Have you been working outside all day, and now it’s time for a meal? Are you wondering what to have that’s incredibly delicious? Perhaps you’ve settled on orange chicken. As you savor the tangy sauce of the delicious dish, your pet comes in, wagging his tail and begging for a piece or two. Suddenly, a question arises in your mind: “CAN DOGS EAT ORANGE CHICKEN?”
To answer it simply, orange chicken is not safe for dogs. However, it depends upon your dog’s immune system and the number of pieces you feed to your dog. In case the quantity has not gone beyond two or three, it’s not a big deal.
In this article, I will answer all your queries and also suggest some alternatives to orange chicken.
What is Orange Chicken?
Orange chicken is a popular Asian dish available at many restaurants. They are small-sized dark meat chicken pieces fried until they become crispy. After, they are covered in a tangy rich sauce to make them juicy. Some restaurants serve it with garlic fried rice, while others serve it only with a portion of salad.
It is covered with delicious tangy sauce of orange color which gives the name “ORANGE CHICKEN”. Orange chicken is among the most famous Chinese dishes in America but it is purely an American invention having no relation with Chinese.
What Ingredients are Used in Orange Chicken?
Since it’s a concern among many individuals “can dogs eat orange chicken?” it is necessary to be aware of the ingredients used in its making. Orange chicken is cooked in two steps. In the first phase, the chicken is marinated and fried to make it crispy like tender pops. In the second phase, the tasty tangy sauce is prepared.
To buy ingredients for orange chicken, you can click at the link below:
Ingredients Used to Prepare Dark Meat Chicken are:
- Skinless dark meat chicken
- Salt
- Wheat flour
- Cornstarch
- Eggs
- Black pepper
- Sugar
- Oil
- Sesame oil
- Vinegar
- Brown sugar
Ingredients Used to Make Tangy Sauce are:
- Citrus juice or orange juice
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Chili flakes
- Soy sauce
- Lemon juice
Just by looking at the written ingredients, many of us can analyze that these are not safe for dogs or other animals at all.
Here is the video link for a recipe of cooking orange chicken:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVlx27mBCmo
Can Dogs Eat Orange Chicken?
When considering whether dogs can eat orange chicken, the answer is a definitive no. Dogs cannot have orange chicken as a regular meal. However, in cases of extreme hunger where there are no other options available, a small portion of orange chicken could be given to a dog, limited to one or two pieces. Nonetheless, it is strongly advised against including orange chicken as a regular part of their diet. It’s important to recognize that each dog’s sensitivity and immune system vary. The vast majority of dogs, approximately 95%, are not accustomed to such foods, making it preferable to keep them away from orange chicken and similar items.
Feeding your furry friend orange chicken is really dangerous. It can result in continuous vomiting for a couple of days, severe diarrhea, pancreatitis, fever, and many other serious health issues which could be difficult to encounter. Even giving them orange chicken in moderation is not recommended by experienced vets.
Is Orange Chicken Bad for Dogs?
Is orange chicken bad for dogs? Yes, orange chicken can be harmful to dogs. Unlike white meat, orange chicken is typically made from dark meat and is much more flavorful. However, this flavorfulness is not suitable for our furry friends. Consumption of orange chicken can lead to swelling of the dog’s pancreas, potentially resulting in pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis is a life-challenging threat and cannot be taken lightly. It has the following symptoms:
SR.NO | SYMPTOMS |
---|---|
1. | Loss of appetite |
2. | Fever |
3. | Lethargy |
4. | Muscle Weakness |
5. | Abdominal Pain |
6. | Regular Vomiting |
7. | Diarrhea |
On noticing any of these symptoms, do not hesitate to consult a vet. It could be really dangerous.
Why are Cooked Bones Not Good for Dogs to Eat?
Can dogs eat orange chicken? Dogs cannot eat orange chicken since it contains cooked bones. Most of the time, orange chicken is made with boneless meat, but there are many people who do not like it in boneless chicken. They prefer having it with bone dark meat. Although, it is normal for us to give a bone to our dogs but have you ever thought how dangerous it could be to give your pet a cooked bone? A raw bone is much stronger than the cooked one.
A cooked bone is hard and can splinter into sharp tiny pieces, which can be dangerous. In contrast, raw bone is softer and doesn’t break easily, so it’s safer for pets to chew on and good for their teeth. Mostly our pets eat by chewing food.
