No, dogs cannot and should not eat Nutella. While Nutella is made from hazelnut, it does contain cocoa powder, which is rich in theobromine. This chemical is really toxic for dogs and can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, poisoning, and death in worse cases. Furthermore, Nutella also contains excessive amounts of sugar, which can cause obesity and weight gain in dogs.
Dangerous: This food is generally considered a serious threat to the health and wellbeing of dogs. Please contact your vet, a veterinary hospital or pet poison control if you suspect your dog has eaten this food recently.
How Much Nutella is Toxic for Dogs?
While a single lick from a spoon won’t be harmful, your dog might experience symptoms of theobromine poisoning if you feed it an entire Nutella sandwich. Of course, there are only trace amounts of theobromine in Nutella because it’s typically made from hazelnuts. However, even a small amount of this dangerous chemical can be toxic for dogs.
Symptoms of Nutella Poisoning in Dogs
If your dog eats too much Nutella, it might experience various theobromine poisoning symptoms. These include seizures, tremors, agitation, increased urination and thirst, restlessness, vomiting, diarrhea, and more.
What To Do If Your Dog Ate Too Much Nutella?
If your dog eats too much Nutella, the best course of action is to wash its mouth with water and monitor it for 30-60 minutes. If poisoning symptoms appear, it would be best to take your dog to the vet immediately.
Common Nutella Ingredients
- Hazelnut- Hazelnuts are safe for dogs as they don’t contain any toxic chemicals.
- Cocoa-Cocoa is extremely toxic for dogs because it contains theobromine.
- Salt-Large amounts of salt can lead to heart problems in dogs.
- Butter-Feeding your dog large quantities of butter and other fatty foods can cause pancreatitis.
- Vegetable Oil-Vegetable oil is safe for dogs in moderation. However, large amounts can lead to pancreatitis in the long term.
- Preservatives-Preservatives are typically added to human food with human consumption in mind. Hence, some preservatives are unsafe for dogs.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Typically, around 46-68 mg/lb. of theobromine can be toxic for dogs. However, this amount can vary depending on the size of your dog.
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Hazelnuts are safe for dogs to eat. However, if you want to give them an occasional treat, ensure that you choose plain hazelnuts instead of the salted version.
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An entire jar of Nutella contains around 7.4 percent of cocoa powder. This is enough to send your dog to the emergency room.
