Can Dogs Eat Mustard?

What’s a hot dog without mustard? However, while you might enjoy the savory condiment, it might not be a good idea to give mustard to your dog. Read on to learn more!

It’s no secret – dogs love to eat. A particularly hungry doggo won’t choose when there’s food nearby. They will eat anything they get their paws on, put simply. What is more, they will often eat things that are downright nasty, or even harmful for them. But the question here is – can dogs eat mustard? There could be situations where mustard is right there in the open – either some of it dripped to the floor, or a container is open on the table, or you treated your dog to a burger patty covered with mustard. The possibilities are many. But is there a reason to worry?

To put it simply – dogs cannot eat mustard. It’s not just that mustard has a sharp and spicy taste, it also has mustard seeds. To get mustard in the first place, you have to have mustard seeds. And while they are perfectly safe for humans, they aren’t ideal for dogs. That is due to the fact that mustard seeds contain some unique toxic compounds that can cause some troubling issues with your pet’s stomach. These problems range from inflammation of the intestinal tract or the stomach, gastroenteritis, and the like. What is more, certain mustard types and brands can contain an additive that is toxic to dogs, known as xylitol. Besides this, regular mustard brands are very high in sugar content, which is also not good for dogs.

Of course, if your dog simply licks a tiny bit of mustard, there is probably no reason to worry. The trouble begins when your doggo ingests a solid portion of that spicy yellow condiment. In that case, some initial symptoms should become obvious: stomach aches, illness, gas, diarrhea, and vomiting. Most of these symptoms will also cause dehydration, further increasing the problems. In case any of this occurs, you should seek the help of your vet. With a prompt reaction, however, it is likely that the final outcome will not be overly serious.

Still, the chance of your dog consuming a great amount of mustard, or – even less likely – of consuming raw mustard seeds from a plant, is very small. The amounts would need to be considerable in order to produce serious side effects. In general, it’s the mustard seeds that are the culprit here. In the end, the simplest solution could be to simply take better care of your dog’s movement – always keep an eye out and you can stop them even before they munch on something they shouldn’t. And keep your mustard at bay!