 The Short Answer is:
|
|
When considering all the active ingredients in grape jelly it becomes apparent that the main cause for concern is the grapes which are highly toxic to dogs. Due to their toxicity it is best not to wait around for symptoms to appear while you watch your dog. Possibly their kidneys will have shut down by the time they begin to show symptoms. |
The purpose of this research is to explain “Help! My Dog Ate Grape Jelly“.
Do you have a thieving dog?
Are you a sneaky raider of kitchen work surfaces looking for items that have been left there?
I used to have a dog that would put her paws on the kitchen counter and lick the sugar bowl!
We learned to completely clear any work surface of food items after this incident but it never seemed to do her much harm.
However I am going to focus todays post on grape jelly.
Does your dog suffer any harm if it eats any? What should you do if it accidentally eats any?
Lets have a quick look at this.
What is grape jelly?
Jelly made of grapes is a sweet preserve that is made by boiling mashing and then straining grapes before adding lots of sugar to the mix.
Grape jelly is usually spread over toast.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture it is the second most popular preserve behind maple syrup
Its strawberry season.
Since 2011 roughly 120 million Americans consume it every year.
What are the main ingredients?
Smuckers and Welchs are two of the biggest brands in the United States.
Almost all of their ingredients are the same.
Six ingredients make up their jelly:
Citric acid sodium citrate fruit pectin corn syrup high fructose corn syrup and Concord grapes.
Generally these jellies are at least 55% sugar which is something your dog should not consume too much of.
We do not know however how many grapes go into each jar of jelly.
Therefore lets look at each ingredient individually to see if there are any that are especially harmful to dogs.
Are grapes poisonous to dogs?
Wow! As unequivocal as this answer is I do not find it very often.
A dogs kidneys can fail and even die from eating grapes or raisins.
- What human food can French Bulldogs eat?
The reason grapes are poisonous is still largely unknown.
Toxic substances have yet to be identified by scientists.
Additionally they do not know how many grapes it takes to kill a vine.
Furthermore the symptoms are vague as well.
Diarrhea vomiting and dehydration are some of these symptoms.
Immediately contact your vet if your dog eats some grapes.
Corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup is safe for dogs to eat?
In grape jelly both high fructose corn syrup and standard corn syrup are present.
Both corn syrups are derived from corn starch but standard corn syrup contains glucose while high fructose corn syrup contains fructose.
Sugars include glucose and fructose.
The liver processes fructose whereas glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Both of these sugars are not toxic to dogs but depending on how much grape jelly your dog consumed he may experience some nasty side effects such as diarrhea.
Can dogs eat pectin?
Vegetables and fruits contain naturally occurring starch called pectin.
Each vegetable and fruit has its own unique shape due to this natural “thickener”.
This is the ingredient that makes jams and jellies semi-solid.
Dogs cannot be poisoned by pectin.
As a matter of fact it is sometimes used to treat diarrhea in dogs and other animals.
The fact that it thickens should not come as a surprise considering what we have learned about it.
Can dogs eat citric acid?
Citrus fruits contain citric acid as well as grape jelly.
Although grape jelly contains a small amount of citric acid it will not harm your dog beyond a bad stomach upset.
Can dogs eat sodium citrate?
Dogs are not toxic to sodium citrate a salt that is related to citric acid.
Are there any safe alternatives to grape jelly?
You might be considering safer alternatives to grape jelly at this point right?
All other fruit jellies or jams will be safe for dogs because fruits are generally toxic to them.
Dogs are highly toxic to cherry pits and leaves so you might want to avoid cherry jelly.
Regardless of whether they contain fruit or not all jelly is high in sugar.
Peanut butter can be another option but you need to make sure that it does not contain xylitol which can be poisonous to dogs.
Honey whats the story? Despite the fact that honey is a natural product it is packed full of sugar making it unsafe for dogs in small amounts…
It is still better to give your dog honey than jelly as an accidental snack.
How to stop a dog from eating grape jelly?
Stop feeding your dog little bits of grape jelly every now and then is the best way to keep them from eating grape jelly.
You should also make sure it is not left out on a work surface.
Although it is easier said than done because no matter how organized and tidy we try to be there will always be the odd time when we leave the kitchen in a mess!
Conclusion
When considering all the active ingredients in grape jelly it becomes apparent that the main cause for concern is the grapes which are highly toxic to dogs.
Due to their toxicity it is best not to wait around for symptoms to appear while you watch your dog.
Possibly their kidneys will have shut down by the time they begin to show symptoms.
Therefore you should either call your veterinarian as soon as possible or dial the pet poison helpline (which will cost you $59 per call).
If you want to read more about dog food tips read here: Dog Food Tips and Tricks.
