Can Dogs Eat Sugar Cane?

Can dogs have Sugar Cane?

Sugar cane should not be given to dogs. It is not necessary for our dog friends to consume sugar on a regular basis. Thats because our pups usually get their sugar from the complex carbohydrates in their regular dog food.

In order to fully appreciate why dogs should not consume Sugar Cane lets take a closer look at what Sugar Cane actually is.

What is Sugar Cane?

Bamboo sticks look like Sugar Cane plants but inside they’re bursting with sugary juice. While watching TV or chatting with friends people chew on Sugar Cane in many countries around the world.

In addition to its green color sugar cane also comes in a reddish-purple hue. The sugar cane stalk has a thin outer layer. This outer layer must be peeled off before you can bite into it. The flesh inside is called bagasse and it consists of fibrous fibers. When you chew on the bagasse you release tons of sweet Sugar Cane juice. With a mild tang of plant matter the juice tastes exactly like sugar.

This sweet taste is loved by many because of the amazing health benefits it possesses. Sugar Cane juice contains high levels of the following nutrients:

Magnesium.
Manganese.
Iron.
Calcium.
Potassium.

Sugar Cane juice has an alkaline pH because of this. The acid in the body can be neutralized by alkaline because alkaline has a higher pH than acid. This results in a number of benefits including:

Boost the livers function and improve health.
Help the digestive system.
Prevent the growth of cancerous cells.

The benefits of Sugar Cane juice for humans may be undeniable but it is questionable whether our canine companions would enjoy the same health benefits.

In the end you are left with this dry pulpy residue after chewing the sweet fibrous flesh of Sugar Cane and drinking the sweet juice. Many countries use the pulpy dry residue as fuel for electricity generators instead of throwing it away.

Sugar Cane stalks can be peeled and chewed for a nice cool treat but they can also be pressed to extract that delicious refreshing juice. The machine extracts the juice storing the pulpy residue to the side.

Most manufacturers will refine or make raw sugar from the sweet Sugar Cane juice.

So despite looking cool and harmless sugar canes are actually very harmful to our animals. Lets explore this further.

Is Sugar Cane bad for dogs?

Yes Sugar Cane is harmful to dogs. First lets examine the amount of sugar in Sugar Cane.

Too much Sugar consumption is harmful to dogs

Despite its name Sugar Cane is full of sugar and our K9 friends do not need to consume it at all. The consumption of sugar has no health benefits for our furry friends.

Our four-legged friends are at risk of a host of serious health issues if they consume even moderate amounts of sugar including:

Diabetes.
Metabolic changes.
Dental problems such as tooth decay and cavities.
Canine obesity.
Pancreatitis (in severe cases).

There is less sugar in Sugar Cane than in sugary candies such as Sour Patch Kids but it is still considered a lot of sugar for dogs. Sugar Cane juice contains about 13 grams of sugar and almost 58 calories in 3.5 ounces or 100 grams.

Because sugar is unnecessary to your dogs diet if your pooch consumes about 13 grams of sugar then he consumed an excess of 13 grams of sugar that he did not need.

Despite the fact that a tiny amount of Sugar Cane can be ingested as an occasional treat avoid feeding your pooch Sugar Cane juice regularly.

Over time your furry friends may gain weight if they consume too much sugar. It can cause your pooch to develop serious health problems like diabetes metabolic changes and canine obesity. The owners of dogs should not force it since dogs can develop Type II diabetes when they eat sugar continuously.

Upon developing Type II diabetes your poochs pancreas will no longer be able to produce insulin. Sugar is not processed properly by your pet as a result. In this case even consuming normal dog food can be problematic since the dogs body will be unable to process the complex carbs into sugar.

Long-term and short-term problems can be caused by this. Your dog may experience the following symptoms in the short term:

Upset stomach.
Diarrhea.
Vomiting.

As well as causing discomfort for dogs these symptoms can be a hassle for dog owners as well. Vomiting and diarrhea are caused by an imbalance of microorganisms in the dogs gut and unfortunately dog owners will have to clean up the mess.

You can expect your canine friends to suffer from the following symptoms over the long term:

Dentists treat dental issues such as cavities tooth decay and enamel loss. Sugar causes the bacteria in your dogs mouth to produce acid which will eventually lead to mineral loss in the enamel or coating of your dogs teeth. When your dogs teeth lose their outer coating it can lead to tooth decay and loss. This is what causes dental disease in dogs.

By the age of three over 80% of dogs have dental disease. Adding sugar cane to our poochs diet will only add to this statistic.

Because of these reasons we do not recommend that you feed Sugar Cane juice to your dogs.

