Many people snack on tortilla chips as these are very crunchy and yummy snacks. And if your dog is sitting with you, your dog will indeed look at you with eyes demanding the tortilla chips. At this point, you question yourself that can dogs eat tortilla chips? The definite answer to this question is no; sharing tortilla chips with your dog is not a good idea. Because the tortilla chips are cooked by the frying process and then salted. This can be very dangerous for the dog’s health.
What Are Tortilla Chips?
The tortilla is a snack made of corn. It is a richly crispy snack and has a triangular shape. The ingredients used in the manufacturing of tortilla chips are corn, vegetable oil, and salt. And these tortilla chips are cooked by a deep-frying or baking process.
In 1940, the first mass of tortilla chips was commercially produced in the U.S. in Los Angeles. This snack grew from Mexican cuisines. In Mexico, many other food items like tortilla chips are prevalent.
Nutritional value of the tortilla chip
The tortilla chips are made with corn. There will be some nutritional value of the corn. It must contain essential nutrients which can play a central role in the maintenance of healthy physiology. But generally, the tortilla chips are cooked by the frying process. This frying process makes the chips absorb a high amount of oil. So there is a high-fat content in the tortilla chips. As there are 465 calories in the 100 grams of the tortilla chips. Other essential nutrients present in the tortilla chips are as follows:
| Nutrients | Value in grams | %age daily value |
| Total fat | 15 grams | 23% |
| Cholesterol | 3 mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 856 mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 272 mg | 7% |
| Dietary fibers | 6 grams | 24% |
| Sugar | 0.5 gram | |
| Protein | 9 grams | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 0% | |
| Iron | 8% | |
| Vitamin D | 0% | |
| Calcium | 15% | |
| Vitamin B-6 | 10% | |
| Cobalamin | 1% | |
| Magnesium | 24% |
Are Tortilla Chips Safe For Dogs?
The tortilla chips are not toxic in nature, but they are not suitable for the dog’s health. Because the tortilla chips are generally made of corn or wheat flour. Both of these contain too many carbohydrates. And some dogs are intolerant to wheat or corn. These can cause health problems to the dog.
The fat content is also very high in tortilla chips. If your dog is eating tortillas regularly, it can cause weight gain in the dog.
Health Issues To Dogs Due To Tortilla
The tortilla is not considered healthy to the dog. Because it is rich in fat and salt content. This high slat and fat content can cause different health issues to the dog as follows:
Weight Gain
If the dog eats food with high-fat content, it will automatically cause weight gain. And the fat content in the tortilla chips is very high because these are generally cooked by the frying process. So, by eating tortilla chips frequently, your dog will gain weight and get obese. And if your dog will be obese, your dog will feel lazy and tired. This obesity can further lead to other diseases.
Heart Disease
Eating fatty food can also lead to heart disease. This is due to fat accumulation in the blood vessel and the dog’s inactivity due to obesity.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a disease that is caused due to overeating fat. In this disease, the pancreases of the dog are poorly damaged.
Kidney Damage
Kidney damage is also a considerable risk by eating tortilla chips. Because the salt content in the tortilla chips is very high. When this high amount of salt enters the body, the kidneys have to work hard to remove the extra amount of salt. Due to this hard activity of the kidneys to remove the excess salt from the body, the kidneys can be damaged badly.
Dehydration
If your dog eats too salty food, the dog will repeatedly urinate to remove extra salt from the body. This, again and again, urination of the dog can lead to the dehydration of the body. If your dog is dehydrated, your dog will feel weak, and sometimes your dog gets fainted.
Stomach Upset
By eating the tortilla chips, which contain too much salt content, your dog may have to suffer from stomach upset. The high salt content in the food can lead to bloating, nausea, and other stomach issues in the dog.
Seizures And Tremors
The amount of sodium and potassium is considerably high in the tortilla chips. Sodium and potassium play a vital role in the transmission of nerve impulses. But if the amount of sodium and potassium in the body increases, it can lead to disturbance in the nerve impulse transmission. So this disturbance in the transmission of nerve impulses can lead to seizures and tremors in the dog.
Corn And Weight Intolerance In The Dog
Some dogs are intolerant to wheat or corn. They can not digest wheat or corn, or any other product made by these ingredients. The reason for this intolerance is the absence of the enzyme which is required to break down the wheat or corn sugar.
So, if your dog is corn intolerant and has eaten tortilla chips, your dog may have to suffer from many health issues.
Choking Hazard
The tortilla chips are crispy snacks. And the dogs usually wolf down the food when you place the bowl of food in front of them. When they try to gulp it, the crispy tortilla chips can cause the risk of choking in the dog.
What If My Dog Eats To Many Tortilla Chips?
If your dog has eaten the 1 tortilla chip, it is Ok for the dog’s health. But if your dog has eaten many tortilla chips and you feel illness symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and excess urination in the dog. You have to act quickly and take your dog to the vet’s clinic to treat the tortilla chips’ side effects to the dog as soon as possible.
FAQs
What happens if a dog eats tortilla chips?
If the dog eats tortilla chips, it can cause sodium poisoning in the dog. The symptoms of sodium poisoning in the dog are vomiting, nausea, excess urination, dehydration, excess thirst and other health issues. So at this point, you should not waste time and quickly approach the vet to give proper treatment to the dog.
Are corn chips toxic to dogs?
The primary ingredient of corn chips is corn. And some dogs are corn intolerant or corn allergic. So they can not eat any product made with corn. Other ingredients used in the preparation of corn chips are also not healthy for the dog to eat. So you should avoid giving the corn chips to the dog.
Conclusion
The tortilla chips are made with corn, vegetable oil and salt. The general method of cooking tortilla chips is the frying process. And then it is salted. So there is a very high content of fat and salt in the tortilla chips. Both of these ingredients are very harmful to the dog if eaten in large amounts. So, it will be the best action if you keep your dog away from the tortilla chips.
You should talk to the vet to know if your dog is allergic to corn or wheat or not. If your dog is allergic to corn and wheat, you have to avoid anything made with corn or grain to give to the dog.
