My dog ate a candy, is he going to die?
Ideally, you want to keep any candy away from your dog so they cannot decide to snack on any in the first place. Dogs do have a sweet tooth and can find candies attractive.
Unfortunately, even if you do everything right, it doesn’t mean that your dog cannot get their mouth on some outside or from other people.
Is the dog going to be okay?
The answer to that question depends on the type and amount of candy. First, let’s go over the mechanical dangers.
Choking
Along with other things of “just the right size,” candy can be a choking hazard. The only difference between people and dogs is access. Choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury death in people. Hard candy is one of the culprits, particularly in children. A dog could choke on candy just like a human can.
Depending on size, a bag the candy comes in can be a suffocation hazard. Particularly the large Halloween candy packages. Just like any other snack bags.
Poisoning
Sugarless candy
Sugarless candy can be deadly
Xylitol, a common sugar substitute, is a major poison for dogs. This puts candy along with gum, some brands of peanuts and other items which now contain xylitol.
See a comprehensive list of products that contain xylitol on preventivevet.com. You’ll be shocked by how many things can be hiding this dog killer.
Further information: Xylitol, the Sugar-Free Sweetener that’s Toxic to Your Dog
Chocolate candy
Chocolate candy is next on the list
Depending on the amount of theobromine, chocolate toxicity fades next to xylitol. It takes only a tiny amount of xylitol to be deadly. For chocolate toxicity, you can check out petMD’s toxicity meter.
Further information: Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs
Sugary candy
Sugary candy, such as gumdrops are not as innocent as they seem either. If enough sugar makes it into the dog’s system, it draws water to it. This can lead to electrolyte disturbances.
Further information: Why Sugary Candy is Dangerous to Dogs
High-fat candy
Ingestion of high-fat candy can lead to pancreatitis. That is particularly a concern with candy that contain a lot of nuts.
Make no mistake, extremely painful, severe pancreatitis too can be potentially fatal. It can also lead to enough damage to the pancreas to cause diabetes or EPI.
Summary
Those are just some of the dangers candy poses to dogs. So while potentially harmless, candy can also be potentially very harmful or fatal.
Related articles:
Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs: What Happens In The Dog’s Body with Xylitol Poisoning