While you’re sitting on your couch enjoying a bowl of popcorn, you might be tempted to toss a few pieces to your dog. Before popping this snack food over, learn about some of the risks associated with giving your dog popcorn.
If you’re like many pet owners, then you want to do everything possible to keep your dog healthy. Giving snacks that can be harmful to the digestive tract can lead to illnesses and obstructions. There are a few factors that you need to think about before you decide to give your dog popcorn. One is the way that it’s prepared. Another is the way that it’s seasoned and served to your dog.
Popcorn is usually considered healthy for people as well as dogs as long as it’s made in an air popper and doesn’t have any salt or butter added. There is a high amount of fiber in popcorn that is beneficial for your dog’s digestive tract. Popcorn also contains higher amounts of iron and protein than some other foods that you could give. While the nutrients in popcorn usually won’t take the place of dog food, they aren’t harmful to your dog.
If you can’t resist the sad eyes of your dog, then it’s best to air pop the kernels. Make sure you don’t give your dog any unpopped pieces or pieces that have small amounts of the kernel left. Avoid giving your dog popcorn that has a lot of additives, such as sugar or the theater butter that you might like to enjoy as these toppings can impact your dog’s overall health. Try to break pieces of the popcorn off that are completely popped to aid in preventing choking. Monitor your dog at all times while giving popcorn to ensure that pieces don’t get lodged in your dog’s throat.
