Can Dogs Eat Rice Krispies?

Can dogs eat Rice Krispies? No, dogs should not eat Rice Krispies treats since they are packed full of sugar, fat, carbohydrates, sodium, and calories. Regularly eating this processed treat can lead to health issues such as upset stomach, diabetes, weight gain, and even pancreatitis in dogs. This sugary human snack is also quite sticky, difficult for dogs to chew, and can even be a choking hazard. It’s best that dogs stay away from Rice Krispies treats. 

As I was enjoying my Rice Krispies treat today, my Labrador came over and placed his paw on my arm. It was his way of asking me to share what I’m eating with him. As I was about to share this human snack with him, I wondered, “can my dog eat Rice Krispies?” If you’re asking the same question, here’s the short answer first. 

Below, we’ll dive deep into why dog owners should keep Rice Krispies away from their furry family members. The reasons we’ve provided above only scratches the surface for why our dogs should stay away from Rice Krispies. Below we’ll discuss in-depth how this chewy and sugary treat can harm your dog’s health. 

Can dogs have Rice Krispies?

No, dogs should not have Rice Krispies, whether it is cereal or the sweet snack bar. That’s because both the Rice Krispies cereal and the Rice Krispies treats are high in sugar, calories, sodium, and carbohydrates. 

In this next section, we’ll specifically focus on Rice Krispies treats. To learn more about why dogs should not have Rice Krispies cereal, scroll to the bottom of this article. 

Can dogs eat Rice Krispie treats?

No, dogs should not eat Rice Krispies treats at all, and pet owners should not share this sweet human snack with their canine friends. 

RELATED: Can Dogs Eat Cheerios?

Can dogs have Rice Krispies treats?

To fully understand why dogs should not have Rice Krispies treats, let’s take a look at what Rice Krispies are, the ingredients in Rice Krispies, and their nutritional profile. 

What are Rice Krispies?

Rice Krispies are square or rectangular bars made of crisped rice that’s been infused together by the sugary sweet marshmallow coating. The marshmallow helps the crisped rice to stick together and makes the Rice Krispies Treats soft and sticky to eat. Keep in mind that we are specifically talking about the Rice Krispies treats. 

Now, let’s take a look at the ingredients in Rice Krispies treats.

Rice Krispies Ingredients

• Toasted rice cereal from rice, sugar, salt, malt flavor, niacinamide, reduced iron, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and folic acid. 
• Corn syrup. 
• Fructose. 
• Vegetable oil (soybean and palm oil with TBHQ for freshness).
• Sugar.
• Corn syrup solids.

Rice Krispies contains 2% or less of the following: 

• Vegetable glycerin.
• Dextrose.
• Gelatin.
• Natural and artificial flavors (contains milk). 
• Salt.
• DATEM.
• Acetylated monoglycerides.
• Soy lecithin.
• BHT for freshness.

Here’s why Rice Krispies treat is bad for dogs.

Tons of sugar in Rice Krispies Treat is harmful to dogs

Without getting into the nutritional profile of this human snack just yet, we can already see from the ingredients that there are tons of sugar in Rice Krispies treat. These sugar come in many different forms: 

• Sugar.
• Corn syrup. 
• Fructose. 
• Corn syrup solids.

No matter if the manufacturer is using corn syrup, fructose, or corn syrup solids, they are simply considered sugar at the end of the day and sugar is terrible for our furry friend’s health.

Sugar in Rice Krispies treats can cause upset stomach in dogs

If we’re not careful and leave our unfinished Rice Krispies treat on the table, there is a high chance that our dogs may steal a bite or two or more of this treat. They may even finish this treat. If your pooch ate more than a few Rice Krispies Treat, they may have an upset stomach. 

When dogs ingest a lot of sugar, it can cause a micro-organism imbalance in the guts and this can lead to bloody and explosive diarrhea. Some dogs may even start to vomit. 

RELATED: Puppy Has Diarrhea But Still Playful

Sugar in Rice Krispies treats can cause dental issues in dogs

Since Rice Krispies treats are full of sugar and sticky, they can stick onto your dog’s teeth and mouth. The problem with this is that the bacteria in your furry friend’s mouth use the sugar to produce acids. The acids then destroy the enamel of your dog’s teeth and this leads to dental disease. 

If you know your pooch has eaten some Rice Krispies treats or other sugary food, make sure to brush their teeth afterward. In general, dog handlers should brush their canine’s teeth daily or weekly in between annual dental appointments.

Regularly eating sugary food like Rice Krispies treats can cause canine obesity

Rice Krispies treats are considered empty-calorie food and they don’t do any good for our K9 friend’s health. Instead, it causes our dogs to gain weight. Over time, this weight gain can put stress on your dog’s joints and cause the following health issues: 

• Difficulty breathing.
• Less energy.
• Not interested in playing.
• Joint problems.
• Heart disease.
• Lethargy.  

