Has your dog eaten some Lucky Charms? Are you worried the Lucky Charms could make your dog sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. It can be scary when your dog eats something, and you’re not sure if it will make him sick or not.
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In this article, we’ll take a look at Lucky Charms and whether or not they can make your dog sick. Let’s get started!
What is Lucky Charms?
Lucky Charms is an American breakfast cereal, which has been made by General Mills since about 1964. The cereal has been a favorite of many kids over the years! This is probably due to the leprechaun mascot and the marshmallow shapes that are included with the cereal. The shapes include hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers, blue moons, unicorns, rainbows, and red balloons.
We didn’t know this when researching the article, but Lucky Charms is a gluten-free cereal. The ingredients for Lucky Charms include:
- Whole grain oats
- Sugar
- Corn starch
- Modified corn starch
- Corn syrup
- Dextrose
- Salt
- Gelatin
- Trisodium phosphate
- Red 40
- Yellow 5 & 6
- Blue 1
- Natural and artificial flavor
- Vitamin E (as a preservative)
While Lucky Charms are popular with kids, are they safe for your dog?
Lucky Charms & Dogs
While Lucky Charms are not toxic to dogs, they could make your dog sick. The main problem with this cereal is the second ingredient, which is sugar. Sugar can be dangerous for dogs. It can cause cavities, weight gain, metabolic conditions, and even diabetes.
It’s true that dogs need sugar of some type to help with their energy levels. This type of sugar is in the form of carbohydrates rather than granulated sugar. Dogs can eat natural sugar found in fruit (fructose); however, make sure the fruit is safe before giving it to your dog.
The sugar found in most kids’ cereals, however, is not safe for dogs.
If your dog happens to eat only a couple of pieces of Lucky Charms cereal, he will probably be just fine. However, if your dog has eaten a large helping of cereal, then he may get sick.
Eating too much sugary food can cause the following symptoms in dogs:
- Hyperactivity
- Agitation
- Nausea
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
These symptoms should not last longer than 12-24 hours. If diarrhea and vomiting continue past 24 hours, then it’s best to call the vet. You want to avoid your canine companion from becoming dehydrated.
The good news is that most dogs will only be sick for a little bit and then will be back to their old selves again in no time!
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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