I was making a batch of hot sauce from a new recipe I had and some splashed onto the floor. The family dog came over and started sniffing around and I went into panic mode. What happens if our dog eats hot sauce?
Dogs have a sensitive sense of smell and will sniff anything before eating it. They don’t like sour or bitter foods and will probably not eat hot sauce. If they happen to lick a small dose of hot sauce it will not harm them, but large doses could cause diarrhea and abdominal pains in dogs.
Is hot sauce OK for dogs?
If a dog eats hot sauce it could have a greater effect to their digestive system than it does to humans. Dogs are not accustomed to eating spicy foods like humans. Their foods are generally very bland, and any hot sauces or spicy table scraps should be avoided. Dogs should not consume hot sauce over long periods of time as their digestive system is not as invincible as people believe.
Should I feed my dog hot sauce?
There is no reason to feed your dog hot sauce. There is no benefit they will gain from consuming the same sauce that humans are eating although hot sauce does include some beneficial nutrients from peppers. I have a post titled “Is Hot Sauce Unhealthy?” which examines the consumption of hot sauce and its effects on health and there is nothing unhealthy about it. If spicy foods and hot sauces are consumed by dogs they could cause diarrhea and stomach pains but it does the same thing to me sometimes.
Humans eat hot sauce to spice up or enhance flavors of an otherwise bland meal. Dogs don’t have these same needs and don’t seek flavors the same way that we would. There are far less taste buds in a dog’s mouth compared to humans so they may not have the same reaction that humans do.
Don’t feed your dog hot sauce or spicy foods
I have seen videos of a dog’s reaction after eating hot sauce and I’ll admit they are a little amusing to watch. However, it usually does not appear as though the dog is enjoying it as much as humans do so just don’t feed them hot sauce or hot peppers.
What should I do if my dog ate hot sauce?
A dog may drink excessive liquids as an immediate effort to relieve their pallet, but this is not proven to relieve the pain from hot pepper burn. Dogs will feel the burn of hot sauce just as humans do and will not have the resources available to cool their mouths otherwise so they would need assistance from their owners.
Dogs can use the same methods humans do to try and relieve the heat from theirs mouths if they do eat a very spicy sauce. One method of absorbing the spiciness is eating peanut butter. Our dogs happen to LOVE a spoonful of peanut butter and the longer they can keep it on their tongue the better it is to absorb the heat.
Some peppers produce far more heat than others so if your dog has eaten anything hotter than a jalapeno you may want to consult your veterinarian for further treatment.
Will hot sauce kill my dog?
There are studies leading to a large consumption of hot peppers and the negative effects causing death, but dogs will not consume large enough quantities. Hot sauce will not kill your dog and they probably will not consume too much of it due to the sensitivity of the taste buds and sense of smell making it an undesirable food to consume.
Can I use hot sauce as a chewing deterrent?
I have heard of people using hot sauce as a chewing deterrent but there is no real reason to. There are plenty of spray products out there that have been tested, won’t stain and will help deter your pooch from chewing on a chair leg.
The level of heat in some sauces will certainly cause the negative reaction you are looking for, but it is a food product, so you probably do not want to slather it all over your furniture. Besides some sprays available may cost less than some hot sauces.
How to tell if your dog dislikes hot sauce
You, the owner of your dog, probably know your pet better than most people so you can probably read your dogs reaction to things pretty good. If your pet dog whines, whimpers and/or starts to sneeze at the consumption of hot sauce than they are reacting negatively to it.
Some dogs may enjoy eating spicy foods and have a normal reaction to it. Some table scraps are OK for dogs, but they should not eat hot sauce as a regular part of their diet. Feed your dog healthy pet food recommended by your veterinarian.
