Can Dogs Eat Ranch?

Can dogs eat Ranch? No, dogs should not eat Ranch. Ranch is made for human consumption and contains ingredients and flavoring that are not dog-friendly. Additionally, Ranch is high in calories, salt, and saturated fats, all of which are harmful to dogs. If ingested in a small amount, your dog should be fine, but this practice is highly discouraged.

Ranch is a popular dressing in most salads and a go-to dipping sauce for potato and vegetable chips. You’re probably having Ranch and your dogs are asking for some. But is it safe to give your furry friends some Ranch? Can dogs eat Ranch? Let’s find out! 

Can dogs have Ranch?

No, dogs should not have Ranch. There are many reasons why our furry friends should avoid having Ranch. One of the major reasons why is that this tasty sauce contains ingredients that are harmful to dogs. 

No matter which Ranch you get from the store, there are two ingredients in this mouth-watering dipping sauce that is toxic to dogs. They are onion and garlic. But let’s take a closer look at the ingredients and see why Ranch is not good for dogs.

Is Ranch bad for dogs?

Yes, Ranch is bad for dogs. If we take a look at the ingredients in Ranch, we find: 

• Buttermilk which includes low-fat milk, nonfat dry milk, modified corn starch, carrageenan, locust bean gum, salt, and cultures.
• Mayonnaise which includes soybean oil, vinegar, eggs, water, salt, egg yolks, sugar, calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor), dried garlic, dried onions, and natural flavor.
• Shallot.
• Onion.
• Parsley.
• Lemon juice.
• Garlic.
• Red wine vinegar which contains natural occurring sulfites.
• Salt.
• Cultured dextrose/maltodextrin.
• Thyme.
• Black pepper.
• Xanthan gum.

Can dogs have buttermilk?

Buttermilk is one of the ingredients in Ranch. Since buttermilk is a dairy product, it may cause our furry friends to vomit, have upset stomachs or diarrhea, and a host of other health issues because most adult dogs are lactose-intolerant. 

Many suggest that buttermilk is fine for dogs since it is lower in lactose as compared to regular milk and it does contain the necessary bacteria that is required to aid in the digestion of lactose. 

However, a closer look at the ingredients used to make buttermilk in Ranch shows that it may not be safe for doggy consumption. Not only is buttermilk made from low-fat milk and nonfat dry milk, but also it is made of modified corn starch, carrageenan, locust bean gum, and salt.

Modified corn starch is safe for dogs as it is commonly used in many commercial dog food to add bulk. However, if you know your canine family member is allergic to corn products, then it’s best to avoid feeding your pup Ranch.  

Carrageenan is used as a thickening agent, stabilizer, and binder in buttermilk. While FDA and AAFCO consider carrageenan to be a safe food additive, many studies show that carrageenan has been known to cause the following in our pets: 

• Irritate your dog’s digestive system. 
• Gastrointestinal inflammation. 
• Higher rate of getting ulcerations and intestinal lesions.
• In severe or extreme cases, it can cause cancerous malignant tumors.

 To be on the safe side, we highly recommend that dogs stay away from food additives like carrageenan.

If your furry pooch has digestive issues, we also do not recommend feeding them food that contains locust bean gum.

Mayonnaise in Ranch is harmful to dogs

While mayonnaise is generally safe for dogs, the mayonnaise in Ranch includes a food additive called calcium disodium EDTA. Calcium disodium EDTA is an odorless crystalline powder used to protect flavor. What is concerning about calcium disodium EDTA is that it is generally found in many products like textile or paper because it helps to prevent discoloration. 

Another reason why it is concerning to feed our furry friends Ranch that contains calcium disodium EDTA is that it is also found in cleaning products, laundry detergents, and industrial germicides. For this reason, we recommend that you do not feed your furry family member this dressing. 

The mayonnaise in Ranch also contains dried garlic and dried onions, both of which are toxic to dogs. Let’s discuss this next.

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Garlic, onion, and shallot ingredients in Ranch are all toxic to dogs

Garlic, onion, and shallot all come from the allium family. No matter if they are dried, raw, powdered, cooked, or fried, they are all toxic to dogs. In fact, garlic and onion powders are actually more potent than fresh onions. 

The reason why onion and garlic are toxic to dogs is that they contain a toxin called N-propyl disulphide which can cause anemia in dogs. N-propyl disulphide is harmful to dogs because it can destroy your dog’s red blood cells. Onion also contains thiosulfate and organosulfur, both of which our furry pals can’t digest properly. 

What results is onion poisoning. Onion and garlic poisoning can cause both short and long term health issues including: 

• Anemia. 
• Hemolytic anemia.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea. 
• Asthma attacks.
• Body and muscle weakness.
• Dermatitis: itchy skin, skin rash, redness of the skin, and dry skin.
• Liver failure and damage. 

If you suspect your dog has onion or garlic poisoning, contact your vet right away as this requires immediate medical attention. 

Question of the day: Lasagna also contains onion and garlic so is it bad for dogs? Check out Can Dogs Eat Lasagna? to find out if it is safe for doggy consumption.

Too much salt in Ranch is harmful to dogs

In just 1 teaspoon or 14 grams of Ranch, there is 80 mg of sodium. That is considered a lot of salt for our furry family members. It’s important to note that a healthy 33-pound dog should only have 100 mg of sodium each day and no more than that. With that in mind, let’s see how much salt a small and medium dog should have daily. 

