Estimated Read Time: 2 minutes
Summary: In this article, learn whether a dog can eat hummus and if there are any benefits to feeding your pup hummus…
Hummus has exploded in popularity over recent years. It’s certainly the dip of choice in most households, but can you share it with your pooch?
Hummus’ main ingredient is chickpeas, which are considered safe for a dog to consume in moderated amounts. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that hummus is safe for canines…
Can Dogs Eat Hummus?
No. You shouldn’t feed your dog hummus. And whilst chickpeas aren’t the problem in hummus, the other ingredients in this tasty dip like oil, salt and garlic flavourings can be a big concern for our hounds.
Lemon juice, salt and garlic pose a major problem to your dog’s health and are very present in hummus. Garlic can be toxic to dog in large amounts, and can result in gastrointestinal distress or even poison them. Too much salt can desperately dehydrate a dog and pose a threat to their wellbeing and lemon juice can irritate their tummies too.
While a large breed may get away with a lick of hummus spilt on the floor, smaller breeds may not be so fortunate when it comes to hummus.
That said, tahini – the paste made from sesame seeds that’s counted as another primary ingredient in hummus – is OK for dogs to eat as well as oils (like rapeseed and olive) that go into the dip. However, hummus contains heavy amounts of oil and oil feeding should be strictly moderated in dogs otherwise they’re vulnerable to unnecessary weight gain which, in turn, can be very detrimental to a dog’s overall health.
So, next time you’re dipping sticks of cucumber or a carrot into a hummus pot, feel free to share a nibble or two of these veggies, but make sure they are dip free.
As for chickpeas, if they’re tinned with water and plain, as long as they’re soaked and cooked thoroughly, they can have a spoonful or so of these in moderation as a treat – just not if they’ve been turned into a dip!
Sources
Author Miller, Andrew MRCVS “Can Dogs Eat Hummus?” Pure Pet Food https://www.purepetfood.com/help/can-dogs-eat-hummus
