Can Dogs Eat Rice Cakes?

White rice in warm homemade chicken noodle soup is great for dogs that are feeling sick, but what about Rice Cakes? Can dogs eat Rice Cakes and are they safe for doggy consumption? Let’s find out! 

Can dogs eat Rice Cakes? Yes, dogs can eat Rice Cakes in moderation. Rice Cakes should be plain and do not contain any salt, flavoring, or seasoning that may be harmful to dogs. Before allowing your dogs to eat Rice Cakes, make sure it is broken into small pieces. Dogs that are allergic to rice or grain should avoid eating Rice Cakes.

Can dogs have Rice Cakes?

Yes, dogs can have Rice Cakes in moderation. However, it’s important to make sure that the Rice Cakes are plain with no added salt or seasoning. If you plan on feeding your canine friends Rice Cakes, we highly recommend the organic option as those do not contain any preservatives or additives. 

To fully understand whether your furry friends can safely have Rice Cakes, let’s take a look at what Rice Cakes are and what they aren’t. 

What are Rice Cakes?

Rice Cakes are also known as puffed rice and they are a go-to crunchy, light, and low-calorie snack no matter what time of day. So, if you’re wondering, can dogs eat puffed rice, the answer is yes, dogs can eat puffed rice.    

The Rice Cakes are made from rice grains. The rice grains are gathered into a circular shape and under high temperature and pressure, the grains start to grow and expand. Since rice is sticky, they stick together tightly under high pressure and temperature. What results is a Rice Cake that has a light and fluffy texture. 

This low-calorie snack has one main ingredient: rice. Rice is a grain that is safe for doggy consumption. In fact, grains like rice are a common ingredient found in many name-brand commercial dog foods. 

Similar to how many commercial dog food manufacturers use corn to bulk up the food and add some nutritional value to it, many dog food manufacturers also use rice to do the same. 

It’s important to note that Rice Cakes are made as a snack for human consumption. If you’re looking for protein, you won’t get that from Rice Cakes, but Rice Cakes do contain some vitamins.

Since Rice Cakes are made as a snacking option, then your furry friends should only consume them as an occasional snack as well.

Fun Fact: It’s best to stick to homemade dog treats. If your furry family member is allergic to grains or wheat, try making treats with Amaranth flour. Amaranth is gluten-free, not a grain, and is packed full of amino acids, proteins, and essential minerals.

Are Rice Cakes good for dogs?

Yes, Rice Cakes can be good for dogs. Here’s why. 

Before feeding your pups the Rice Cakes, be sure to take a look at the ingredients. Many store-bought Rice Cakes contain two main ingredients: 

• Rice (some use white rice, others use brown rice).
• Salt.  

Let’s take a look at the Trader Joe’s Rice Cakes as an example:

The main ingredients in the Trader Joe’s Rice Cakes are:

• Organic brown rice.
• Sea salt. 

Organic brown rice is packed full of fiber and nutrients that are good for dogs

Organic brown rice is healthy for dogs because it is wholesome and contains many of the nutrients and natural fiber that can be beneficial for your dog’s overall health. While the hulls are removed from the rice kernel, some of the bran stays intact, which is why the rice is brown and it contains fiber content. 

Since organic brown rice contains natural fiber, it can aid your dog’s digestive system and help to maintain regular bowel movements.  

Brown rice is also packed full of minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates. 

Vitamins found in brown rice such as B vitamins and vitamin D can improve your dog’s heart health. Minerals found in brown rice include riboflavin, iron, and calcium. 

Here is the nutritional profile of the Trader Joe’s Rice Cakes for 1 Rice Cakes. Here, you can see how Rice Cakes can be bad for dogs. Let’s discuss this next.

Nutritional Profile of Trader Joe’s Rice Cakes (Per Serving of 1 Cake or 18.5 grams)

Name, Unit	Amount
Calories, cal	70
Total Fat, g	0.5
Sodium, mg	25
Total Carbohydrate, g	16
Fiber, g	1
Protein, g	1
Iron, mg	0.2
Potassium, mg	50

Did you know: Mochi is also made of rice. Check out Can Dogs Eat Mochi? to find out if Mochi is safe for doggy consumption.

Are Rice Cakes bad for dogs?

