Maybe you’re the type who enjoys hosting intimate gatherings for close friends and serving Pop Tarts as the main course. Despite their lack of nutritional value, I find them irresistible.
But our dogs seem to share our enthusiasm and expect at least a nibble. A friend of mine recently asked me if dogs could eat Pop Tarts, which we have never allowed.
This prompted me to do some research, and here is what I discovered.
Can Dogs Eat Pop Tarts?
Well, that depends. Despite the fact that some varieties of Pop Tarts are safe for canines, it’s still not the healthiest treat for dogs.
Pop Tarts are unhealthy for our dog because they are loaded with sugar, salt, carbohydrates, fats, and calories. It’s possible that xylitol, which is poisonous to dogs, is present in some varieties of Pop Tarts.
What are Pop Tarts?
Pop Tarts are a well-liked treat in many countries, including the USA, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and New Zealand.
You can get Pop Tarts at any supermarket or supermarket near you. Many people, young and old alike, look forward to having one as a sweet treat in the afternoon.
Pop Tarts are available with a wide range of sweet fillings and glazes. Two layers of flaky pastry form a rectangle around the sweet filling, sealing it in.
Most of the Pop Tarts also have a layer of sweet frosting on top.
These are some of the Pop Tart flavors that are available:
- Pop Tarts with brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Strawberries and cream flavored Pop Tarts.
- Pop tarts with blueberries.
- Many varieties of cinnamon Pop Tarts.
- Yummy chocolatey Pop Tart.
- Marshmallow Pop Tart.
What are Pop Tarts made of?
Knowing what’s in the snacks we give our dogs is essential. What goes into Pop Tarts? Let’s find out.
Are Pop Tarts Bad for Dogs?
The fact that a dog likes the taste of a Pop Tart doesn’t mean it’s healthy for him to eat. Dogs shouldn’t eat a lot of the foods we eat because their digestive systems aren’t designed to handle it.
Pop Tarts are not healthy for your dog because they lack essential nutrients. Let’s take a look at some of the most typical ingredients and the harm they cause to your dog.
Flour
The flour used to make Pop Tarts can either be enriched or plain wheat flour. Any dog that has a gluten sensitivity should avoid them because they can be harmful. Common signs of a gluten allergy include:
- Feeling queasy in the stomach
- Bloating
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Flatulence
- Rashes, or areas of the skin that are red and itchy, can be very uncomfortable.
Potentially more serious consequences of these symptoms include:
- Repeated episodes of sneezing
- Shortness of breath
- Asthma
- In extreme cases, a seizure
Even for those who aren’t gluten intolerant, eating an excessive amount of flour can cause obesity, diabetes, and even arthritis.
Get your dog checked out by a vet if you have any doubts about whether or not it suffers from gluten allergies. The veterinarian can perform tests to identify any potential allergies your pet may have.
Sugar
Sugar, in the form of commercial sugar, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, or artificial sweeteners, is an ingredient in Pop Tarts. There is 0.56 oz of sugar in a single strawberry Pop Tart.
Long-term effects of sugar consumption are numerous:
- Increased body fat and obesity
- Diabetes and insulin resistance
- Poor oral health and tooth decay
- Pancreatitis
Sugar isn’t naturally found in a dog’s diet, so it’s best to limit how much your pet consumes. Take extra precautions with xylitol.
The artificial sweetener xylitol can be fatal to dogs due to its toxicity. Dogs are extremely sensitive to xylitol, so it’s important to avoid feeding them anything that contains even trace amounts of the sweetener.
Oils
Palm oil and soy oil are common ingredients in Pop Tarts. Both of these contribute to canine obesity and the health issues that come with it.
Additionally, Pop Tarts have the anti-rancidity and shelf-life-extending food additive tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ).
Studies on animals show that TBHQ is carcinogenic, ocular toxic, and neurotoxic.
Chocolate
It’s important to keep your dog away from any Pop Tarts because of the chocolate they contain. Theobromine, which is found in chocolate, is toxic to dogs. Symptoms of theobromine poisoning include nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, dizziness, and even death.
Dark chocolate and cocoa powder have the most theobromine. But the effects change with the amount your dog consumes.
Artificial Flavors and Artificial Colors
Artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives are commonly found in Pop Tarts. A dog’s allergy to these substances could lead to life-threatening symptoms.
So, do our four-legged friends need to avoid Pop Tarts? They carry a high risk to health and provide almost no nutritional value, so the answer is yes.
Different Flavors of Pop Tarts
There is a wide variety of Pop Tart flavors, but only some of them are dog-friendly. Let’s take a look at some of the popular choices and the reasons they aren’t good for your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Chocolate Pop Tarts?
Sorry, but these Pop Tarts are not dog food. We’re making them even more dangerous for our furry friends by adding chocolate.
These are the worst for your canine companions. As the name suggests, chocolate Pop Tarts also contain chocolate in addition to the sugar and flour. Small amounts of chocolate can be fatal for dogs.
Additionally, xylitol and alcohol are frequently added to commercial chocolate products, both of which are extremely toxic to dogs.
The small amount of chocolate in a Pop Tart should not be harmful to your dog. But if they eat too much chocolate, they could become toxic. Immediately find a vet and take them there.
Can Dogs Eat Pop Tarts A&W Root Beer?
This Pop Tart is not safe for your dog, either.
There is no actual root beer in A&W’s Root Beer Pop Tarts, but they are still loaded with unhealthy ingredients. Pop Tarts are bad for dogs because even one contains too much salt, sugar, and oil.