The Exterior layer of the Sugar Cane can cause internal injury to dogs

There are two parts to the Sugar Cane. There is the outer layer and the inner layer. If you’re going to feed your dog Sugar Cane anyway remove the brittle exterior layer first. The dog owner should prepare their pooch properly before allowing them to chew the Sugar Cane otherwise they may suffer internal mouth injuries.

Outside of the Sugar Cane is a very brittle and sharp layer. When our dogs do not chew their food carefully the sharp and brittle Sugar Cane exterior can easily tear the inside of their mouth and tongue and cause bleeding.

It can cut and tear their throats and esophagus if they accidentally swallow the sugar canes brittle exterior.

The pulpy fibrous internal layer of Sugar Cane can be a choking risk for dogs

It consists of pulpy moist and fibrous flesh called bagasse inside the Sugar Cane. Do not allow your pooch to chew on this fibrous flesh as it contains sugary juice which is not good for them.

It becomes this dry pulpy and stringy residue after chewing the flesh. Depending on how much of the flesh your dog bites into the pulp will clump together like a big ball when it dries.

The members of our canine family will not know that they should spit this out so they will attempt to swallow it. The pulpy residue gets lodged in your poochs throat causing him to choke. If this happens he will be unable to breathe which can be fatal. If this happens he will be choking and will die.

As the dry pulpy residue makes its way down to the dogs’ intestines it could cause intestinal blockage which is also known as pyloric obstruction when foreign materials are stuck between the stomach and small intestines.

Dogs who suffer from this can vomit from nausea have diarrhea and stomach pain become restless or lose appetite. Remember that Sugar Cane residue is fibrous so it can separate into strands inside the dogs stomach. Theres a chance the strands will intertwine inside the intestines and interrupt circulation. When this happens it can result in the decay of surrounding organs.

Internal obstructions or intestinal blockages can also cause the following symptoms.

Bloating.
Feeling lethargic.
The stool is loose watery or bloody.
Constipation.
Panting heavily.

You should contact your vet immediately if you notice any of these symptoms as they require immediate medical attention. You may be asked to bring your dog in for a physical examination or a general checkup. It may be necessary to perform surgery to remove the dry pulpy residue from your dogs intestines.

Can dogs eat raw Sugar Cane?

Raw Sugar Cane is not suitable for dogs since it contains a lot of sugar. Because dogs do not need sugar at all any sugar consumed from Sugar Cane is an excessive amount of sugar that is unnecessary for our canine friends.

It is important to note that the exterior layer of Sugar Cane can cause cuts and tears to your dogs mouth and tongue in addition to the pulpy fibrous residue that can be a choking hazard.

Overall its best to keep dogs away from Sugar Cane regardless of whether its raw or not.

Can dogs chew on Sugar Cane?

Sugar Cane is not recommended for dogs to chew on. Sugar Cane can be harmful to dogs if they are allowed to chew on it. This is why.

Dogs chewing on sugar cane will ingest all the sugar thats contained within the moist pulpy and fibrous flesh known as bagasse. Dogs do not need to consume any sugar so they will be at risk of consuming too much.

Too much sugar regularly can cause your dog to gain weight which can result in obesity diabetes dental issues arthritis and even pancreatitis.

Not only that the pulpy fibrous flesh becomes a dry residue after the sugary juice is gone and this can form an obstruction or blockage in the digestive tract. It is not only fatal but may require immediate medical attention and even surgery.

Additionally if the sugar cane is not prepared properly before consumption the dog may chew on the sharp brittle exterior layer resulting in tears and cuts in the mouth tongue and throat.

What happens if a dog eats Sugarcane?

Sugar cane consumption puts dogs at risk for a host of health issues including:

Diabetes or spike in blood sugar level.
Metabolic changes.
Cavities tooth decay and enamel loss are all examples of dental diseases.
The long-term effects of obesity include weight gain.
Pancreatitis.
Arthritis.

Its best to keep Sugar Cane away from dogs because of this reason.

So can dogs eat Sugar Cane?

However Sugar Cane is harmful to your dogs health even though it is not toxic to dogs. Despite its name this treat contains a lot of sugar which your pet should avoid. Consuming too much sugar can cause both short-term and long-term health problems for dogs so Sugar Cane should be kept away from them.

Additionally the sugar cane stalks exterior layer can be sharp and pointy which can cause dogs internal injuries in addition to a large amount of sugar. This pulpy fibrous flesh in the interior of the Sugar Cane stalk becomes a clump when it dries which is a choking hazard and can cause intestinal blockage.

You should avoid feeding your dog Sugar Cane altogether to be on the same side.

If you want to read more about dog food tips read here: Dog Food Tips and Tricks.