Can Dogs Eat Granola (Bars or Mix)? What Are The Risks?

Can dogs eat granola? Granola is tricky, as it can contain many different things. Common grains utilized in granola, like oats, are perfectly fine for dogs in moderation. The high fiber content may even help dogs with digestive issues. Because granola is usually whole grain, it also contains a decent amount of protein. Both of these nutrients are helpful for our canines.

However, granola bars and mixes can also contain other ingredients. For instance, store-bought granolas contain added sugar, salt, and toxic ingredients. Therefore, checking the ingredient list is vital before feeding your dog any granola.

The safest option is to make homemade granola for your pet. You can find several granola recipes online that are designed to be fed alongside your dog’s regular food. But always check with your veterinarian to make sure it is appropriate for your dog.

However, this does require a time commitment on your part. Making doggie granola isn’t always practical or necessary. Before you use store-bought granola, check the ingredient list for these dangerous ingredients.

Dangerous Ingredients in Granola

Granola includes a wide range of ingredients depending on the brand and flavor. The main grains utilized are typically safe for all dogs. However, it is all the extra ingredients that you need to worry about.

Raisins

Grapes, currants, and raisins are both extremely toxic to dogs. The amount necessary to cause symptoms varies from dog to dog. Of course, dogs that consume more raisins are more likely to develop symptoms than dogs that only eat one. However, some dogs are extremely sensitive, while others can tolerate small amounts.

Currently, we do not know why grapes are toxic to canines. There are several theories. One is that grapes and raisins contain mycotoxin, produced by a fungus that likes fruits. However, salicylate is also found in most raisins and grapes, an aspirin-like compound. Some vets claim that tartaric acid found in grapes may also be to blame.

If your dog consumes a raisin or grape, it is best to contact the pet poison helpline or your veterinarian. There are many unknowns with this type of poisoning, so you may be told to keep an eye on your pooch. Usually, early symptoms of raisin toxicity involve vomiting. However, lethargy and diarrhea can occur, too. Severe symptoms don’t occur for a day or so when kidney failure begins.

Chocolate

Most people know that chocolate is toxic to dogs. However, this can occur in granola in very small amounts, so it is vital to check before feeding anything to your canine.

With that said, while being a “famously” toxic food, chocolate isn’t actually that toxic to dogs. It is rarely deadly, and most of the toxic effects come from the caffeine in chocolate. Theobromine is also in chocolate, which causes similar effects to caffeine.

Therefore, dogs who consume chocolate often act like they have drunk too many energy drinks. They may have an increased heart rate and increased blood vessel dilation. Panting, restlessness, increased urination, and diarrhea can all occur.

The amount of chocolate your dog needs to consume to show symptoms depends on their body weight. Darker chocolates are more toxic than lighter chocolates, as they contain more cocoa beans per ounce. Baking chocolate is the most toxic variety, as it is only cocoa beans. White chocolate is rarely considered “toxic,” as it is mostly sugar.

For instance, a medium-sized canine would need to consume about nine ounces of milk chocolate to show toxicity symptoms possibly.

Tree Nuts

Dogs stereotypically love peanut butter. However, peanuts are one of the few nuts that dogs can eat. The whole category of “tree nuts” is considered toxic to dogs, though each nut has a different level of toxicity. Specifically, in most cases, only pecans and macadamia nuts are toxic enough to matter.

When eaten in small amounts, these nuts can produce some troublesome symptoms. Vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness are common. Often, these symptoms are mild, but serious side effects can also occur.

These can sometimes appear in granola mixes. Therefore, it is important to see precisely what nuts are included before giving the mix or bar to your canine.

Xylitol

This artificial sweetener is commonly used in sugar-free gum and similar candy. However, it can also be used in granola mixes and bars. However, when a dog consumes this sweetener, it reacts in its body a bit differently than a human’s body.

When humans consume xylitol, it tastes sweet, but the pancreas doesn’t recognize it as sugar. However, this isn’t true for dogs. A dog’s pancreas does recognize this as sugar. Therefore, when consumed, the pancreas will produce insulin. Because xylitol isn’t sugar, this product will cause the dog’s blood sugar to drop dramatically.

If their blood sugar becomes too low, negative symptoms can pop up. For instance, the dog may begin to have seizures. Even with very small amounts of xylitol, liver failure and death are not uncommon.

What to Check Before Feeding Your Dog Granola

Before you give your dog granola, there are several factors you should consider. Here are some steps we recommend taking to keep your dog safe:

• Check the ingredient list. First, you should check the ingredient list to ensure that there isn’t anything harmful. Be sure to read the whole thing, as xylitol is often included in very small amounts (but is still dangerous to dogs). Be sure to check for everything included on our list above.
• Check the sodium content. Many human foods include quite a bit of added sodium. Salt simply makes things taste better, and it acts as a preservative. However, dogs are much smaller than us and need much less sodium. Therefore, “normal” sodium levels for a person may be far too high for your dog.
• Check the sugar content. Sugar is another substance that should be avoided for dogs. Humans can eat a small amount of added sugar without a problem. However, dogs are not designed to consume high amounts of sugar, and most dogs are much smaller than adult humans. Therefore, any added sugar will likely make the granola unsuitable for your dog.
• Check the fiber content. Some dogs do benefit from added fiber. Many dog foods have lower fiber than a canine needs, leading to stomach problems. However, too much fiber can also cause issues, especially if your dog isn’t used to it.
• Check the calories. Granola is a rather calorie-dense food. Therefore, you should not give it to your dog in high amounts. It may fill them up too much and prevent them from eating their balanced and complete dog food. Keep extras like granola below 10% of a dog’s daily calorie needs.

Can Dogs Have Granola with Oats and Honey?

Dogs can consume granola with oats. Oats are a great whole-grain option for many dogs out there. They are high in fiber and do contain some nutrients that dogs need. However, honey is a different story.

Honey is mainly utilized as a sweetener. Therefore, it isn’t the best option for dogs. While a little sugar is okay for most adult humans, dogs are much smaller and not designed to handle as many carbohydrates in their diet.

For this reason, a small amount of sugar, like honey, probably won’t harm your dog. However, this isn’t a snack we would recommend providing very often. Furthermore, if your dog is extra-sensitive to sugar for one reason or another, you should avoid honey altogether.

Can Dogs Eat Granola Clusters?

Granola clusters vary a lot, just like granola mixes. Therefore, you should follow the checklist we provided above to determine if a specific kind of granola clusters are suitable for your canine.

Check for common toxic ingredients like raisins, xylitol, and chocolate.

Furthermore, clusters often have some sort of sugary substance to help keep the granola all together. Therefore, they tend to be less suitable than other sorts of granola. For this reason, they probably shouldn’t be your first choice when feeding your pup.

Plus, even if the granola clusters pass the checklist above, you should not feed your dog too much. Granola isn’t nutritionally complete and should not be given as a major part of your dog’s diet.

Can Dogs Eat Granola Cereal?

Often, granola cereals are exactly like your average granola mixes. However, they are just advertised to be consumed with milk instead of putting into yogurt. The ingredients tend to be extremely similar.

Therefore, you should use the checklist above to determine if the granola is suitable for your canine. Check the ingredient list and nutritional information to determine if it is safe and not packed with too many harmful ingredients.

However, many granola cereals include sugar. Therefore, they aren’t always the best choice for dogs.