Yes, Rice Cakes can be bad for dogs as well. Above we discussed Rice Cakes using some form of brown rice, whether it is organic brown rice or whole-grain brown rice. However, many Rice Cakes are actually made with refined white rice. This is not healthy for dogs.

Refined white rice are low in nutrients and aren’t as healthy for dogs

Refined white rice is highly processed. This means the outer layers of the rice are removed such as the bran, husk, and even germ and this is not good because it is the outer layers of the rice that contain essential nutrients, protein, and fiber which are healthy for dogs. 

When the outer layers of the rice are removed, there’s not much fiber, nutrients and protein left for our dogs. In this case, the Rice Cakes are pretty much refined carbs with added seasonings like salt for flavoring.  

Refined white rice has a high glycemic index which is harmful to dogs

Rice Cakes made with refined white rice have a high glycemic index. This is harmful to our furry friends because after eating this type of Rice Cake, their blood sugar level will spike very quickly. If your pups have blood glucose imbalance, it’s best to avoid feeding them Rice Cakes made with refined white rice.  

Dogs that are on weight management or are insulin resistant should also stay away from refined white Rice Cakes.

Fun Fact: There’s a reason why some wheat flour is called enriched flour. Similar to refined white rice, enriched wheat flour is highly processed and many of the essential vitmains and minerals are removed during the processing. So are food made with enriched flour such as peanut butter crackers safe for dogs? Check out Can Dogs Eat Peanut Butter Crackers to find out!

High salt level is harmful to dogs

As you can see from the nutritional profile of the Trader Joe’s Rice Cakes, there is 25 mg of sodium in one just Rice Cracker or 18.5 grams of Rice Cracker. This is considered a lot of salt for a dog. 

A healthy 33-pound dog should only have 100 mg of salt daily and should not consume any more than that. Keep in mind that your four-legged friends’ regular meal will have contained some amount of salt already so depending on how much salt your pups already had, the 25 mg of salt in one Rice Cracker could tip over their salt intake limit for the day. 

It’s very easy for dogs to finish one Rice Crackers and this could put them at risk for salt poisoning. Signs and symptoms of sodium poisoning include the following: 

• Nausea or headache leading to vomiting.
• Loose or watery diarrhea.
• Loss of appetite. 
• High fever. 
• Very thirsty from dehydration which can cause frequent urination. 
• Feeling lethargic or weak. 
• Walking around in a drunk-like manner. 
• Confusion. 
• Convulsions.
• Abnormal amount of fluid building up inside the dog’s body. 
• Potential kidney failure.
• Muscle tremors. 

If you suspect your canine family member has sodium poisoning, be sure to consult with your vet as soon as you can. Salt poisoning requires immediate medical attention. Your dog’s vet may ask you to bring your pup in for a physical examination or checkup and will most likely administer IV fluids to keep your dogs hydrated.  

Handy Hint: Kidney failure can lead to Kidney Disease which also requires immediate medical attention. If you suspect your pooch has kidney failure, speak with your vet for possible treatment options that may be available.

High carbohydrates can cause weight gain in dogs

In one Trader Joe’s Rice Cake, there are 16 grams of carbohydrates so you can see that it is packed full of carbs. This can be harmful to our furry friends because food that contains a high amount of carbs can put high pressure on the dog’s digestive system and can lead to health problems such as: 

• Weight gain. 
• Canine obesity. 
• Diabetes.
• Cancer. 

It’s important to note that our canine friends do not require that much carbohydrates or starch in their diet in order to thrive. Instead, they require more protein and fat which helps them receive everything they need.

You may be interested in My Dog Is Acting Drunk And Wobbly: Should I Be Concerned?

Are Rice Cakes ok for dogs?

Thus, Rice Cakes are ok for dogs if it is plain organic brown rice without any salt seasoning or flavoring, and eaten in moderation. If your furry friends are allergic to grains, avoid feeding them Rice Cakes. 

Dogs that have never eaten rice or Rice Cakes should start off consuming Rice Cakes slowly and in small amounts. Pet owners will need to observe their dogs closely and carefully to watch for any reactions or symptoms. 

If your pups have negative reactions from eating Rice Cakes, do not feed them any more Rice Cakes and consult with your vet immediately to confirm that your furry friends have grain and rice allergies.  

When feeding your four-legged friends Rice Cakes, be sure to break the crunchy Rice Cakes into small tiny mouth size pieces so it doesn’t pose as a choking hazard for your dogs. 

