Yummy gummy bears!!! Who hasn’t had gummy bears in his or her life? Colorful, chewy, full of flavors. Nowadays you can even find sugar free gummy bears and made out of non animal gelatin to cater for vegetarian and vegans.
Some can even be up to 5lb!!
But, what about dogs? is it safe for dogs to eat gummy bears? will it hurt dogs?
If you haven’t read our post on our home page where we explain what we mean by eat in can dogs eat? we recommend you check it out.
If you don’t want to read the techy stuff, go straight to our conclusion
FAQ
What are gummy bears?
Gummy bears are a German creation, similar to a jelly baby in some English-speaking countries. The gummy bear is one of many gummies, popular gelatin-based candies sold in a variety of shapes and colors.
The traditional gummy bear is made from a mixture of sugar, glucose syrup, starch, flavoring, food coloring, citric acid, and gelatin. However, recipes vary, such as organic candy, those suitable for vegetarians, or those following religious dietary laws.
Haribo, being the 1st company to produce and sell gummy bears, is the market leader. Haribo, according to the Seattle Times,employs 7,000 people worldwide and produces 100 million gummy bears daily at 16 factories in ten countries.
What kind of vitamins and nutrients do dogs need?
A dog’s nutritional needs are different than ours, obviously. However, like us, the right amount and combination of vitamins and nutrients are essential to ensure that dogs are healthy.
Vitamins are organic substances that the body needs to grow naturally. Typically, they are required in dog food in minimal amounts, and vitamin deficiencies can cause many health problems.
The most important vitamins that the dog’s body needs are:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B family
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Choline
Whereas for nutrients, they need:
- Calcium and phosphorus
- Potassium, Sodium, and Chloride
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Zinc
- Copper
- Selenium
For more details information on each of those vitamins’ benefit to your dog read this great article by the national academy of science engineering medicine
Nutritional benefit of gummy bears to a dog’s diet?
So, how good are gummy bears for dogs? Gummy bears are known as being empty calories type of food. Basically, they are composed primarily or solely of sugar, certain fats and oils, or alcohol-containing beverages.
These supply food energy but little to no other nutrition in the way of vitamins, minerals, protein, fibre, or essential fatty acids as you can see in the table below.
However, traditional gummy bears contains an artificial sweetener called xylitol. According to VCA hospitals, Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure, or even death in dogs.
Can dogs eat gummy bears?
No. Gummy bears are toxic to dogs and can be fatal too.
In addition, gummy bears are empty calories food which doesn’t add anything to a healthy dog’s diet.
Even though sugar free and gelatine free gummy bears exist, they too are mostly empty calories type of food.
Realistically, there are no reasons to give gummy bears to your dog.
For a healthy and happy dog make sure you feed him with the right products designed for his breed, age group and general activity and don’t substitute his present nutrition with something else altogether.
Ultimately, your dog health and well-being is very important and rushing him to the vet could not only be heart breaking but also extremely expensive. If you do not have an insurance for your dog, maybe it is worth considering it.
FAQ
1 – Can dogs eat gummy bears? No, gummy bears are toxic to dogs because they contain xylitol and contain no calories. Therefore feeding them gummy bears is pointless and dangerous.
2 – Can dogs eat gummy bears without xylitol? Yes, but they are a calories less type of food, so why feed them to a dog?
3 – Can dogs eat Haribo gummy bears? In this case too, whether Haribo or another brand, you can’t rule out the presence of xylitol. In addition, there are also calorie-less. So don’t feed them to your dog.
4- Can dogs eat nerds gummy clusters? This type of sweet falls in the same category as any gelatin made sweet, which means it has no calorie in them. Also, you can’t exclude the risk of xylitol, so don’t feed them to your dog.
5 – Can my dog eat gummy bears? No, gummy bears are toxic to dogs because they contain xylitol and contain no calories. Therefore feeding them gummy bears is pointless and dangerous.
6 – Can a dog eat gummy bears? No, gummy bears are toxic to dogs because they contain xylitol and contain no calories. Therefore feeding them gummy bears is pointless and dangerous.
7 – Can a dog have a gummy bear? No, gummy bears are toxic to dogs because they contain xylitol and contain no calories. Therefore feeding them gummy bears is pointless and dangerous.
8 – Can dogs eat gummy fruit snacks? They are not only loaded with sugar but also with various sugary syrups, modified corn starch, artificial flavoring, gelatin, and other food that might be considered toxic. Don’t feed them to your dogs.
9 – Can dogs eat trolli gummy worms? Absolutely not! these are loaded with sugar, artificial coloring, gelatine and more. Anything with such colors should ring bells in anyone’s mind!!
10 – Can dogs eat a gummy bear? In this case too, whether Haribo or another brand, you can’t rule out the presence of xylitol. In addition, there are also calorie-less. So don’t feed them to your dog.
11 – Are haribo gummy bears bad for dogs? This type of sweet falls in the same category as any gelatin made sweet, which means it has no calorie in them. Also, you can’t exclude the risk of xylitol, so don’t feed them to your dog.
12 – Can dogs have a gummy bear? No, gummy bears are toxic to dogs because they contain xylitol and contain no calories. Therefore feeding them gummy bears is pointless and dangerous.
13 – Can dogs eat black forest gummy bears? Although black forest’s ingredients are much safer than other brands, there is no reason to feed your dog these sweets.
14 – Can dogs eat gummy lifesavers? Absolutely not! these are loaded with sugar, artificial coloring, gelatine and more. Anything with such colors should ring bells in anyone’s mind!!
15 – Can dogs eat gummy vitamins? Although they are supplements type of food for human, there haven’t been tested on dogs. In this case, your dog shouldn’t be fed such food.
16 – Can a dog eat a jelly bean? Absolutely not! these are loaded with sugar, artificial coloring, gelatine and more. Anything with such colors should ring bells in anyone’s mind!!
17 – Can my dog eat gummy worms? Absolutely not! these are loaded with sugar, artificial coloring, gelatine and more. Anything with such colors should ring bells in anyone’s mind!!
