Ketchup or catsup? Del Monte likes catsup while Heinz prefers ketchup. This is the preferred spelling for most of the U.S.
Ketchup at one time referred to various types of sauces including mushroom ketchup, oyster ketchup, or even walnut ketchup, most modern people know ketchup as specifically tomato ketchup.
Can Dogs Eat Ketchup? Not Recommended
Let’s look at the ingredients and listen to a bottle of Heinz tomato ketchup, America’s favorite ketchup. The first ingredient is tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes. So far so good. Dogs can eat any part of a tomato that isn’t green. Distilled vinegar is next. Vinegar isn’t the best thing to give your dog, but it’s diluted here.
Still, it’s not great for your dog’s pH levels. High fructose corn syrup…uh-oh. That stuff’s not great for people and worse for dogs.
Fido needs to watch his salt intake. A vague listing of “spice” is not encouraging. Onion powder…nope! Onion powder might not be as bad as a full onion but it can still cause tummy trouble, depending on your dog’s weight.
While ketchup may not be the most toxic thing a dog can eat, it has nothing but sugar and empty calories to offer your dog.
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Warning! What Are The Types Or Forms Of Ketchup That Aren’t Dog-friendly?
Heinz and other ketchup manufacturers do make variant recipes along with the classic. Keep in mind, these are made for people, not dogs. Jalapeños are not good for dogs and neither is sriracha or other hot and spicy flavors. Reduced salt and sugar varieties may be healthier choices for people but they still have onion powder.
In fact, many artificial sweeteners may be even worse than sugar for dogs. Xylitol and Xanthan gum are both bad for dogs. Just to be safe, don’t feed your dog things that start with X. Even the healthiest kinds of ketchup have that onion powder that will at best give Fido an upset stomach.
Can Dogs Eat Ketchup Chips?
You like Canadian snacks, eh? Well, sore-y, but dogs can’t eat them. They’re dusted with not only tomato powder but garlic and onion. This is not good for your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Eggs With Ketchup?
Eggs that are fully cooked with no salt, pepper, cream or butter are recommended convalescent food for a dog or cat who is sick or recovering from a mouth injury. Some professional show and racing animals are given eggs to make their coats nice and shiny and to develop their muscles.
Eggs are a great source of protein, amino acids, riboflavin, and selenium. Ketchup, however, is not needed.
Related Reading: 31 Dog Food Recipes With Eggs
Can Dogs Eat French Fries With Ketchup?
Our British friends call them chips and eat them with fish where Americans eat them with hamburgers. With take-out meals becoming more popular. particularly for those working from home, french fries, or tater tots with ketchup are a common thing to find in most homes.
But make sure Fido doesn’t get into your take out bag. The salty fries really aren’t good for your dog and neither is the onion powder in the ketchup.
Under no circumstances should your dog have onion rings.
Can Dogs Eat Mustard?
“Mustard? Don’t let’s be silly!” said the Mad Hatter in Disney’s take on Alice in Wonderland. He was talking about fixing a watch but it applies to your dog as well. The toxic compounds in mustard seeds can give your dog a nasty case of gastroenteritis.
Can Dogs Eat Mayonnaise?
Mayonnaise is mostly egg yolk, which can be fine for a dog if not overdone. However, mayonnaise has a lot of fatty oils in it too. This is not good for your dog. Skip it.
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What To Look For When Giving Ketchup To Your Dog?
You’ll have the devil’s time finding ketchup that doesn’t have onion powder in it.
While we’re at it, let’s talk about some other ingredients your dog should not have.
Ingredients To Avoid
- Xylitol: This is a sugar substitute made from corn fiber, birch trees, hardwood trees, and other vegetable material. However, it is extremely toxic to dogs. The smallest amount can cause hypoglycemia, seizures, liver failure, or even death.
- Stevia: This is a sweetener derived from the stevia plant. It is mostly harmless. However, a large amount can cause diarrhea. Dogs really do not need any sweeteners anyway.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic (like onions, leeks, shallots, and anything else in the allium genius) is highly toxic for dogs. All it takes is fifteen to thirty grams of garlic per kilogram of body weight to poison a dog.
- Paprika: Paprika is often used to enhance the flavor of foods. However, it has been known to cause eye and skin irritation in dogs as well as stomach problems. It’s one more thing Fido doesn’t need.
- Grapes: Grapes, raisins, and anything made with grapes are toxic for dogs. The reason for this requires more research but it is known to cause kidney failure.
- Bacon: Dogs go crazy for the smell of bacon. However, it does have a lot of salt and fat that isn’t good for Fido. There are bacon-flavored treats you can give your dog instead. Make real bacon a rare treat.
Read To Learn: 26 Easy Bacon Treat Recipes For Dogs
The Peril Of Ketchup Packets
Some fast food places will throw a couple of ketchup packets in the bag. Leaving those things around where a curious dog might chomp down on one is a bad idea. As if eating onion powder laced ketchup isn’t bad enough, swallowing scraps of plastic along with it is even worse.
If your dog has swallowed something not meant to be a food you should give him some mineral oil to help him pass it. If the plastic hasn’t come out in a couple of days you should take your dog to a vet.
Does Ketchup Have Any Nutritional Value To Your Dog?
Let’s say you hit the jackpot and found ketchup that does not have onion powder as an ingredient. Or maybe you like to experiment in the kitchen and make your own ketchup and skip the onions and garlic.
Ripe tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which strengthens bones and lowers the risk of stroke and heart disease. Vitamins A and C are good for your dog. However, even without onion powder, the other ingredients in ketchup have little nutritional value.
Give your dog a slice of ripe, red tomato instead to get the lycopene and other vitamins and minerals.
Check: Can Dogs Eat Dates?
What Happens If Your Dog Already Ate Ketchup?
Most ketchup manufacturers pride themselves on using only ripe tomatoes in their recipes and there’s maybe a one in a million chance you’ll get something with a bit of tomato leaf or vine in it. Therefore, it is highly unlikely your dog will suffer tomatine poisoning. There usually is not a lot of onion powder in a small dab of ketchup.
Maybe he’ll vomit it up later. If you have a big dog, a little lick of ketchup may not affect him at all. Some dogs can handle it better than others, depending on size.
If your dog seems anemic, is constantly vomiting, has diarrhea, loss of appetite, or can’t stop drooling you should see a veterinarian.
Are You Going To Offer Ketchup To Your Doggy?
Don’t. In the manga Beastars, there is a character named Jack who is an anthropomorphic labrador who tries to commit suicide by eating onions. In real life, all it takes is one hundred grams of onion per twenty kilograms of dog’s weight to kill a dog.
It’s very difficult to find ketchup with no onion powder. Onion powder isn’t quite as deadly as full onions but it can give your dog stomach troubles including vomiting and diarrhea. Even if you make your own, most of the other ingredients have nothing to offer your dog.
Some dog foods do have tomato paste or powder as an ingredient for color, flavor, and vitamins. This by itself is not bad for a dog. If your dog wants to eat tomatoes only give him ripe, red ones and not the vine or leaves. You love Fido, so make sure Fido only eats what’s good for him.
Did you find what you were looking for in this article? If you do give your dogs a little bit of “people food” take care to make sure there are no onions or garlic. The powdered form may not be fatal but it can cause an upset stomach. Ketchup takes out a lot of the good parts of tomatoes and replaces them with salt and sugar.
There are healthier alternatives made with less salt and sugar and even some with more vegetables but as long as one of those ingredients is onion or garlic, Fido does not need it.
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