Can Dogs Eat Fortune Cookies?

Technically speaking (or is it writing), dogs can take down fortune cookies with little pressure. But, the food items are not suitable for the dog’s health. What makes it so? The ingredients used in fashioning and fortuning the cookies can cause detrimental effects on your dog.

Before you and I explore this subject any further, why don’t we know the nitty-gritty details of fortune cookie making? That way, we can know whether or not the food item is right. Later, we will look at toxicity in terms of what food and what not to give Doggie. Stick around, and you’ll get everything you need to know.

Explaining Fortune Cookies 

So, what is this mysterious snack? Well – it’s nothing that is out of this world. The cookie is a crescent-like crisp. The making of a fortune cookie combines the power of sugar, flour, sesame seed oil, and vanilla. With those, the snack is only a cookie. To put the fortune, the makers fit in a paper in the cookie’s inside. Many times, the paper contains a positive message – mostly proverbial. Other times, the message is about hope, luck, advice, or a chance to learn a new Chinese word.

The first time fortune cookies penetrated the market, the messages were usually from words, phrases, and advises that Confucius said. Confucius was a politician and philosopher who rocked China’s beginnings. These days, fortune-cookie makers imprint anything on the paper. I’m talking about lucky numbers, quotes, and advice in general. Other fortune-cookie makers give a chance to their customers to note their messages.

If you’re in America, you may meet fortune cookies when you decide to enjoy Asian-American cuisine, such as those served in Chinatown. Once you finish your plate of noodles, the waiter is likely to serve you the cookies. When you get your hand on the crisps, you crack them open, read through your fortune, and crush them inside your mouth.

So, the question sounds again – can Doggie eat on the mildly-sweet, crunchy cookies with you? Let’s find out what makes them:

What’s In The Bite Of A Cookie For Your Dog (Ingredients)?

I may have hinted in this before. But, there’s no problem in highlighting the ingredients between the bites of the crunchy snack. The main items are:

1. Flour (gluten)

2. Vanilla

3. Sugar

4. Eggs

5. Water

Depending on the recipe, the following ingredients may be added:

1. Almond extract

2. Salt

3. Melted butter

4. Instant tea powder

Commercial manufacturers are quite extra – they may add the following to the cookie-making recipe:

1. Turmeric extract

2. Baking soda

3. Peanut oil

4. Baking powder

5. Anti-caking agents

6. Stabilizing agents

Fortune Cookie Health Risks – Based On Ingredients

From all the ingredients mentioned above, we shall focus on sugar, flour (gluten), and hydrogenated oils. Also, we shall look at the calorie details of the snack:

1. Sugar

Lots of sugar for humans is not a biggie. While that is the case, the body of your puppy cannot break down sugar bits well. Because of this processing inability, the cookies (which have high sugar content) will make the dog experience stomach inflammation, which is a risk factor for appetite loss, nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea.

Also, the bite of a fortune cookie and taking all the sugar could cause diabetes and obesity, among other conditions. So, where does it go from here? It worsens for your Doggie in that the animal gets exposed to cardiologic and joint problems, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

2. Gluten

When flour is mentioned, wheat comes up, and the discussion boils down to gluten. Fortunately, the celiac disease may not make your dog suffer, but the animal is not safe. With gluten, you’re looking at a dog that will suffer gastrointestinal upsets many times, not to mention having itchy skin and ear infections.

This shouldn’t scare you so much if your dog is okay with gluten (gluten-tolerant).

3. Hydrogenated Oils And Preservatives 

This one applies to the fortune cookies made by commercial companies. These money-makers (no pun intended) throw in fats, which are meant to improve the shelf-life of the crisps. They couple the oils with artificial preservatives.

So, what can come out of all these add-ons? I’m talking about inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer. Spare the dog – please!

4. Unnecessary Calories 

One cookie – because of the carbs – have around 107 calories. What is the required calorie intake for dogs per weight pound? It is between 24 and 30. Now, let’s do some math. If your dog is a 30lb canine, the requirement is not more than 750 calories per day. The cookies are almost irresistible, and your dog has the capability of crushing and crunching on more than 70 pieces. That’s nearly 7000 calories. Also, that’s terrible news.

Excessive amounts of calories will make your dog gain weight abnormally. Also, calories expose your dog to cardiovascular diseases.     

My Dog Ate Fortune Cookies By Mistake. What Should I Do?

Well, you should try not to panic! Lots of fortune cookies are not suitable for your furry friend, but they are not toxic, so relax. What the dog doesn’t need is the carbs, the sugar, and the fats resting in the cookies.

Now that your dog has chewed on the cookies, let him drink lots of water. Then, put any cookies away from him. Serve the dog’s meals as usual. From that point, pay attention to see whether your dog has any signs of an allergic reaction or whines of pain from stomach upsets. Monitor his stool and know whether it is runny since the dog may experience constipation.

To be safe, have your vet on speed dial. If you see something you can’t manage, call for assistance.  

Top Ten Toxic Foods – A No-No For Doggie

If fortune cookies aren’t toxic, then what is? In this article, I will bring before you the top ten foods that could poison your dog. Remember, you need to maintain your dog’s health by knowing what not to give. Avoiding the foods here will save you any health-related issues and unneeded trauma. Read on:  

1. Chocolate, Soda, Tea, Coffee – Anything That Has Caffeine Written All Over It 

Most of the dog-toxic compounds are found in these foods. The compounds expose your dog to possible nervous-system damage and severe cardiologic effects.

Make sure you keep away these people-foods. I’m talking about the cocoa powder in this sachet and the tea leaves in that tin.

2. Mushrooms

Do not let any fungi-related food get close to Doggie’s muzzle. Mushrooms may injury your pet and can even kill your pup. The fatality weight depends on the type of mushroom, but all of them are suspect.

