve eaten, and what kind of dog they are. Most cases show that it’s safe for dogs to consume some chilies every now and then because generally, just one pepper won’t cause any serious harm.
However, if you notice signs such as excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, or even long-term side effects after 3 days post-ingestion, take your pup in to see the vet right away!
Dogs can definitely taste chilies but most likely don’t like them so make sure you know this before feeding them anything with chili beans (especially those who have an aversion).
If you’re unsure about whether or not your pup can eat chili peppers, the safe bet is to give small quantities or just not give them any. And of course, always check the ingredients before you buy anything for your dog’s safety!