Can Dogs Eat Tootsie Rolls?
If you have a dog, you know that the crinkling of candy wrappers or chip bags always seems to send your pet running your way, no matter where they are in the house! You may wonder what would happen if you were to share some candy with your pet– or if your pet were to get into the candy bowl while your back is turned. Most of us are aware that chocolate can be very harmful to dogs, and can even be deadly. So, what about Tootsie Rolls? Should these chocolate-flavoured treats be avoided as well?
Tootsie Rolls are chocolate flavoured treats, but contain cocoa, rather than chocolate, for flavour. They will not necessarily be toxic to your pet. That being said, you should still avoid feeding your dog Tootsie Rolls, as they are not healthy for your pet and can cause health issues.
What Is a Tootsie Roll?
Tootsie Rolls are some of the more classic candy options out there! They’ve been around since 1907 when Leo Hirschfield finalized their formulation and design. Leo Hirschfield was an Austrian candymaker who came to New York City and opened his own shop. Tootsie Rolls are a chewy, chocolate flavoured treat that is made with ingredients such as cocoa, sugars, and condensed skim milk. Originally, it was a blend of caramel and taffy.
Related – Are Dogs Allowed to have Marshmallows?
Can Dogs Eat Tootsie Rolls?
While Tootsie Rolls are not necessarily toxic to dogs like pure chocolate can be, they are still not safe for your pet’s consumption. These candies were not designed for dogs to eat, and they offer no nutritional value, so there is no reason to purposely feed them to your pet. They can also cause digestive issues and long-term issues like weight gain if your dog continues to eat them.
Risks of Feeding Your Dog Tootsie Rolls?
As discussed above, Tootsie Rolls can be disruptive to your dog’s stomach and digestive system. Some of the ingredients in these treats can also be triggers for more serious and lasting issues like weight gain or diabetes, so it is best that you keep the Tootsie Rolls in your candy bowl and away from your pet’s bowl!
Digestive Issues
Many of the ingredients in Tootsie Rolls are not ingredients that your dog is able to process. For instance, there is condensed skim milk in Tootsie Rolls. After weaning off of their mother’s milk as puppies, dogs are no longer able to process milk or dairy products properly. Another ingredient is sugar, which dogs’ bodies are not able to process and digest in the way that our human bodies do.
Since your dog is unable to process these ingredients, it can easily cause digestive issues in your pet if they consume Tootsie Rolls. These digestive issues can manifest in a few different forms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, loose stool, or gas.
Weight Gain
Weight gain is something that will not necessarily occur with the consumption of one or two Tootsie Rolls, but can occur over time– or if your dog already has a poor diet, adding in Tootsie Rolls can affect weight gain, too. Tootsie Rolls are high in sugar and artificial flavorings, which can contribute to weight gain in your pet.
Weight gain can affect your dog’s overall health, making it easier for your pet to succumb to other health issues, as well as making it more difficult for your pet to exercise properly and stay healthy and in shape. These other health issues can also be very harmful and can even shorten your pet’s lifespan– that’s why it is so important to keep your pet in shape.
Related – Can Dogs Have Hazelnut Spread?
What If My Dog Eats a Tootsie Roll?
Luckily, your dog will probably be all right if it eats a Tootsie Roll! The typical size of a Tootsie Roll is 40 grams, and the amount of cocoa is so low that eating just one Tootsie Roll should not have that much of an effect on your pet. 10 grams of chocolate is the amount that begins to become dangerous for your pet. Due to the amounts of sugars and flavorings in a Tootsie Roll, the amount of cocoa in one Tootsie Roll is not likely to exceed 10 grams.
That being said, you should monitor your pet if you suspect it has eaten a Tootsie Roll to be sure that it is not exhibiting any abnormal symptoms that could be cause for concern. If your dog does exhibit behaviors such as vomiting or tremors, contact your vet– and as always, use your best judgment. It is better to be overly cautious in these cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any chocolate in a Tootsie Roll?
Technically, there is no chocolate in Tootsie Roll candies. They are chocolate flavoured chews, however, and do contain some elements of chocolate, like cocoa. They also contain ingredients such as sugar, skim milk, and artificial flavorings.
What candy can dogs not eat?
Any candies that contain chocolate can be especially harmful to dogs, such as Milky Ways, M&Ms, Snickers, or pure chocolate bars. Chocolate becomes dangerous to dogs in quantities of 10 grams or more, but lower amounts can still affect your dog, especially if you have a small breed dog or one with a sensitive digestive system.
What candy can dogs eat?
Dogs should not be eating any candies, as candy does not have any nutritional value and does not add to your pet’s diet in any way. Some of the candies that will not make your dog sick, though, are candy corn, Skittles, or sour candies. In large quantities, these will still cause issues, but since they do not contain chocolate, they are not toxic to your pet.
How many grams of chocolate are in a Tootsie Roll?
As Tootsie Rolls do not contain actual chocolate, they contain 0 grams of chocolate. These treats are flavored with cocoa and artificial flavorings. A typical Tootsie Roll is 40 grams, and the amount of cocoa in the treat is a very small fraction of this.