There’s nothing better than tucking into a large bowl of cheesy popcorn. Unfortunately, this delicious treat isn’t something you should share with your hound as cheese popcorn isn’t good for dogs.
You may be wondering why dogs can’t eat cheese popcorn and whether it’s really that bad for your pooch. So, let’s find out more about why cheese popcorn is dangerous for dogs and what health problems they can get if they eat it.
Read more about popcorn and dogs here.
Can Dogs Eat Cheese Popcorn?
This is a tricky one to answer. Many types of cheese aren’t toxic to dogs, so it is deemed a safe food for canines.
However, blue cheeses are very dangerous for dogs. Never let your dog eat cheese popcorn with one of these cheeses on it:
- Stilton
- Dutch blue
- Roquefort
- Cabrales
- Gorgonzola
Popcorn is suitable for dogs, which means they can eat popcorn topped with a non-toxic cheese. But there are many concerns connected to this that you can read all about in the rest of this article.
Is Cheese Popcorn Bad For Dogs?
Yes! Cheese popcorn can be very bad for dogs due to its high-fat content. The amount of fat in cheese varies depending on the type of cheese. But a 1 oz piece of cheddar cheese typically contains 9 g of fat. And, let’s be honest, you’re probably putting more than this on your bowl of popcorn.
What’s worse, is that the majority of the fat in cheese is saturated fat. Saturated fat is not healthy for dogs and is linked to:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Renal disease
Another problem is there’s a lot of salt in cheese which makes cheese popcorn bad for dogs to eat. On average, there’s 174 mg of sodium in 1 oz of cheddar cheese while American cheese contains 468 mg of sodium.
Read about cheddar cheese popcorn and dogs here.
All dogs need a small amount of salt in their diets. But if they eat too much, they’re at risk of toxicosis. This is a dangerous condition that needs immediate treatment from a vet, to prevent long-term complications and even death.
Signs of toxicosis include:
- Shaking and tremors
- Weakness
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Excessive thirst
- Poor coordination
For more info on Can Popcorn Kill Dogs – click here.
Can a Dog That’s Lactose Intolerant Eat Cheese Popcorn?
No. Even though cheese tends to be low in lactose compared to most other dairy products, a dog that’s lactose intolerant shouldn’t eat cheese popcorn.
It’s difficult for dogs with lactose intolerance to digest the lactose that’s in cheese popcorn. It can take as long as 48 hours for symptoms to appear. So, you may think that you’ve gotten away with sharing your favorite cheesy treat with your dog, only to discover it doesn’t agree with it a couple of days later.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) states that lactose intolerance is common in dogs. You may think that it’s okay to give your pooch cheese popcorn because they aren’t lactose intolerant. But can you be sure?
Lactose isn’t present in dog food and most dogs won’t eat foods containing lactose very often. So, there’s a chance that your dog could have a hidden lactose intolerance that you don’t know about.
The only way to find out is to feed your dog food with lactose in it and see if it suffers from any of the following symptoms:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Flatulence
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
We don’t recommend trialing to see if your dog is lactose intolerant as it could get very sick. Most foods containing lactose aren’t healthy for dogs. So, it’s best not to take the risk and to stick with safe, dog-friendly treats instead.
READ NEXT: Can dogs eat Skinny Popcorn?
Will Cheese Popcorn Give My Dog Pancreatitis?
A small amount of cheese popcorn is unlikely to result in your dog being diagnosed with pancreatitis.
One of the main causes of canine pancreatitis is eating a diet that’s high in fat. If your dog regularly pigs out on cheese popcorn, a lot of fat will be going into its body and there’s an increased risk that pancreatitis will occur.
If you’ve ever been concerned about your dog getting pancreatitis, look out for these symptoms:
- Lethargy
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Sitting in the ‘praying position’
When these symptoms present, book an emergency appointment with your dog’s vet so that they can test for the disease and treat it quickly.
READ NEXT: Can dogs eat Smartfood popcorn?
Is Cheese Popcorn Good For Dogs?
It can be, but only in very small amounts. Cheese contains some key nutrients, including protein, calcium, vitamin A, essential fatty acids, and B-complex vitamins. If you offer cheese popcorn to your dog, they will get some health benefits.
- Protein is one of the most important nutrients for a dog as it breaks down into amino acids that help maintain a dog’s muscles, hair, cartilage, nails, and more. Dogs typically need to eat 1 g of protein for every pound of their expected body weight. 1 oz of cheddar cheese piled onto your popcorn will usually contain 7 g of protein.
- Calcium is needed to keep a dog’s bones and teeth strong. It also plays a role in keeping a dog’s heart, immune system, and hormones working correctly.
- Vitamin A gives dogs energy and looks after their skin and coats. It’s also needed to repair and regenerate tissue.
- Essential fatty acids are crucial for cognitive health. They also look after a dog’s skin and coat. Cheese typically contains palmitic, oleic and, myristic fatty acids.
- Finally, B-complex vitamins are needed for healthier skin and coat. B-complex vitamins also provide energy and look after a dog’s metabolic system.
Although, cheese popcorn does have some health benefits for dogs. It’s not wise to offer it to your furry friend as the risks and associated health problems are a greater concern.
Cheese popcorn is something you should keep to yourself. Your dog may beg you for some of it, but it’s not a good idea to share it as it could make your pooch ill. If you do want to reward your dog with some yummy popcorn, offer a few pieces of plain air-popped popcorn instead.
READ NEXT: Can dogs have salty popcorn?
Sources
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/is-salt-bad-for-dogs/
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pancreatitis-in-dogs
https://www.iams.com/dog/dog-articles/why-your-dog-needs-protein
https://livelypaws.com/blogs/news/vitamin-a-for-dogs
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-4557.2009.00258