In case your dog chews a cooked bone, it might break into pieces and splinter all in your dog’s mouth and can hurt his tongue, lips, and the upper portion of his mouth. If somehow, he has managed to swallow them, the broken pieces could get stuck somewhere in the throat or esophagus.
The adverse effects of cooked bones for our lovely pets don’t end here but they can even lead to bowel obstruction. The swallowed bones can create a blockage in the intestines which can even unbalance the blood flow. Its symptoms are almost similar to pancreatitis. Here are its symptoms:
- Dehydration
- Whining
- Hunching
- Stomach irritation
- Abdominal pain
- Lethargy
In severe cases, it becomes difficult to resolve without surgery. It can also damage the intestinal walls which can cause food and bacteria to release into the abdominal region. It can cause a fatal condition. You might end up blaming yourself in worst circumstances. So it’s better to remove bones first before feeding them to your furry friend.
To know more about the difference between cooked bones and uncooked bones, you can visit the link below: https://shorturl.at/eksEW
How Can I Help My Dog Pass Bones
If your dog has swallowed cooked bones or raw bones, there are a number of natural home remedies which could assist your dog in easily passing bones. Let’s have a look on them:
- Feed your canine with high fiber products i.e. pumpkin puree. The high fiber products help in bulking up your dog’s stool and easily passes bones through intestine.
- Use natural products to lubricate your dog’s digestive track. You can mix olive oil and coconut oil in your dog’s meal to lubricate it’s digestive track and avoid any serious blockage in intestines.
- Keep your dog hydrated to avoid constipation. Feed your dog with plenty of water to keep it hydrated. You can also use homemade bone broth. The nutrition in it don’t let your dog dehydrate easily. It is also a good source of energy for your dog.
- Dip a clean piece of cloth in warm water. Now wring out access water from the cloth and apply it at your dog’s abdomen. This may help him relax muscles. This process is also known as warm compress.
Despite the authenticity and validity of above remedies, it is better to arrange an immediate visit to nearest vet and take every action according to his / her recommendations.
High Salt Level: Detrimental to Dogs
Almost everything we consume to remain healthy contains a sufficient quantity of salt or sodium chloride. These salts are required by our bodies for a strong immune system. Similarly, animals do require salt in their diet but having too much salt is not good for both humans and animals.
The ratio of salt we consume is directly related to blood pressure. For humans, this limit is much higher, but for animals, only 100 grams of salt is recommended per 100 calories of food. This amount is not recommended by me or some other random person but after medical research, researchers have concluded that for animals having more than 100 grams of salt can be dangerous for 100 calories of food or 1.5 grams of sodium per 100 grams of food. Thus high salt level in orange chicken is another reason for which dogs cannot eat orange chicken.
A rough calculation shows orange chicken contains almost 600 mg salts which are way too much for dogs. It can create serious salt toxicity. Symptoms of salt poisoning in dogs include:
- Nausea
- Headache
- High fever
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Dehydration
- Stomach upset
- Abdominal pain
- Weakness/laziness
- Fluid buildups
If you notice any of the above symptoms, immediately visit the nearest vet. Your dog would be medically examined there. One thing you have to remember is to explain the whole scenario honestly to the vet and do not hesitate to accept your fault.
Your vet will perform a urinalysis and some cardiac examination. Some blood tests can also be taken depending upon your pet’s condition.
Impacts of Soy Sauce and Citric Acid
An orange chicken could never be complete without lemon juice and orange juice. Both of them contain citric acid which is highly poisonous for dogs. It can upset their stomach badly.
In general, oranges are not too toxic for dogs but the citric acid extracted from them and the lemon juice used makes the orange chicken an enemy to a dog’s health.
Soy sauce is something invented to flavor foods. It makes most of our meals tasty but they are not meant to be used in animal foods. It is something that contains more than 5 grams of sodium per 100 grams of consumption which is enough to make a healthy dog unconscious. It has way too bad impacts on a dog’s health.
If your dog has had diarrhea in the past, you might know how it feels to have a smelly dog in the house and would never attempt to give him a diet that could result in diarrhea.
Here is the link for a medical research that shows most dangerous human foods for dogs: click here
Onion and Garlic Concerns
Have you ever seen somebody fighting dengue? You might have seen somebody in life suffering from dengue. It is a mosquito that bites the human body and a depletion in blood cells starts. Onion and garlic contain elements that play the same role for dogs.
