My Dog Ate Vegetable Oil Will He Get Sick?

Dogs eat just about anything and everything! And we’re not exaggerating. If you’ve read stories online, then you’re familiar with the ones in the news where a tiny dog has eaten 100 socks and more! (OK—that’s not an actual story, but it gets the point across!). Dogs are also famous for eating things in the kitchen, such as vegetable oil!

Has your dog eaten vegetable oil? Are you worried the vegetable oil will make your dog sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. We know it’s scary when your dog eats something he shouldn’t.

In this article, we’ll take a look at vegetable oil and whether or not it can make your dog sick. Let’s get started!

What is Vegetable Oil?

Vegetable oil is made from various types of plants and vegetables. You’ll notice all the different varieties of vegetable oil at the grocery store. There’s cottonseed oil, olive, canola, palm, safflower, sunflower, and more. Oil made from veggies is used to help cook the food we eat, as well as add flavor and even texture to our food.

Each type of oil is slightly different. Did you know that there are differences in the amount of oleic acid and other substances in each oil? What’s more, some oils are naturally free of saturated fat, while others have moderate or high levels of fat.

Humans have safely been using vegetable and other types of cooking oil for thousands of years. However, what about dogs? Yes, they don’t cook! But can a dog safely eat vegetable oil?

Vegetable Oil & Dogs

The good news is that vegetable oil isn’t toxic to dogs. However, it can still make them sick. If your canine companion has had one or two licks of vegetable oil, he should be OK. On the other hand, if your dog has eaten more oil, then he could become sick.

The issue is that too much fat can cause a dog to develop pancreatitis. This is a condition where the pancreas becomes irritated and inflamed. Some cases are mild and only require the dog have a chance of diet to heal. However, pancreatitis can be severe, even leading to organ damage and death.

Symptoms of Pancreatitis in Dogs

You may notice these symptoms after your dog has eaten vegetable oil:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Abdominal pain & swelling
• Dehydration
• Fever
• Loss of appetite

If your dog is showing any of these symptoms after eating vegetable oil, then call the vet right away. This may be an emergency.

Left untreated, your dog could develop a chronic form of pancreatitis. So, it’s best to see the vet right away. You and your dog will be happier and feel better for it!