Are Sprinkles Safe For Dogs?
The short answer is yes, sprinkles are safe for dogs, but only if it’s sparingly. However, if you were wondering if sprinkles are healthy for dogs, then that’s a whole different thing. It won’t be surprising for a lot of people that sprinkles are anything but healthy, whether it’s for dogs or for humans.
We’ll cover why the ingredients in sprinkles aren’t healthy for dogs and how you can make a homemade alternative you can use to make sure your furry friend can still get their treat.
What Are The Ingredients In Sprinkles?
The main reason why you shouldn’t give sprinkles to your dog is because of the amount of sugar it has. For instance, a 100g bag of sprinkles contains 75g of carbohydrates that come exclusively from sugar.
The other ingredients that are in sprinkles are corn syrup, cornstarch, wax and artificial flavoring and coloring, none of which is healthy.
Are Chocolate Sprinkles Safe For Dogs?
You should never give chocolate sprinkles to your dog, regardless of how little. Chocolate is never safe for dogs to eat. The main reason being is that chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, and dogs can’t metabolize these ingredients. Caffeine and theobromine are toxic to dogs, as they act as a diuretic and heart stimulant so it could make a dog restless. Chocolate can also cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Are Rainbow Sprinkles Safe For My Dog?
If the serving is 4g, then shouldn’t create much of a problem. However, if you’re buying a big container of rainbow sprinkles that can be found at supermarkets, then it should be kept well away from a dog. It would be dangerous for a dog to digest 10oz of rainbow sprinkles and it could give a dog a serious tummy ache.
Are Sugar-free Sprinkles Safe For My Dog?
When it comes to sugar-free sprinkles, the sweetener could be dangerous. There are some recipes for sprinkles, that are made with xylitol, which is very toxic to dogs. Don’t ever give a dog anything with xylitol in it!
However, you may be able to find sprinkles that are made with stevia, which is better than sugar, as far as your dog is concerned. Also, some products are made with natural colorings, which is a lot better than the nasty chemicals in the artificial ones.
Other sweeteners to avoid are aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin, which can sometimes be found in sprinkles. These compounds can all cause gastrointestinal upset.
How To Make Naturally Colored Homemade Sprinkles
Because things like birthday cakes are full of ingredients that dogs shouldn’t have, like sugar, and more sugar, here is a recipe that’s toned down and dog-friendly sprinkles. However, you know your dog best, so if you think that your dog could have an averse reaction to any of these ingredients, either substitute or do not make this recipe for your dog.
Recipe ingredients:
- 2 cups (115g) of powdered sugar
- 1 tsp of powdered egg whites
- 1 tbsp of warm water
- more water as needed
- 1/4 tsp of flavoring, such as vanilla or lemon
Start by sifting the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. While in a small bowl, whisk the egg white powder and 1 tablespoon of water together until frothy. If you’re using fresh egg white, whisk until frothy. Stir the egg white into the powdered sugar. Add more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until the icing is smooth and thick. It should be thick enough to hold a shape but still thin enough to flow and be piped.
Lay a sheet of parchment or wax paper down on a flat surface. Scrape the icing into a piping bag fitted with a plain piping tip. Begin by piping long, straight, thin lines of icing on your paper and repeat until you’ve used up the icing. Allow the icing to dry for at least 24 hours.
When the icing is completely dry, lay a sharp knife flat and run it under the icing lines to separate it from the paper. Bring the icing strips together and cut them into small pieces. Store in an airtight container.