Sugar in Rice Krispies treats can affect your dog’s metabolism

When dogs consume too much sugar, it affects their metabolism or hormones in their bodies. That’s because the sugar they ingest can increase their insulin secretion and this can increase fat storage in your dog’s body. 

As a result, your dog’s muscle becomes less toned and both their energy levels immune system can weaken. 

Dogs with lower metabolism may be obese, less active, and weak and they are also more prone to hormone-related diseases.  

Eating Rice Krispies treats regularly can lead to diabetes in dogs

If your pooch eats Rice Krispies treats regularly, there’s a high chance that he or she will gain weight and develop Type II diabetes. At this point, your precious pooch may have a hard time processing sugar since their pancreas makes very little to no insulin. 

Next, let’s take a look at the nutritional profile of Rice Krispies.

Nutritional Profile of Rice Krispies (1 Bar or 22g or .78oz) 

Name, Unit	Amount
Calories, cal	90
Total Fat, g	2
Saturated Fat, g	0.5
Sodium, mg	105
Total Carbohydrate, g	17
Total Sugar, g	8
Protein, g	<1
Iron, mg	0.7
Folate, mcg	70

As we can see, this means that 1 Rice Krispies bar has 90 calories, 2 grams of fat (0.5 grams saturated), and 17 grams of carbohydrate (8 grams of sugar). 

Allowing our canine friends to eat high-calorie treats with no nutritional value like Rice Krispies can harm their health. Not only is it high in calories, but a high percentage is simply fat and sugar, and eating Rice Krispies Treat regularly can lead to immediate and long-term health consequences. 

So, are Rice Krispies bad for dogs?

Yes, Rice Krispies are bad for dogs since they are packed full of sugar and are high in calories, carbs, fat, and salt. When dogs regularly eat Rice Krispies treat, their health is negatively impacted such that they start to gain weight, have diabetes, cavities and tooth decay, and even pancreatitis. 

Additionally, here are other reasons why Rice Krispies treats are bad for dogs:

Rice Krispies treats can be a choking hazard for dogs

Since Rice Krispies treats are infused and coated with sugary marshmallows, they can get quite sticky and requires a bit of chewing. Some dogs do not chew their food thoroughly before swallowing and as a result, the chunky Rice Krispies treats can pose as a choking hazard for dogs. 

If the dog handler is not around, this can be deadly. If your pooch is choking on Rice Krispies treat or other food, we highly recommend that you use the Heimlich Maneuver on your dog. 

The plastic wrapper on the Rice Krispies treat is harmful to dogs

If our dog sees an opened and unfinished Rice Krispies treat sitting on the kitchen table, they may try to steal a bite and accidentally eat the blue plastic wrapper. When they do, the blue wrapper can be a choking hazard. 

This is why we recommend that dog owners place their unfinished Rice Krispies treat into a closed or locked cabinet or on high surfaces where your pooch can’t reach or see it.

Can dogs eat Rice Krispies cereal?

No, dogs should not eat Rice Krispies cereal because similar to Rice Krispies treats, they are also loaded with tons of sugar, carbohydrates, sodium, and fat. Let’s take a look at the ingredients in Rice Krispies cereal to find out why this type of cereal is bad for dogs.

You may be interested in: Can Dogs Eat Cereal?

Ingredients in Rice Krispies cereal

• Rice.
• Sugar.

Rice Krispies cereal contains 2% or less of the following: 

• Salt.
• Malt flavor.
• Vitamins and Minerals: Iron (ferric phosphate), niacinamide, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B1 (thiamin hydrochloride), folic acid, vitamin D3, vitamin B12.

The combination of both carbohydrates and sugar from the main two ingredients tells us that this sweet human snack is not healthy for our canine friends. 

Nutritional Profile of Rice Krispies Cereal (1.5 Cup or 40 grams) 

Name, Unit	Amount
Calories, cal	150
Total Fat, g	4
Sodium, mg	200
Total Carbohydrate, g	36
Protein, g	3
Vitamin D, mcg	3
Iron, mg	11.2
Potassium, mg	30
Folate, mcg	200

So, can dogs eat Rice Krispies?

The saying sharing is caring is usually true, but sharing Rice Krispies treats or Rice Krispies cereal with our furry friends is not caring in this case. Our dog’s health depends on what they eat and how often they exercise or stay active.

By regularly sharing Rice Krispies treats or cereal with our four-legged friends, they can become obese, diabetic, and have a host of other health issues. When dogs aren’t eating a healthy well-balanced diet and are eating sweet human snacks instead, their health and activity levels are impacted. 

They no longer want to run or walk as much as before due to joint pain from their heavyweight putting extra stress on their joints. Sometimes, their behavior and mood may change as well. Thus, it’s important that we don’t feed our K9 pals Rice Krispies treat or cereal.

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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.

Rice Krispies is a registered trademark of Kellogg North America Company. Dogleashpro does not claim any ownership of the Rice Krispies name, logo, or any identifying mark in any way. This article is for educational purposes only.

Resources:

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