• A tiny 10 pound Chihuahua should have no more than 30 mg of salt each day. 
• A medium 75 pound Labrador should have no more than 227 mg of salt each day.   

Keep in mind that your furry family members will also have received their daily salt intake from their regular meal and any salty food or snack they eat after can exceed their daily salt limit. 

Eating too much salt can lead to sodium poisoning in dogs. Signs and symptoms of salt poisoning include: 

• Headache and nausea.
• Vomiting. 
• Very thirsty which will lead to frequent urination.
• Loose, watery diarrhea.
• Swelling of the lips and tongue.
• Lose interest in food.
• Lethargy.
• Loss of energy.
• Muscle weakness and tremor. 
• Muscle spasm. 
• Stomach pain.
• Walking in a drunk-like manner. 
• Confusion.
• Convulsion.
• Breathing difficulty.
• Respiratory distress. 
• Tachycardia or increased heart rate. 
• Seizure. 
• Coma.

If your dog has sodium poisoning, reach out to your vet right away as this requires immediate medical attention. Your vet will ask you to bring your dog in for a checkup and put your dog on IV fluids. 

Fun Fact: There is also a lot of sodium in Fish sticks. Additionally, it contains tons of ingredients that may not be suitable for dogs. Check out Can Dogs Eat Fish Sticks? to learn more!

Here is the nutritional profile of Ranch:

Nutritional value of Ranch (1 teaspoon or 14 gram)

Name, Unit	Amount
Calories, cal	44.9
Sodium, mg	79.9
Carbohydrate, g	1
Total Fat, g	4.5
Fatty acids, total saturated, g	0.5

Is Ranch toxic to dogs?

Yes, Ranch is toxic to dogs. Avoid feeding your furry friends Ranch. While a little bit of Ranch won’t harm your dog, excessive Ranch consumption can cause onion and garlic toxicity as well as sodium poisoning. If your dogs are not treated right away, they can die from salt poisoning or garlic and onion toxicity. 

What to do if my dog eats Ranch?

If your dog ate Ranch, find out how much of the Ranch was consumed. If your pooch had a lick or two of the Ranch, he or she should be fine. However, if your furry family member consumed a lot of Ranch, call your vet right away and ask for further instructions.

In the meantime, be sure to provide your dog with plenty of cool fresh water. Make sure the water is accessible to your pooch.

Can dogs eat Ranch dressing?

No, dogs should not eat Ranch dressing. Some of the ingredients in Ranch dressing like onion, garlic, and shallot are harmful to dogs and can cause poisoning. Ranch dressing is also high in salt, calories, and fat, all of which are harmful to our dog’s health.

Can dogs have Ranch dressing?

As we can see, dogs should not have Ranch dressing. Not only are some of the ingredients toxic to dogs, but too much salt can cause salt poisoning in dogs. High calories and fat in Ranch dressing can also cause weight gain in dogs and frequent consumption of Ranch dressing can lead to canine obesity and a host of other health issues.

Is Ranch dressing bad for dogs?

Yes, Ranch dressing is bad for dogs and our canine family members should avoid it at all costs. Accidentally licking a little bit of Ranch dressing is fine, but don’t intentionally feed your pups Ranch dressing. 

What to do if my dog eats Ranch dressing?

If your dog eats Ranch dressing, don’t freak out. First, it’s important to find out how much of the Ranch dressing was consumed. If your pooch had a lick or two of the Ranch dressing, he or she should be fine. However, if you know your pooch had more than that, reach out to your vet right away. 

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Can dogs eat cool Ranch Doritos?

No, dogs should not have cool Ranch Doritos because it contains onion and garlic powder, both of which are toxic to dogs. It also contains lactose so dogs that are lactose-intolerant should not eat it. If they do, they can get an upset stomach. 

So, can dogs have cool Ranch Doritos? No, dogs should not have cool Ranch Doritos.

Can dogs eat salad with Ranch?

No, dogs should not eat salad with Ranch. Ranch contains tons of ingredients that are harmful to dogs and can cause upset stomach, onion or garlic poisoning, and even salt poisoning. 

Feeding your dog salad is fine as long as there are no toxic ingredients in them.

Can dogs have Ranch dip?

No, dogs should not have Ranch dip. Whether it’s called Ranch, Ranch dressing, or Ranch dip, all forms of Ranch are bad for dogs since it contains ingredients like onion and garlic which are toxic to dogs. 

Also, Ranch contains dairy products that would not sit well in your dog’s stomach. Most adult dogs are lactose-intolerant so consuming Ranch can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and upset stomach.

Can dogs have Ranch seasoning?

No, dogs should not have Ranch seasoning. Ranch seasoning or Ranch dressing is harmful to dogs and our furry friends should avoid it at all costs.

Several ingredients in Ranch seasoning are toxic to dogs like garlic and onion. Ranch seasoning is flavorful due to the spices in it. There are also tons of salt and it is high in calories and fat. All of this makes Ranch seasoning toxic and harmful to dogs. 

So, can dogs eat Ranch?

Although we enjoy Ranch, we should not give any Ranch to our canine friends. Ranch is made for human consumption and it contains several ingredients like garlic and onion that are toxic to our furry pals. Additionally, its high salt, calorie, and fat content make it harmful for doggy consumption.

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding dietary needs.

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranch_dressing

https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/10-weird-facts-you-didnt-know-about-ranch-dressing