Do you enjoy eating Korean foods such as kimchi? Has your dog eaten kimchi? Are you worried kimchi could make your dog sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
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In this article, we’ll take a quick look at what kimchi is and whether or not it could make your dog sick. Let’s get started!
What is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a Korean dish, which has been enjoyed by families for thousands of years. This traditional Korean dish was first on the records of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The process of making kimchi involves the pickling or fermenting, of vegetables. This was a great way to preserve foods before the invention of the refrigerator.
Kimchi has a unique flavor and can be used in numerous ways. It’s traditionally made from vegetables (such as cabbage), garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. The dish can be sweet, spicy, or sour. And it can be used as a condiment, an ingredient, a dip, and more.
Kimchi is considered a very healthy dish, which contains many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more. This is a dish that researchers have found also provides a wealth of health benefits. It’s been proven to aid digestion, protect the heart, boost the immune system, and more.
But is kimchi OK for dogs to eat?
Kimchi & Dogs
While this dish is healthy for humans, kimchi can be dangerous to dogs if they eat it in large amounts. This is because kimchi contains certain ingredients that are toxic or bad for dogs. These can include (depending on the recipe used):
- Garlic
- Onions
- Salt
- And more
Kimchi may also be too spicy for dogs. For these reasons, it’s not recommended that your dog eats kimchi. If you accidentally drop a small bit on the floor, and your fur baby swoops in to clean it up, don’t worry. A very small amount of this food will not harm him.
However, if your dog has a larger serving, he could get sick. Kimchi can give a dog stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
These symptoms should be short-lived—no longer than 12-24 hours. If your dog’s symptoms worsen or last longer than 24 hours, then it’s time to call the vet. The reason is that prolonged vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration, while not eating can make your dog weak.
So, try not to let your dog eat kimchi. If he does have a bite, he should be OK in most cases. Just keep an eye on him and contact the vet if you’re worried or your dog develops symptoms that are concerning.
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Julie
Julie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, where she studied Animal science. Though contrary to the opinion of her parents she was meant to study pharmacy, but she was in love with animals especially cats. Julie currently works in an animal research institute (NGO) in California and loves spending quality time with her little cat. She has the passion for making research about animals, how they survive, their way of life among others and publishes it. Julie is also happily married with two kids.
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