As your dog roams outside, it may come across wild mushrooms, which are not only toxic to dogs but humans too. Keep an eye on him – be a good pet parent.

3. Garlic And Onions

These related vegetables are risk factors for liver damage and can lead to a fatality. Prevent your dog from eating garlic or any food with garlic powder or oil. I’m talking about pizza and some types of bread.     

4. Nuts

What can nuts do? Bone weakening and the growth of stones in the bladder are the main effects of eating any nuts. Don’t even mention macadamia nuts – those are the worst.

5. Persimmons And Avocado

Tell me how this sounds – a dog having lots of fluid accumulated on its lungs. That sounds scary and could be the case if you feed avocados to your dog. Each part of the avocado is guilty – the pits, jacket, leaf, and fruit. And that is the same for persimmons.

6. Potatoes, Rhubarb, And Tomatoes

You see the green potatoes – those that are unripe to the core? They can cause so many problems for dogs, including heart failure. The jackets of potatoes, like the whole of the rhubarb plant, are especially bad for dogs. Some of the rhubarb’s parts have the potential of killing humans. Does it get any worse than that?

7. Raisins, Grapes

A lot of research has not gotten done to determine the effect of raisins on dogs, but fatality cases have been reported. If you are suspicious that your pup has ingested some of the pellets, take him to the vet. What the doctor will do is pump his stomach.

8. Nutmeg

Foods eaten around the holidays, such as eggnog and gingerbread cookies, are lethal to your dog. Let your furry not come across any nutmeg-laced foods.   

9. Alcohol

Apart from making your dog tipsy, alcohol may subject the animal to cardiac arrest, epilepsy-like seizures, and death. The experience is always a step away from alcohol poisoning, and that is why you shouldn’t let your can of beer get anywhere near the dog.     

10. Baking Powder And Soda, And Yeast

In the market, these food items are called leavening agents. If ingested by the dog, they invite an array of problems. I’m talking about seizures, spasms, and cardio problems. The dog’s system may also experience severe gastrointestinal issues, so put these leavening foods away.    

Leave Alone Cookies, What About Other Foods/Snacks?

Apart from fortune cookies, people also searched for other foods. In-kind, I organized ten of those foods in a table that talks about their toxicity or lack of it. Check it out:  

No.	Name Of Snack/Food	Toxic/Non-Toxic	What Is Said
1.	Peanut butter cookies	Non-toxic	Make sure that you read the ingredients to ensure no sugar or salt is present – only peanuts.
2.	Oreos	Toxic	They have too much chocolate and calories.
3.	Bananas	Non-toxic	Bananas are beneficial since they have copper and potassium, among other minerals. Also, they have low-calorie levels.
4.	Honey	Non-toxic	Dogs shouldn’t take lots of honey because of the excess sugar content.
5.	Popcorn	Non-toxic	Make sure that the corn is not buttered.
6.	Cheese	Non-toxic	It is high in fat and should not be taken by overweight dogs.
7.	Coconut oil	Non-toxic	This oil is generally safe and can be applied to the dog’s skin, apart from being eaten.
8.	Tomatoes	Non-toxic	Tomatoes should be an occasional snack – should be fed to the dog moderately.
9.	Pickles	Non-toxic	Be aware of their high levels of sodium.
10.	Bread	Non-toxic	As long as the dog does not have wheat-related allergies, the food is good.

Debunking The Myth: Toxic Foods For Dogs That Aren’t Even Toxic –At All!

People say many things about dog and foods – some of which is untrue. This makes dog owners to shy away from the foods that aren’t even toxic. They – whoever they are – say that too much of something is poisonous, and that is what you should be worried about – not the foods themselves.

In this section, I will tell you about three foods that are thought to be toxic but aren’t – at all! I’m talking about fat, eggs, and bones. Let’s debunk the myths and take risks!

1. Fat – They Say Toxic, I Say Non-Toxic!

People say that you shouldn’t:

a) Give your pup any chicken skin.

b) Let your dog eat the steak trimmings.

c) Hand your dog a piece of cheese.

And why do they say that? Because the fat in those food items can be fatal to the dog. Here, I will set the records straight.

They only thing that dogs do not need in this world is carbs, carbs, and carbs. On the real, they need fats. Obese dogs that are given high-fat meals indeed develop pancreatitis, but not all dogs are obese! 

If your dog is in super shape, you shouldn’t be worried about it having a little fat. In many parts of the world, dogs live off a diet of fatty meals, and the fat won’t affect them. The dog-owning public shouldn’t be scared.

2. A Couple Of Eggs Every Seven Days – Not Toxic At All!

Experts who scare dog owners from raw eggs say that they contain avidin. Avidin is a compound that prevents the dog from ingesting a type of vitamin B called biotin. But get this – your dog will not die just because of missing out on vitamin B a few days of the week.

So, let the dog eat eggs moderately. And, there’s nothing to worry about – your dog will still have a shiny, healthy coat.

Raw eggs are genuinely beneficial to dogs – they have essential fatty acids and some goody-good vitamins that may be absent in your dog’s everyday diet. The reason why there is an insistence on raw eggs is that cooking (or processing) makes them lose nutrients.

3. Bones – Who Said? Bones Are Non-Toxic To The Bone (*Chuckles*)

Feeding bones to dogs gives owners the chills. That’s because there is a fear that Doggie’s food pipe will get obstructed if a piece sticks in there.

The truth is – the breaking and the obstructing can happen with anything – even some of what they call healthy ‘greenies.’ Actually, the odds of a bone-breaking are relatively low.

Get your dog a nylon bone – which is healthy and safe. Dogs don’t chew on the bone because of its texture and taste, so there’s no risk of breaking.