Both onion and garlic contain a compound N-propyl disulfide. This causes a sudden reduction in blood cells all over the dog’s body and causes a lack of oxygen in the body. It decreases the amount of oxygen each red blood cell carries. Even a medium-sized onion is enough to deprive a dog of his life.
They can cause a number of diseases, a few of which are listed here:
- Breathing difficulties
- Organ damage
- Increased heart rate
- Collapse or fainting
- Gastrointestinal upset
- Severe weakness
The answer to the Question can dogs eat orange chicken would be a No because of the onions and garlic used in its making.
Here is the link for a medical research that shows side effects of onion and garlic on dogs: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/onion-garlic-chive-and-leek-toxicity-in-dogs
Not only for orange chicken but make sure everything you feed to your cat or dog doesn’t contain garlic or ginger. Both of them are equally toxic for them.
Excessive Sugar
Can dog eat orange chicken? Nature has designed the way humans make energy and dogs make their energy differently. We require a good amount of salts, sugars, proteins, and some carbohydrates to complete our diet, but dogs do not require sugar. They only require a very small amount of salt and some proteins to extract energy.
Even their body is not familiar with sugar. Since orange chicken contains a sufficient quantity of sugar, they are not good for your dog’s health.
- Dental issues
- Upset stomach
The answer to the Question can dogs eat orange chicken would be a No because of the excessive sugar levels.
Consuming sugar can damage their teeth. The bacteria in their mouth produce toxic acids when released to sugar. Even the dog doesn’t require the ratio of fat they get in their regular diet.
Alternatives to Orange Chicken for Dogs
Buying similar snacks for your pet will resolve the issue. It is common in both humans and animals that on seeing someone having a meal, they also imagine to have a meal too, but the difference is, humans have control over their feelings while animals don’t. Dogs usually come wagging their tail with a hanging tongue. If you are having orange chicken, it could be toxic for dogs to eat. This situation can easily be tackled by buying something similar for them.
Here are a few meals which you can give to your dog as an alternative to orange chicken:
- Boiled chicken breast and rice
- Chicken flavor dog treats
- Chicken and unsweetened apple sauce
T o purchase dog food at cheapest rates, you can click at the link below:
To explore more alternatives of orange chicken for dog, You can visit the link: https://shorturl.at/bgqu4
All these meals will fulfill their protein need and provide them with all essential requirements.
What Should I Do if My Dog Ate Orange Chicken?
If you have fed your dog a piece or two, it is not an issue. But if the dog has eaten orange chicken placed over the counter without your permit in good quantity, the very first thing to do is to visit an experienced vet.
In case it is not possible to visit a vet, you can call a vet to your home. Depending upon the size of your dog and the quantity eaten by it, the vet would recommend some medical measures and good medicine.
Please make sure to keep an eye on your dog for the next 24 hours. Smaller dogs or puppies are very much allergic to such foods containing citric juice, rich salts, and sugar.
Is It Ok To Give Dog Canned Chicken?
Yes, it is absolutely Ok for dogs to have canned chicken occasionally but do remember to feed in moderation. Canned chicken contains following nutrients which are good for your dog’s health:
- Protein: Protein is the main component of every cell in your dog’s body. It serves as a good energy source, supports immune system and aids in recovering damaged muscles.
- Fats: Fat is a concentrated source of energy, providing more than double the calories per gram compared to protein or carbohydrates. Certain vitamins like A,E are fat soluble. Dietary fats help your dog absorb these essential vitamins properly.
- Moisture: Just like humans, a major part of dog’s body holds water. This regulates the body temperature and blood sugar levels. Adequate hydration prevents constipation and keeps your dog’s digestive system functioning smoothly.
Do remember, it contains sodium also. Letting your dog consume excess quantity of sodium can trigger serious health concerns. Here are a few things you must keep in mind while letting your dog eat canned chicken:
- Make sure, the canned chicken doesn’t contain any seasonal additives.
- Moderation is the key.
- Discard any bones before giving the chicken to your dog.
- Ask your vet, which brand canned chicken is best for your dog.
Conclusion
Many people offer their food to their furry friends as a gesture of love and to make them feel special, but do remember a dog’s immune system is not like humans. There are a number of things which are not toxic for us but they could endanger the dog’s life.
If you have been feeding human food constantly to the dog, please stop and give them the diet their immune system is designed for. This could happen occasionally, but making cheat meals a part of their diet is a great threat to their health.
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