Some dogs do not properly chew through their food so if you allow your pups to eat the Rice Cakes as is, they may not chew it into tiny pieces and it may get lodge in your furry friends’ throat or esophagus. If it makes its way down, it can get stuck in the intestine and cause intestinal blockage or even bowel obstruction. 

Moderation is key when feeding Rice Cakes to your dogs since they do contain high levels of carbohydrates which can be harmful to dogs.

Can dogs eat plain Rice Cakes?

Yes, dogs can eat plain Rice Cakes in moderation as that is the best option for our furry friends. Plain Rice Cakes without any seasoning like salt or flavoring is fine for dogs to eat. 

Again, moderation is key because Rice Cakes are high in calories as well which can lead to weight gain and several other health issues if eaten regularly. Avoid plain Rice Cakes that are made from refined white rice and go with organic brown rice or whole-grain brown rice instead. 

With that said, make sure your pups are not allergic to rice. If they are, then don’t feed them Rice Cakes even if they are plain.

Can dogs eat apple cinnamon Rice Cakes?

No, dogs should not eat apple cinnamon Rice Cakes. Apple cinnamon Rice Cakes contain high levels of sugar, carbohydrates, and calories and the combination of these three is especially harmful to dogs.

Can dogs have apple cinnamon Rice Cakes? No, dogs should not have apple cinnamon Rice Cakes. Let’s take a look at the Quaker apple cinnamon Rice Cakes as an example and see why that is.

Quaker Apple Cinnamon Rice Cakes Ingredients

• Whole grain brown rice.
• Sugar.
• Fructose.
• Maltodextrin.
• Natural flavor.
• Cinnamon.
• Soy lecithin.

Sugar is harmful to dogs

Our furry friends do not need sugar in their diet. They usually get their sugar intake from carbohydrates in their regular dog food. Excess sugar consumption can lead to the following in dogs:  

• Weight gain.
• Dental issues like cavities, tooth decay, and enamel loss.
• Diabetes. 

Another look at the ingredient list and you’ll see fructose. Fructose is also sugar and in just one apple cinnamon Rice Cake, there are 3 grams of sugar. That’s 3 grams of sugar too much for dogs and can be detrimental to your dog’s health. 

Also, if your pups are allergic to soy products, it’s best to avoid feeding your pups apple cinnamon Rice Cake. For these reasons, it’s best to avoid feeding your precious pooch apple cinnamon Rice Cakes.

Can dogs eat caramel Rice Cakes?

No, dogs should not eat caramel Rice Cakes because they are packed full of salt, sugar, carbs, and calories. Can dogs have caramel Rice Cakes? No, dogs should not have caramel Rice Cakes at all. 

Note that caramel is essentially sugar and too much sugar consumption is not good for our furry friend’s overall health. Dogs don’t need sugar from the food we give them so consuming caramel Rice Cakes can lead to excessive sugar consumption.  

If we take a look at the Quaker Caramel Rice Cakes ingredients, we see: 

• Whole Grain Brown Rice.
• Degerminated Milled Corn.
• Sugar.
• Fructose.
• Maltodextrin.
• Caramel Color.
• Natural Flavor.
• Salt.
• Soy Lecithin.  

There are 3 grams of sugar in one caramel Rice Cake. That’s a lot of sugar for dogs and it’s unnecessary. Fructose is also sugar, which is not good for dogs. 

Another look at the ingredients and you see caramel color. There’s no caramel in caramel Rice Cakes, it’s simply just sugar and caramel coloring.  

So, can dogs eat Rice Cakes?

Only feed your furry friends Rice Cakes in moderation if they are plain and do not contain any ingredients that may be are harmful to dogs such as sugar, salt, or other flavorings. Rice cakes that are made with organic brown rice are preferred over refined white rice.  

When giving plain Rice Cakes to your pups, moderation is key. It’s best to give your furry friends plain Rice Cakes occasionally as a special treat and not to be eaten regularly.

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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.

Trader Joe’s Rice Cakes is a registered trademark of Trader Joe’s Company. Quaker Rice Cakes is a registered trademark of The Quaker Oats Company. Dogleashpro does not claim any ownership of the Trader Joe’s Rice Cakes or Quaker Rice Cakes name, logo, or any identifying mark in any way. This article is for educational purposes only.

Resources:

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

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/obesity-in-dogs