Caramel color and the synthetic dyes Red 40 Lake and Yellow 6 Lake are also present. Some dogs have severe allergic reactions if they ingest these.
Stay far away from these Pop Tarts.
Can Dogs Eat Strawberry Pop Tarts?
Strawberry Pop Tarts are not safe for canines to eat. Quite a bit of sugar is in it. Only give your dog a few strawberry Pop Tarts occasionally if you really want to risk them becoming overweight.
Do not feed your dog the entire pastry bar; doing so increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and pancreatitis in canines.
If your pet has preexisting conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity, strawberry Pop Tarts are probably best avoided.
Strawberry Pop Tarts contain wheat products and the oil used to make them is not good for dogs, so dogs with wheat allergies shouldn’t feed them to their pets.
Ingredients in Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts include:
- Wheat flour that has been fortified with niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate (Vitamin B1), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), and folic acid.
- Corn sweetener.
- HFCS, or high fructose corn syrup.
- Dextrose.
- In order to maintain its freshness, TBHQ is added to the palm and soybean oils.
- Sugar.
- Flour made from white wheat that has been bleached.
Two percent or less of the following can be found in Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts:
- A flour made from wheat.
- Salt.
- Fruit that has been dried and then used.
- Pears that have been dried.
- Sun-dried apples.
- Rise enhancer (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate).
- Hydrochloric acid.
- Gelatin.
- Starch from modified wheat.
- Corn meal, yellow.
- A caramel hue.
- Palm oil.
- It’s a gum made of xanthan.
- Cornstarch.
- Obtaining a yellow hue from turmeric.
- Lecithin extracted from soy beans.
- Red 40.
- Yellow 6.
- Blue 1.
Can Dogs Eat Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts?
Brown sugar cinnamon Pop Tarts are not safe for dogs to eat. In spite of the name, brown sugar cinnamon Pop Tarts don’t contain any brown sugar. Pop Tarts’ sweetness comes from a combination of sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, high fructose corn syrup, and molasses.
These are all bad for our dogs. Numerous health issues, such as obesity, tooth decay, diabetes, arthritis, and pancreatitis, have been linked to a diet of daily Pop Tarts in canine studies.
Brown sugar cinnamon is the only thing you should ever feed your dog. Pop Tarts as a special treat, once in a while, and with restraint.
If your furry friends have wheat allergies, you shouldn’t feed them brown sugar cinnamon Pop Tarts because they contain the same main ingredients as strawberry Pop Tarts.
Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts have these ingredients:
- White flour that has been fortified with niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate (Vitamin B1), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), and folic acid.
- Sugar.
- Palm and soybean oil preserved with TBHQ.
- Syrup made from corn.
- Dextrose.
- Corn syrup with a high fructose content.
- flour made from white wheat that has been bleached.
Two percent or less of the following can be found in Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts:
- Molasses.
- Salt.
- Raising agents (sodium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate, and sodium acid pyrophosphate).
- Cinnamon.
- Glue made from wheat husks.
- Gelatin.
- A caramel hue.
- In this case, we’ll use soy lecithin.
Can Dogs Eat Blueberry Pop Tarts?
Even if they were safe, you shouldn’t feed your dog a blueberry Pop Tart. Again, your dog would benefit from eating only raw blueberries, but the Pop Tarts should be avoided.
They taste like Strawberry Pop Tarts and are loaded with sugar and food dyes. Dogs should stay away from these because they are dangerous.
What Should You Do if Your Dog Ate Pop Tart?
If you suspect your dog has eaten Pop Tarts, you’ll want to get an accurate count. You need not worry if your furry friend ate just a nibble.
Your dog should see a vet if it eats too many chocolate Pop Tarts. You should keep an eye out for signs of an allergy if you suspect your dog has eaten Pop Tarts of another variety.
Potential allergic reactions and chocolate toxicity are the main issues with Pop Tarts.
Symptoms of Chocolate Toxicity
When a dog consumes too much chocolate, they can develop chocolate toxicity, a life-threatening condition. Toxic effects of chocolate include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Extreme dry mouth and urination
- Restlessness
- Racing heart
- Body shakes
- The failure of the heart
- Seizures
- Coma
Take your dog to the vet as soon as you see any of these signs. The prognosis is usually favorable if action is taken rapidly.
Alternatives to Pop Tarts
Maybe your furry friend is still curious and wants to try Pop Tarts. Instead, you could provide them with this:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Carrots
- Peanut butter (xylitol testing is a must)
Your dog will forget all about the bad Pop Tarts thanks to all the wonderful treats you can give him instead. It’s possible that you’ll be surprised by how many human foods your dog can safely eat.
Crazy Good? Not for Dogs
Owners of pets should not give Pop Tarts to their critters. Many of the ingredients in these treats are bad for dogs, and some of them are outright toxic.
If you want to show your pet some love in return for all the affection it has shown you, you can always make them some homemade treats. Vegetables and fruits are especially good for your dog’s health.
Don’t forget that your dog’s health is never more important than the taste of processed food, no matter how tasty it is.
![Homemade Vegan Pop Tarts [Air fryer Oven Directions!] - Colleen Christensen Nutrition](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAMPDwwAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=)
Conclusion: Can dogs eat Pop Tarts?
While many flavors of Pop Tarts contain no ingredients known to be toxic to dogs, it is still best to avoid giving your canine companions any of these sugary pastries.
Pop Tarts are nothing but empty calories for your dog because they contain so much sugar. Pets should be fine if they find one and eat it by accident. Dogs should only be given this treat on very special occasions, so be sure to store it safely out of their reach.