What Should You Do If Your Dog Ate Wasabi?

Wasabi can be a spicy addition to your meal, but can your dog handle it?

If you’re wondering about the relationship between wasabi and dogs, it’s enough to know that wasabi should not be fed to dogs under any circumstances.

If your dog ate wasabi, they may experience discomfort due to the spiciness, but they won’t be intoxicated.

However, if you’re worried about your dog’s well-being after eating wasabi, you should absolutely call your veterinarian.

What Should You Do If Your Dog Eats Wasabi?

If your dog eats wasabi by accident, make sure to remove all remaining wasabi from their reach and provide plenty of water for them to drink because chances are, they are not going to like wasabi at all and it will make them thirsty.

Dogs don’t usually eat wasabi because the strong smell is enough to keep them away, but sometimes wasabi is mixed in very small quantities with the food we eat and when our dogs snatch a bite of our food, they ingest wasabi as well.

Wasabi tastes so strong that even for humans it is only recommended to eat a small amount at a time.

That’s why even eating a very small bite of food with wasabi on it can cause discomfort for our pets.

If you can, try washing your dog’s mouth after they ate wasabi, to help them get rid of the taste.

While wasabi is absolutely not recommended for dogs, it shouldn’t have dangerous consequences for them, so it is not necessary to bring them to the vet.

Dogs that ate wasabi may showcase the following symptoms:

  • Pawning at their head/mouth
  • Tail between their legs
  • Excessive gas
  • Ears drop
  • Pacing
  • Drooling
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach pain

While the appearance of one or more of these symptoms doesn’t represent a medical emergency, if for any reason you don’t have peace of mind it is always better to call your veterinarian and ask for advice.

What Happens If a Dog Eats Wasabi?

Your dog will probably come out unharmed from accidental ingestion of wasabi because it’s rare to have a large amount of wasabi in one place and a single taste of it shouldn’t cause trouble for most dogs.

Many ingestions of wasabi involve dogs who licked or ate some sushi and even though that amount of wasabi is mostly harmless, you should consider what other toppings and seasoning were used on the sushi because some ingredients could indeed harm your dog.

Even for humans, it is not recommended to eat too much wasabi at once, and besides, it is very hard to handle such a spicy taste.

The strong taste and smell of wasabi is actually the reason why dogs mostly keep away from it and are not likely to eat it on purpose.

Wasabi can be actually used to train your dog to keep away from certain things: for example, if your dog bites the legs of the kitchen table, it would be enough to smear some wasabi on it to discourage your pooch from trying again.

Dogs With Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

While wasabi may be mostly harmless for many dogs, if your dog suffers from kidney or gastrointestinal diseases, this product could be very dangerous for them.

Your dog doesn’t need to be currently affected by the disease to be at risk: if your dog has had gastritis in the past or easily suffers from inflammation of the stomach and intestines, wasabi could reignite the condition and make it worse.

A healthy diet is fundamental for those dogs who suffer from chronic gastrointestinal conditions and wasabi should be absolutely forbidden for them.

When in doubt, always consult your veterinarian before introducing new foods into their diet.

How To Prevent Your Dog From Eating Wasabi Again

If, for whatever reason, you store large quantities of wasabi in your house, make sure your dog has no access to it, especially when they’re unsupervised. Dogs will go great lengths to reach a food source, so don’t underestimate them.

Most of the time, dogs steal food from the table and they’re very good at it.

Generally speaking, your dog should be trained not to jump on the table or chairs and steal food, but sometimes the call of the wild is irresistible and dogs will be dogs.

Here are some tips to prevent your dog from eating wasabi again:

  • If you need to leave in the middle of the meal, make sure your dog follows you into the other room, or bring the food with you.
  • Don’t leave food leftovers on the table, but clean them right away.
  • Your dog may be going through the trash bin because they can smell food leftovers. Buy a dog-proof trash bin that they can’t open.
  • When you need to leave food unsupervised, make sure it’s placed on a counter or another surface that is high enough to be impossible to reach for your dog.
  • When all else fails, you can always lock your dog out of the room just long enough for you to finish your meal.

Can Dogs Eat Wasabi?

Dogs cannot eat wasabi because their stomachs aren’t used to digest spicy foods and it could result in irritation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Although wasabi is not toxic to dogs, it is far from being a safe food for them.

In the worst-case scenario, your dog may choke because the wasabi makes their throat irritated and it could make it hard for them to breathe.

Eating too much wasabi could cause burns, diarrhea, and vomiting among other things, which would be uncomfortable for both you and your pet.

It is also important to mention that most of the wasabi sold in the U.S. is actually fake and just a mixture of citric acid, hot mustard, horseradish, and green dye.

Citric acid and horseradish are absolutely not good for your dog, because they can cause irritation and depression of the central nervous system.

As with many other foods, there are some things that are just not meant for dogs, like chocolate and garlic.

Wasabi can be listed among these foods and it is not recommended to feed it to your dog, not even in small quantities.

Your dog’s diet should be healthy and balanced, and every variation should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Can Dogs Eat Wasabi Peas?

Wasabi peas are nothing more than roasted peas coated in wasabi. They may be a tasty snack for us, but they’re absolutely not good for dogs.

Like many other snacks, wasabi peas contain sugar, oil, and other unhealthy ingredients.

If your dog eats wasabi peas, the most immediate effect could be stomach-ache, diarrhea, vomiting, or other digestive problems.

However, oils and sugar can easily make your dog fat in the long run.

Overweight dogs may encounter a long series of physical health problems, like diabetes and cancer.

A fat dog will also be able to move and play less than usual, which could cause them depression.

Of course, one pea won’t hurt your dog, but it shouldn’t become a habit.

If your dog often looks for food outside of his meals, looks through the trashcan, or eats unusual things, there may be some deficit in their diet that should be fixed.

Is Wasabi Bad For Dogs?

Wasabi is not good for dogs because of its spiciness. Dogs simply aren’t equipped to digest spicy foods and eating wasabi could burn their mouths and stomachs, causing a lot of discomforts and nasty symptoms.

Wasabi comes from a Japanese plant and it’s said to have many health benefits, however, 99% of the wasabi sold in the U.S. is fake wasabi made from dangerous ingredients that could harm your dog.

While a taste of this product won’t probably hurt your pooch, it is nonetheless fundamental that you don’t feed wasabi to your dog and you don’t let them eat food leftovers or steal food from the table.

It is your responsibility to make sure your dog follows a healthy diet and has plenty of exercises, and every dietary change should be made after careful consideration and after consulting a professional

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