Can Dogs Eat Doritos? Should They Really?

  • By: Andrew
  • Time to read: 7 min.

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Does it seem like every time you rip open a bag of Doritos, your dog appears? Dogs love begging for these cheesy chips, but many people are confused about whether or not they can feed them to their pup. Can dogs eat Doritos?

Dogs shouldn’t eat Doritos. While one or two would be harmless for most dogs, the ingredients can be toxic to them when eaten in large quantities. Doritos also are high in calories, contain a lot of salt, and are loaded with fat- none of which are good for your pet. Try to offer healthier treats.

If you offer your dog chips too often, they will get a taste for them. Your clever pup will also learn what the bag sounds like and beg you for a snack. There are plenty of alternative treats which I made sure to include in this article.

Can Your Dog Eat Doritos?

While your dog can technically eat a Dorito or two, you don’t want to make a habit of giving them as treats. It would be better if you never offered them to your dog. 

Doritos Flavored Tortilla Chips

Doritos contain a lot of ingredients that can be toxic to dogs when consumed in large amounts.

For instance, Doritos contain high levels of salt and fat. High levels of fat in foods can cause your dog to experience pancreatitis. Salt makes your dog thirstier, causing them to drink more water, which means taking them outside to relieve themselves more times than you may want to go. 

In addition, too much salt can have serious side effects.

When eaten in large amounts, salt can cause your pet to experience vomiting or diarrhea. It may also cause tremors, seizures, or fevers in your pet. 

These side effects, however, do not occur unless your dog eats those ingredients in large amounts. You need to be careful with smaller dogs, as they can’t tolerate as much salt as large breeds can.

Toxic Ingredients in Doritos

There are other ingredients in Doritos that your dog shouldn’t eat. 

Most flavors contain garlic powder and onion powder, which are not suitable for your pup. Garlic and onions can cause anemia if your dog eats too much of them. 

These foods are harmful to your dog in all forms- including powder. According to the Pet Poison Helpline, onions and garlic are toxic to your pet when they ingest more than 0.5% of their total weight.

While a single Dorito won’t contain that much garlic or onion powder, you don’t want your dog to get a taste for these chips. If you were to leave a full bag where they can reach accidentally, your pet could get very sick if they ate the entire portion. Be sure to keep your snacks up high when your pup is around.

Finally, Doritos contain artificial flavorings, chemicals, and corn, which are more challenging for them to digest safely.

Will Doritos Kill My Dog?

While Doritos have toxic ingredients to your dog, they don’t contain enough to kill them. One chip doesn’t contain enough salt, fat, or garlic and onion powders to poison your pet. Although, some dogs can tolerate more of these ingredients than others.

So, if your pup steals one or two chips, you shouldn’t have to worry. 

However, you will want to call your vet if your dog does eat a large bowl or bag of them. It’s better to be safe, so reach out to your vet if your dog shows signs of illness.

These are indicators of poisoning in dogs:

  • Intense vomiting or diarrhea
  • Dry heaving
  • Pale gums
  • Coughing blood
  • Lethargy
  • Tripping over themselves
  • Seizures or trembling

If you can’t reach your regular vet, the Animal Poison Control Line is open 24/7. Their phone number is (888) 426-4435. An emergency pet hospital or clinic in your area may also be available to assist you.

Keep in mind that your pet should not be displaying the above signs after eating a few chips. Smaller dogs may get sick if they eat a larger quantity, however.

Do Dogs Like Doritos?

People love Doritos for the salt and cheese flavors. However, dogs do not taste salt the same way that we do. The taste is not as strong to them as it is to us, and there are several other flavors that your dog would prefer over salt.

Dogs can crave sweet foods. 

They can taste sweetness more efficiently than salt, giving them more of an appetite for sweet foods. Of course, you never want to give candy to your dog, but there are some sweet treats they can eat safely.

They can safely eat small amounts of bananas, apples, blueberries, and melons, as well as a small amount of plain Greek yogurt. Your pup would likely prefer these snacks over Doritos since they can taste them better. 

However, beef or treats explicitly made for dogs will always be their favorites.

Better Alternatives

If you feed your dog Doritos, you will want to cut back on the amount you give them. You might want to offer healthier treats instead. One option is cheese.

The American Kennel Club lists several benefits to feeding your pet cheese since it contains:

  • Calcium
  • Vitamin A
  • Essential fatty acids
  • Protein
  • B complex vitamins

Dogs love the taste of cheese, making it the perfect treat to offer on occasion. 

Plus, it is much healthier for them to eat than a chip. Keep in mind that cheese should still only be fed to dogs on occasion, as it also contains fat.

I recommend that you try giving them the Portland Pet Food Pumpkin Biscuits from Amazon.com. Your dog will like that they are crunchy while enjoying a healthy treat made with all-natural ingredients. 

The brand also makes several other flavors, which your pup might also enjoy.

Your dog really won’t be able to tell the difference between a dog treat and a chip, so you should always give them the better option.

Train Your Dog Not To Eat Doritos

If your dog is always begging for Doritos, you can try this simple trick. It works well, mainly if you fed your dogs Doritos in the past, and now they always expect one when you open the bag.

When you reach for your snack, make sure you have a healthy dog treat ready and keep it hidden. If your dog doesn’t leave you alone, you can give your pup the more nutritious treat over the Doritos. 

However, this won’t stop them from begging for food.

You will always want to feed your dog first if they are notorious beggars. Then, make sure to ignore them while they beg. If you give in, your dog will learn to keep begging for chips. If you need to know more, the AKC details how to best teach your dog to stop begging.

What Do Vets Have to Say?

Vets say that your pet is most likely to experience some digestion issues if they eat many Doritos at once, which comes from dogs not being used to eating salty foods. They recommend keeping an eye on your pet and bringing them to the vet if you notice any other intense symptoms.

The best action to take when unsure is not to give your pet chips. That way, they are less likely to seek them out and eat more significant portions of them if you aren’t paying attention. 

Make sure to keep your snacks up high!

Overall, if you have any concerns about something your dog ate, call your vet. They can give you peace of mind and let you know what steps you need to take next.

Final Thoughts

So, can your dog eat Doritos? They technically can, but should they? The answer to that is no. You don’t want your dog getting a taste for them, then eating too many of the chips at once. One or two Doritos don’t contain enough toxic materials to hurt them, but more than that will make them sick.

If you want to keep your pet healthy, keep them away from your snacks. You might want to give them their treats instead. Foods made for them are going to have more nutrition and won’t have toxic ingredients.

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Sources

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