Tortillas are thin, rounded unleavened bread traditionally made from maize mashed meal, but currently, they can also emerge from wheat flour.
The native people of Mesoamerica were the first to make this meal, which made it the mainspring of Mesoamerican cuisine.
The Nahuatl speakers, initially known as the Aztecs, referred to tortillas as Tlaxcala. These delicacies have existed for over 12,000 years.
Can dogs eat Tortillas?
Yes. You can feed Tortillas to your furry friend but in moderation. These delicacies aren’t the best to be provided as a whole meal but perform well as occasional treats.
For pets with wheat or grain allergies-we urge you to avoid feeding them Tortillas as they could be harmful to their health. Before offering them this titbit, always get your dog tested for any underlying conditions.
Importance / Harm of Tortillas
While Tortillas might be your darling’s favorite treat, that doesn’t guarantee him to have it daily. Here are the reasons why:
Being made from corn and flour-the ingredients are highly concentrated with carbohydrates that don’t have many nutritional benefits to your dog. Offering them in excess can cause overweight, thus, obesity.
Secondly, some ingredients present in these pieces of bread, such as excess salt and fats, can be deadly to your Fido. Tortillas also pose the risk of choking, especially on smaller dogs.
Some dogs may be allergic to cereal, making it impossible for them to digest Tortillas like the non-allergic ones.
Nutritional benefits for Tortillas
For every corn Tortilla (19g), there are:
- Sodium (40mg) helps maintain proper muscle and nerve function.
- Proteins (1g)-These are responsible for hormone production.
- Fibre (1g)-Fibres often ferment into fatty acids that facilitate quick recovery of the colon in case of injuries and inhibit unnecessary bacterial overgrowth.
- Fats (0.5g)-They are essential for generating the energy required for your dog’s general activities.
- Calories (45mg)- These are necessary for repairing your dog’s body tissues.
- Carbohydrates (9g)- They are converted into simple sugars to generate enough energy for your cutie’s daily activities.
How Many Tortillas Can I Feed my Dog?
The quantity of Tortilla you offer to your dog depends on his age, size, underlying conditions (if any), and reaction to the treat. We urge you not to provide Tortillas to your young pup since puppies have more sensitive stomachs than adults.
Similarly, small-sized breeds require just a few pieces of Tortilla bread compared to the large-sized species. This is because the former requires less energy for movement, unlike their counterparts.
Some dogs with underlying health issues such as diabetes cannot eat Tortillas-this bread has a high content of carbohydrates that could lead to blood sugar rise, thus worsening the condition.
When it comes to sensitivity, some dogs are super sensitive to grain while others aren’t. Kindly avoid offering Tortillas to your dog if he is allergic to grain.
Why are Tortillas Good/Bad?
Benefits
As we mentioned earlier, Tortillas don’t have much nutritional value for your dog except for a few recognized ones. This treat contains proteins required for your dog’s hormones production and sodium that aids in promoting the proper functioning of the muscles and nerves.
It’s also enriched with fats that generate adequate energy for your dog’s daily activities—not forgetting the calories meant for repairing your baby’s tissues.
Harm
While Tortillas might be your doggy’s special treat, we recommend offering them moderately to prevent related dangers such as obesity.
Tortillas have a high sodium content that, if consumed regularly, could give rise to or worsen some conditions related to the heart, liver, or kidney.
It will be riskier to give your doggy Tortillas if he is sensitive to grain. Such dogs have difficulty digesting the grain, thus leading to an allergic reaction.
Some additives used in preparing processed Tortillas, such as garlic, onions, baking powder, among others, can be more harmful to your darling and worse if consumed in large amounts.
How to feed Tortillas to dogs?
Occasionally, giving your furry friend small chopped pieces of Tortilla bread could be essential as serving the large round one could trigger choking.
Always accompany the treat with other healthy foodstuffs to balance the nutrients.
This flatbread is considered more of just a titbit, especially during training sessions rather than a whole meal, as it has little or no nutritional effect. Different types of Tortillas are safe for your dog, to name a few:
- Home-made Tortilla- Simply the best as you can modify the ingredients to suit your dog’s preferences and health status.
- Spinach Tortillas- Good for your dog as it contains minerals and vitamins.
- Baked Tortillas- Since they aren’t deep-fried, no excess oil can affect your dog.
What are the alternatives for Tortillas for dogs?
If your sweetie has shown a great liking for Tortillas, but he is allergic to them, or instead you prefer not offering them to him due to their low nutritional benefits, worry not, for we’ve got a solution for you.
Celery, peanut butter (always check for xylitol), carrots, apple, and broccoli are the healthy human foods you could alternatively offer your doggy.
Which forms of Tortillas are healthier for my dog?
You can moderately serve all states of Tortillas from fresh, baked tortilla wraps, tortilla chips, shells to spinach except for fried and flavored Tortillas.
Fried Tortillas tend to harbour excess oils that could be hazardous to your dog’s health, while the flavored ones contain toxic ingredients such as onions and garlic that can cause fatal blood issues.
What are the possible health risks if I regularly give Tortillas to my dog?
Offering Tortillas consistently may result in severe health issues such as diabetes, anemia, allergic reactions, and hyperactivity. Kindly offer this flatbread in moderation to keep the above issues at bay.
Tortillas are neither good nor bad for your dog. We urge you to offer them (if necessary) in moderation. Remember to get your sweetie tested by a trusted vet before introducing this delicacy to him.
