Can Dogs Eat Cheez-It? How Safe Is It For Dogs?

Cheez-It might sound like an easy snack for dogs but, can dogs eat Cheez-It? The answer is No, especially if your goal is to give your dog a Cheez-It treat every time. So, before you are tempted to satisfy the desire of your dogs by giving them Cheez-It, read this guide to the end.

You do not need to feed your dogs with Cheez-It because it contains a lot of calories, fat, and salt which are bad for dogs. These nutrients have a role in the development of numerous health issues in canines, including obesity, high cholesterol, and cardiac issues.

In this article, you’ll learn about the health hazards of feeding your hound Cheez-it, the content of Cheez-It, and how you can prevent your pup from eating it.

So, without much ado let’s get into details.

Table of Contents

Can Dogs Eat Cheez-It?

Cheez-It does not provide any nutritional gain to your dogs, hence you do not need to give your dogs Cheez-it to eat. However, you can occasionally offer them in very small quantities as a snack. There isn’t much in a normal serving of Cheez-It that will be toxic to your dog unless they have a dairy or wheat allergy.

Although Cheez-It will provide your dog with some calcium, there isn’t much to suggest about them from a nutritional standpoint. It’s ideal to limit your dog’s snacking to one to two individual crackers per ten pounds of body weight.

Also, check out this article: Can Dogs Eat Butter? | How Bad is it?

Why Can’t Dogs Eat Cheez-It?

Due to their high salt content and calorie content, Cheez-It is not good for your dog. A case of canine obesity, which in turn can result in a range of medical diseases and difficulties, can be brought on by consuming too many calories, especially from snacks. A dog who consumes too much salt may have salt toxicity, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Cheez-It should also be avoided if your dog suffers from a dairy or wheat allergy since they may make the condition worse.

Lastly, while you can think about giving your dog the original Cheez-It as an occasional snack, stay away from any other Cheez-It varieties that might have other spices and ingredients added to them.

Let’s take a look at some of the content and ingredients of Cheez-It that make them harmful to your pup.

What Is Inside Cheez-It?

Cheez-It is made with a long list of ingredients, which we’ve included below from the Cheez-It website:

Enriched flour (containing wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, vitamin B1 [thiamin mononitrate, vitamin B2 [riboflavin], and folic acid)
Vegetable oil (high oleic soybean, soybean, palm, and/or canola oil with TBHQ for freshness)
Cheese made with skim milk (skim milk, whey protein, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes, annatto extract color)
Also contains 2% or less of salt, paprika, yeast, paprika extract color, soy lecithin

Approximately 27 of these little crackers make up a serving of Cheez-It, which has the following nutritional information:

150 calories
8 grams of fat
230 milligrams of salt

Furthermore, Cheez-Its are available in a variety of tastes, such as pizza and hot & spicy.

These could have substances like onion powder or spices that could upset your dog’s stomach that could be dangerous to them.

Read on as we learn about some of the hazards that can affect your dog when you feed them Cheez-It.

Also, read Can Dogs Eat Cornbread? | How Bad Is It?

What Are The Potential Hazards Of Giving Your Dogs Cheez-It?

As you might have realized from the list of ingredients, Cheez-It has a lot of salt in them.

Your canine may vomit or get diarrhea if there is too much salt or sodium in their diet which might lead to sodium ion toxicity.

Dogs shouldn’t consume more than 100 milligrams of sodium daily, so if your dog unintentionally ate a whole serving of Cheez-It, they would have consumed more than twice as much sodium as is advised.

The following are signs of sodium ion poisoning:

Lethargy
Vomiting
Excessive thirst
Diarrhea
Fluid accumulation

Sodium ion overdose can cause tremors, convulsions, and perhaps kidney damage if it is not addressed. Your pup may be experiencing an allergic response if they exhibit symptoms like itchy, red skin, or stomach problems after eating some of these crackers.

Even further reason not to feed them to your hound as a snack: Cheez-It is comparatively rich in fat. Dogs require some fat in their meals, but too much might make digestion challenges. Their pancreas may become inflamed as a result, which can cause pancreatitis, a painful ailment.

Now, what should you do if your pup eats excess Cheez-It? Let’s talk about that quickly…

What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Excess Cheez-It?

After your dog has had the Cheez-It, keep an eye on them to make sure they aren’t exhibiting any symptoms of distress, such as diarrhea, lethargy, or vomiting. They should be alright if they appear healthy and normal.

Since some dogs may have more severe allergies or health difficulties than others, you should always see your veterinarian with any concerns you have about your dog’s wellbeing.

Read on to find out how to prevent your dogs from eating Cheez-It.

How Do I Prevent My Dogs From Eating Cheez-It?

The simplest way to prevent your hound from eating Cheez-Its is to keep them out of reach. Dogs are curious animals that will try to devour whatever they can get their hands on. If you are hosting a party or other event where Cheez-It will be served, keep it out of your dog’s reach.

Teach your pooch to leave or drop something. By following this straightforward command, your pet will therefore learn not to take food from strangers or pick up food from the ground.

Another way to prevent Cheez-It from getting eaten is to make sure your pup is never left alone near them. Also, watch your dog closely because it’s well-known that canines may get into trouble while their owners aren’t looking.

If you can’t be in the same room as your pooch, put them in a cage or other safe place.

Don’t give your dog Cheez-It as a reward. If you do, they will be more inclined to try eating Cheez-It when they shouldn’t, which will further strengthen the habit.

If you want to give your pup a treat, choose something healthy and safe, such as a piece of fruit or a vegetable.

What Can I Feed My Dogs Instead Of Cheez-It?

You don’t want to take a chance on your dog eating Cheez-It, even if they might appreciate the flavor.

For your dog’s treats, there are additional wholesome and safe options that might be a good treat:

Vegetables (e.g., carrots, celery, green beans)
Fruit (e.g., apples, bananas, watermelon, strawberries)
Plain yogurt
Cooked chicken or turkey
Pumpkin puree
Sweet potatoes
Zucchini sticks
Cucumber slices

Conclusion

Humans enjoy the salty, crunchy Cheez-it crackers. One or two may not harm your puppy, but we should avoid giving them to our pets regularly.

The Cheez-it doesn’t truly give your dog any nutrition or essential vitamins because of the salt, cheese, and fat content.

Giving your dog Cheez-it, which is junk food, during mealtimes may affect his appetite.

If you must give your pup Cheez-It, carefully review the ingredient list to ensure that it doesn’t include any items that are bad for your pet, including onions, artificial flavorings, and food coloring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Dogs Eat Cheez-It?

A dog should not eat Cheez-It, because it contains a lot of fat, salt, and calories.

Additionally, it contains dangerous components that our canine buddies shouldn’t consume like salt, annatto extract color, soy lecithin, and vegetable oil with TBHQ added for freshness.

Please don’t give Cheez-It to your canine if they have a wheat or soy allergy.

Can Dogs Eat Spicy and Hot Cheez-It?

No, dogs shouldn’t consume anything spicy or hot. It will make them feel nauseous, irritate their throat, and cause them to cough. Simply keeping any spicy foods away from your pet is a wise choice.