Safe Snacking: Can Dogs Eat Hummus?
Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip that has gained popularity in Europe and North America in recent years. It comes in many different flavors. It is a food that many people love because of its amazing taste and superfood quality!
That’s right, hummus is great for us to eat! It is rich in protein, vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and more! Hummus can easily be included as part of a healthy diet for humans, but can the same be said for dogs?
Dogs love to eat what their humans eat. Sometimes, our food is perfectly acceptable for them to try and enjoy. Other times, our food is unhealthy, dangerous, and not to be consumed by our furry friends.
In this article, we will discuss what category hummus falls into. So, if this is of interest to you, then read on for more!
Can Dogs Eat Hummus?
Unfortunately, no. Dogs are not able to eat hummus. This is because there are some ingredients in hummus that are deemed toxic for dogs, so it is better avoided.
Hummus is typically made from the following:
- Chickpeas
- Olive oil
- Tahini
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Salt
In general, dogs should avoid eating salty foods. However, the main issues with hummus do not lie with its salt content, but with lemon juice and garlic. Let’s check this out in further detail!
Garlic
Garlic is very toxic for dogs, and they should avoid consuming it altogether. This includes any form of garlic, including dried, raw, cooked, or powdered. It is poisonous for them, and in large amounts, it could be fatal.
For dogs, consuming garlic has the potential to damage their red blood cells. Once their red blood cells are damaged, they are not able to carry oxygen.
Additionally, their red blood cell count will be reduced and they may be at risk of developing anemia. If your dog develops severe anemia, then they are more at risk of organ failure, organ damage, or in extreme cases, death.
If your dog consumes garlic, then you need to be on the lookout for signs of garlic poisoning. Symptoms can include:
- Vomiting
- Elevated heart rate
- Diarrhea
- Brown or red urine
- Excessive salivation
- Nausea
- Weakness
- No muscle coordination
- Collapse
- Pale gums
If your dog has garlic poisoning, then it may not show symptoms for a few days. So, if your dog eats garlic, then it is best to keep a close eye on them for a few days to ensure symptoms do not show up suddenly.
Lemon Juice
As well as garlic proving toxic to dogs, lemon juice also proves problematic. The acid content in citric juices is too much for dogs, and it can cause discomfort or abdominal pain for them.
Is There A Safe Alternative To Hummus?
Instead of giving your dog hummus, you can try giving them chickpeas! Chickpeas are the main ingredient in hummus, and they are great for dogs to eat without all of the nasty things in hummus that would hurt them.
Dogs can even feel a benefit from eating chickpeas thanks to their nutritional value!
Chickpeas are a great source of protein. They are inexpensive, and dogs can happily snack on them without the fear of getting sick.
Chickpeas are high in fiber so they will be able to help a dog’s digestive system. They are great at helping constipated dogs, too!
But that’s not all! Chickpeas contain vitamins A, B, and C, lecithin, and potassium! Lecithin is helpful for stimulating learning abilities and memory in dogs, so this is a perfect snack to give your dog during training.
If you want your dog to have a proper metabolism, then they are going to need to eat a lot of vitamins. Additionally, dogs need to eat potassium because it helps with the proper functioning of a dog’s digestive system, kidneys, muscles, and heart.
The best way to give your dog chickpeas is to cook them! Once cooked, you can choose between mashing them and mixing them in with your dog’s regular food, or giving them mashed chickpeas on their own as a healthy snack.
Alternatively, you can make your dog some homemade hummus, and alter the recipe to avoid lemon juice, salt, and most importantly, garlic! This will make it safe for your dog to consume.
Can My Dog Eat Other Flavors Of Hummus?
Another popular flavor of hummus is red pepper. Red pepper hummus is great because it contains Vitamin C, which is important in promoting a healthy immune system for your dog.
However, just like with ordinary hummus, if the red pepper, or any other flavor, of hummus, contains lemon juice and garlic, then it is not suitable for dogs.
And, it is important to note that just because some foods have great health benefits, it does not mean they will be suitable for all dogs. Just like people, some dogs are intolerant to pepper.
So, if this is the case with your dog, then they will not be able to have red pepper hummus even if the hummus in question does not contain any garlic or lemon juice.
It is best to make your own hummus to feed to your dog if you want to be extra safe.
What Should I Do If My Dog Has Eaten Hummus?
If your dog has accidentally consumed hummus, the first thing you need to do is not panic. Next, your main priority is working out how much hummus your dog has eaten. If it is a small amount, then your dog should be fine.
However if your dog has eaten a large amount of hummus, then you should act quickly. You need to contact your veterinarian straight away.
It is important to remember that garlic poisoning may not be evident for a few days, but it is still important to get your dog checked out as soon as possible.
Then, you need to keep an eye on your dog for a few days to make sure they are okay. It will also be helpful in the future to keep your hummus away from your dog, to prevent this from happening in the future.
Final Thoughts
Hummus is a healthy food for humans with a lot of nutritional benefits and an even better taste. However, this superfood is not typically suitable for dogs.
While its main ingredient, chickpeas, is great for dogs, other ingredients in hummus like garlic and lemon juice are far from suitable. These ingredients are actually dangerous to dogs, particularly garlic, and should be avoided.
If you want to feed hummus to your dog, it is better to serve them homemade hummus that does not contain any ingredients that are toxic to them.
