A lot of people do wonder when they are making their morning pancakes, can dogs eat maple syrup as well? In fact, maple syrup is safe for your dog to eat. But we advise against your dog eating it as it has been known for dogs to be sick after eating it. Maple syrup also has a rather high content of sugar, which is bad for all types of dogs. This is how they can become obese or even get diabetes.
Are there Actual Health Benefits of Maple Syrup?
There really are not any health benefits for your dog to eat maple syrup. They do contain Manganese and Zinc but the bad definitely out ways the good here. There are other foods your dog can benefit more from that contain these.
It is also to be noted the type of maple syrup you should be feeding your dog, which is real maple syrup that is made from the sap of a maple tree. The flavored type of syrup is a big no-no. This will contain artificial flavoring and corn syrup, which is bad for all dog breeds.
What Do They Offer?
Manganese boosts reproductive health. Also assisting certain enzymes with the creation of fatty acids and energy. Along with helping the body utilize carbohydrates and proteins.
Zinc helps to reduce inflammation and works well with manganese to support their immune system.
Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2 helps the metabolism with turning carbohydrates and fats into energy. Riboflavin also helps in the production of red blood cells. This is good for helping to transport nutrients and oxygen through the body.
As mentioned above, these do sound good when stated above but the amount really is not that great. The downside of maple syrup is massive and not even worth giving it a second thought.
100g Serving of Maple Syrup
| Name | Amount |
|---|---|
| Water | 32.4g |
| Energy | 260kcal |
| Protein | 0.04g |
| Total Lipid (fat) | 0.06g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 67g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0g |
| Sugars, total including NLEA | 60.5g |
| Calcium, Ca | 102mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 21mg |
| Potassium, K | 212mg |
| Sodium, Na | 12mg |
| Zinc, ZN | 1.47mg |
Source: USDA FoodData Central Database
As you can see from the above table, there really is not anything that can benefit your dog. If you also look at the carbohydrates and total sugar, you will see both are over the halfway mark.
If you give your dog maple syrup you are giving them 60% sugar. This is not healthy at all for humans or dogs.
How is Maple Syrup Made?
Maple Syrup actually comes from maple trees. Where they collect the sap from the tree by tapping it, which then pours into a bucket or container. (please see image above for an example.)
The sap is then boiled in something called a steam vat.
Check out the below video showing how the whole process is done.
Things to Watch out for if You Feed Your Dog Maple syrup
If you really must feed your dog Maple syrup, it must be in small portions and once in a blue moon. You must always look at the ingredients on the tub or container. If it says its low on sugar or even sugar-free, the chances are it contains Xylitol. Which is to be avoided at all costs.
Xylitol is a toxic additive that can cause hypoglycemia, liver failure and even death. You will also want to avoid artificially flavored maple syrups as well, for the same reason above.
Symptoms to Watch Out For
If you do decide to feed your dog maple syrup, below are some symptoms to keep an eye on for diabetes:
- Lethargy
- Dehydration
- Increased urination
- Excessively thirsty
- Weight loss
Long Term Health Problems
If your dog has been eating a high sugary diet like maple syrup. Below is some information for you to consider and to take seriously.
Because of such high sugar content in maple syrup, it can cause quite a few different medical illnesses.
The first problem you will have is your dog becoming overweight or even worse, obese. With your dog gaining such a high amount of weight they will start to become lethargic. They will generally not want to do as much as they would usually do.
You will find that they will just want to sleep more and hardly want to play ball. When they do, they will struggle. Which can cause joint issues later on in their life because of the extra weight they are carrying around.
More serious illnesses your dog can get from eating too much sugar are diabetes, heart problems, blood pressure, pancreatitis, just to name a few.
Whatever the type of diabetes, the negative effects on the body are the same. Excessive sugar builds up in the dog’s bloodstream, and yet the body’s cells that need that sugar can’t access it.
So the “bad” effects that diabetes causes in the dog’s body are twofold.
Read the original article at – American Kennel Club
All of the above illnesses are very serious and can affect a dog’s health and life span.
For example, dogs that have diabetes really struggle. Especially with the needles they need on a daily basis to keep their blood sugar down.
Help My Dog Has Eaten Maple Syrup!
As we have mentioned above, if your dog has ingested maple syrup, there will be no harm to your dog. They can actually eat it. As long as the maple syrup was not artificially flavored or contained Xylitol. Which is usually found in sugar-free or low sugar maple syrup.
Tips to Remember About Maple Syrup and Your Dog.
At the end of the day, I would avoid feeding your dog maple syrup, it just contains many bad things for your dog’s health in the short term and long term. There are a lot better things your dog will enjoy that are a lot healthier. The main thing to remember is, if your dog accidentally eats maple syrup, they will be fine. It can be eaten by dogs but should be avoided.
If you are unsure and worried about the health of your dog, we always recommend contacting your local veterinarian.
Please visit our page on what food dogs can’t eat. as there is a lot more informative information there for you. If you are worried that your dog has swallowed something you should contact your local vet or the ASPCA (Animal Poison Control Center — (888) 426-4435. Please note there will be a $60 fee for the phone call.
