Can Dogs Eat Caramel? When it is or isn’t an Emergency

No, dogs shouldn’t eat caramel. How unsafe confections like caramel are to dogs will depend on a number of factors like the ingredients used to make the caramel and the amount of caramel the dog ate.

What happens if a dog eats caramel?

Caramel typically consists of ingredients like sugar, butter, vanilla, and cream. While none of these ingredients are toxic to dogs, eating a lot of sugar, for example, can eventually lead to issues with your dog’s short-term and long-term health. As we know, eating a lot of sugar is also bad for a dog’s dental health and may lead to conditions like tooth decay.

Dogs that have eaten too much caramel may end up with gastrointestinal symptoms due to the sugar overload. One or two tiny pieces of caramel may cause little harm but anything more may potentially lead to symptoms like stomach upsets and vomiting.

There is also the risk of the caramel product containing ingredients that are toxic to dogs. Letting your dog eat caramel chocolate, for example, is asking for double trouble because chocolate is toxic to dogs. Caramel popcorns are also unsafe for dogs due to the high fat content.

What to do if your dog ate caramel

Most dogs will be okay or may only suffer from mild gastrointestinal symptoms after eating a tiny piece of caramel. That said, it may still give you peace of mind to call the vet for advice. Some dogs may not respond as well to eating caramel, especially if they have a pre-existing health disorder or have a higher level of intolerance to sugar-based foods like caramel.

If your dog ate caramel products that do contain ‘toxic’ ingredients or ate an extraordinarily large amount of caramel, we would advise calling the emergency vet.