Can I tell you my worst nightmare? Seeing my dog lying down, sick and dying, gasping for breath, knowing that it can pass away any time soon, is scary. Yet, this could all stem from the inability to decide which meal to give to my favorite dog. Should I give my dog tapioca willingly? What if it eats it accidentally? Here are a few things you should know about dogs and tapioca.
Can Dogs Eat Tapioca?
Tapioca is safe, non-toxic, and healthy for canine consumption. However, you must serve it in moderation, either as a topper or a side dish. Since its main constituent is starch, you cannot make it a primary dish for your dog as it will cause adverse reactions.
A high-energy dog requires approximately 20% carbohydrates in its diet. Since tapioca is a high-starch snack, two portions will be enough for your pet in a month. No matter how much your dog loves tapioca, ensure that the portions served are healthy.
Yet, you must adequately cook and prepare this snack before feeding it to your dog. It helps minimize toxicity and chemicals.
What Is Tapioca?
Tapioca is a starch extract that comes from the cassava plant. It contains pure carbs, minimal proteins, fiber, and other minor nutrients. It is an excellent energy source for humans and dogs, making it a worthwhile inclusion in your dog’s diet. Alternative names for cassava include casaba, mandioca, manioc, yuca, and tapioca.
What Is Tapioca Made Of?
Tapioca is a popular element in dog food, flakes, flour, and pearls. Understanding its content will help establish its suitability for your pet.
Tapioca is an extract of cassava. There are two flavors of cassava for this: bitter and sweet. Sweet cassava has an earthy, nutty, and sweet taste, making it a favorite among many. In contrast, bitter cassava is processed into flour and starch, making it an excellent choice for confectioneries, bread, and pastries.
Either cassava flavor contains hydrocyanic acid, also called cyanide or prussic acid. Its toxicity causes cyanide poisoning in dogs, meaning you must cook your cassava adequately to address the issue. Cyanide poisoning can also limit oxygen intake at the cellular level, causing suffocation.
Is Tapioca Safe For Dogs?
Tapioca is safe for dogs when served in moderation. Its multiple nutrients make it a perfect choice for your pet’s health development. Since it is made from a root vegetable, its starch is ideal for dogs allergic to grain-based starch.
Tapioca offers multiple health benefits, including enhanced bone density, improved cardiovascular health, and better energy levels.
This meal can help supplement calcium, ensuring that your dog has better bone and dental health. If your dog is lactose-intolerant, you can give it a mixture of tapioca and coconut milk to boost the nutritional value.
Tapioca is an excellent source of manganese and iron, vital for heart health. Besides, it contains no saturated fats that could cause coronary and cardiovascular health complications. This dish guarantees a perfect source of gluten-free carbs, which boost muscular performance.
How Good Is Tapioca For My Dog?
Also known as tapioca flour, tapioca is an excellent alternative for dogs with grain-based starch allergies. This gluten-free snack provides a vast nutritional profile that guarantees multiple health benefits. The following is a breakdown of your dog’s dietary benefits after consuming tapioca.
Digestive Health
Tapioca contains fiber, which helps regulate bowel movements and gut health. It also gets fermented into fatty acids, which prevents the overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. This nutrient is also associated with faster colon recovery from injuries.
Weight Control
Tapioca contains resistant starch that works like fiber in the digestive system. This element helps lower blood sugar levels after meals, enhances glucose and insulin metabolism, and promotes fulness. If your dog feels full for a long time, it will hardly have the appetite to eat more, controlling weight.
Prevent Diabetes
Excellent weight control minimizes the risks of obesity, in turn eliminating the chances of contracting diabetes. Tapioca contains properties that can significantly lower insulin levels in the dog’s body, which is critical in diabetes prevention.
Heart Health
Including tapioca in your dog’s diet will significantly improve its heart health. This meal contains no saturated fats to increase LDL cholesterol by inhibiting the LDL receptor activity. By reducing the amount of saturated fat in the cardiovascular system, your dog will be less susceptible to coronary heart diseases.
Improve Bone Density and Health
Tapioca contains enough calcium to maintain your dog’s dental and bone density. This mineral is essential in preventing osteoporosis and joint pain in dogs. In addition, it has iron elements that can help transport oxygen throughout the body, minimizing lethargy, breathing issues, and incoordination.
Is Tapioca Bad for Dogs?
Various health risks are associated with tapioca, particularly when you do not feed your dog in moderation. Frequent and large amounts of tapioca can be toxic to your pet, triggering allergic reactions in some cases. Ideally, there are three potential risks of excessive consumption of tapioca among dogs:
- Allergic Reactions: Dogs could be allergic to tapioca or its ingredients, exhibiting itchiness, gastrointestinal complications, and skin rash. Ensure that you monitor physiological changes in your dog to establish whether it is allergic to this snack. Once you see these signs, it would be best to discontinue the snack.
- Toxicity: Some tapioca ingredients can expose your pet to toxicity. Vanilla extracts, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives can be poisonous to your dog, causing gastrointestinal tract upset. You must also avoid tapioca products that contain xylitol, as it triggers vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, incoordination, and seizures.
- Obesity and Diabetes: Tapioca is rich in carbs, which present a high glycemic index. Excessive consumption of these carbs will result in rapid weight gain and obesity. The additional fat will put pressure on the dog’s joints, limiting mobility and quality of life. In addition, your pet becomes more susceptible to diabetes.
Before sharing your tapioca with your pet, you might consult your vet to advise on its safety. This professional will advise on the best tapioca quota and frequency.
Can Dogs Eat Tapioca Starch?
Yes. Dogs can consume tapioca starch in moderation. It is a non-toxic element that thickens dog soup, boosting its texture. It guarantees fiber, minerals, and micronutrients for your dog, enhancing its health and development. In addition, it is low on saturated fats, boosting heart and cardiovascular health.
Tapioca starch and tapioca flour are interchangeable terms, meaning your dog can feed on tapioca flour.
When Not to Give Your Dog Tapioca
Avoiding tapioca in some instances will help avert crisis and health complications in your dog. First, you should not give tapioca to a dog with high sugar levels. This snack has a high GI (glycemic index) that can significantly raise blood sugar levels. In addition, starch has some sugar, which can trigger weight issues in the long run.
What Do I Do If My Dog Accidentally Eats Tapioca?
Tapioca is a safe and healthy snack for your dog. Whether your pet consumes tapioca on purpose or not, the consequences will be negligible. However, excessive consumption can pose health complications, including obesity and diabetes.
Final Thoughts
Tapioca is a perfect treat for your pet. It provides multiple nutrients, from fiber and calcium to iron and starch. However, moderation will cushion the dog against obesity and diabetes. As you look forward to giving your dog a perfect treat, observe the insights above.
Further Reading:
- Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes?
- Can Dogs Eat Potatoes? Everything You Need To Know
- Can Dogs Eat Yams?