Is it good to buy rice cakes for dogs?
There’s a painful amount of foods that can’t be shared with your canine companions. Some of history’s greatest snacks, from chocolate to grapes are poisonous for dogs. The list goes on, and it can frequently be hard to track which foods are safe and which ones are deadly.
Naturally, the question arises “can dogs eat rice cakes”? They’re crunchy, light, easy, and satisfying. Surely these delectable, yet simple snacks are safe for dogs, right?
The short answer is: Yes! Rice cakes are perfectly safe for consumption by dogs. However, be sure to stick to ones without any special flavoring (which could end up being harmful to your furry friends).
Rice cakes are made of rice (duh), which your dog is probably already eating a lot of in their dog food. In fact, rice is one of the most easily digestible, nutritious snacks a dog can have! It’s an extremely common ingredient in many commercial dog foods.
Are Rice Cakes Good For Dogs Long Term?
In the same way that humans should enjoy ice cream occasionally without having it all the time, there are a number of foods that are fine when given to your dog every once in a while. Do rice cakes fall under this category? Are they only good in small, frequent amounts?
Actually, since rice cakes are a staple food for many dogs, there’s nothing wrong with feeding your dog rice cakes on a regular basis. In fact, a basic rice cake without additives is an easy way to pack a dense amount of rice into a quick snack, human and dog alike!
However, they aren’t completely healthy for them, and there are better options for healthy canine snacks.
Cons of Rice Cakes
- Not very valuable – For one, rice cakes don’t have a lot of essential nutrients. This means that they will fill your dog up quickly, without giving them the fuel they need to live their active lifestyle. The dense snack expands as it gets digested, yet has almost 0 protein or fiber.
- Added ingredients – Rice cakes typically come with a bunch of extra chemicals besides the rice, water, and flour needed to make them. At best, your dog is consuming processed additives that aren’t healthy to have frequently. At worst, you could potentially giving them something that dogs can’t healthily consume. Watch out for glucose, weird chemicals, or strange ingredients that seem unnecessary. Most importantly, do NOT give your dogs flavored food.
- Link to high blood sugar – If you’re familiar with diabetes, you may know that rice cakes are a food that can spike your blood sugar. This isn’t a great food for dogs that struggle with losing weight, or are prone to high blood sugar levels.
Staying Safe While Feeding Your Dogs Rice Cakes
When feeding your dogs these wonderful treats, it’s never a bad idea to break them up into small pieces. It’s also good to check the ingredients frequently, buying only the simplest mix available. Most importantly, give your dog a balanced diet with protein and fiber!
Austin is a witty and vivacious blogger who has a knack for making people laugh. With her infectious sense of humor, she effortlessly brings joy to her readers through her blog posts. But Austin's talents don't stop there - she is also a passionate cook and baker. Her kitchen is her sanctuary, where she experiments with flavors, creates mouthwatering dishes, and bakes delectable treats that leave everyone craving for more.
