Is Takoyaki Dog Safe?
If you’re a household that has a deep love for dogs and Japanese cuisine, you might be curious about whether you can share some of that delicious food with your furry pet friend.
Today we’re discussing whether Takoyaki, or octopus balls, a popular Japanese street food snack, is safe for your dog to consume.
Now, if you’re sneaky little doggo has made their way to your Takoyaki and has gulped down a few, it shouldn’t do them too much harm, however, you should not actively be feeding Takoyaki to your dog.
Many ingredients that make the tasty snack are not compatible with your dog’s digestive system and could cause them some serious distress. Let’s take a look and some of these ingredients and why they may be harmful to your dog.
Also read: these are the best takoyaki pans and makers out there
Harmful takoyaki ingredients to your dog
Salt
Having foods with a lot of salt can dehydrate your dog and make them incredibly thirsty. It can also lead to sodium ion poisoning.
Takoyaki may not necessarily strike you as a ‘salty’ food, however, you must remember that there will be salt in the batter, and in the filling, and most importantly the topping sauces.
Whether you choose to top your Takoyaki with teriyaki sauce, Japanese BBQ sauce, or Takoyaki sauce, these sauces have a lot of salt in them, especially if they are made with soy sauce.
Additionally, the dashi stock used to make Takoyaki batter may not be salty but has a high level of sodium inosinate.
Onions/Garlic
There’s a good chance there will be onions or garlic in your Takoyaki as they form the base of basically all cooking of all time.
Additionally, spring onions are a popular topping or filling found in Takoyaki. While they make everything delicious, unfortunately, they aren’t dog friendly at all.
Consuming onions or garlic, whether raw, cooked, powdered, or in any other form, kills red blood cells and can lead to anemia. An overdose of onions or garlic could even poison your dog.
Fat
It’s no secret that Takoyaki, being a fried snack, requires a generous amount of oil to make. While that makes it delicious for humans, unfortunately, it makes Takoyaki quite dangerous and toxic for dogs. Fatty and oily foods can cause your dog’s pancreas to inflame.
This pushes the organ to produce enzymes that are incredibly damaging to its intestines, a condition that can be life-threatening.
Here’s the deal, individually, a little bit of onion or fried chicken, or a salty snack won’t harm your dog, but the problem here is that Takoyaki combines all these things that aren’t good for your pet into one big treat. One Takoyaki ball might not matter, but a large amount can be devastating.
So, weighing the pros and cons, wouldn’t it just be better to not feed your dog Takoyaki at all? That means there’s more for you!
Warning Signs
Say you’ve fed your dog some Takoyaki, or the sneaky little bugger ate them right off your plate before you could stop them. What should you do? What are the warning signs? If you are worried about your pet, keep a close eye on them and look out for any signs of:
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- fever
- breathing problems
- any other odd or unusual behavior
If you notice any of these symptoms or other questionable behavior, it is best to take them straight to your local vet or emergency clinic.
In these types of emergencies, it is also best to have your local animal poison control center number on hand.
They can better assess the emergency and inform you on what to do next.
Also read: can takoyaki be frozen or will it be ruined?
