Peanut butter is one of the healthiest snacks for humans. It gives you a lot of energy as it is low in calories & fat. However, did you know that this is not as healthy a snack for dogs? When you have a small dog breed like the Yorkshire terrier, you should be very careful about feeding it peanut butter.
Yes, the general rule is that peanut butter should be given as a treat for your dog occasionally. However, veterinarians have recommended Yorkie owners to be very careful about this aspect. This is because the Yorkies are sensitive dogs that are prone to digestive disorders and pancreatic ailments.
How much can Yorkies eat if they are fed peanut butter?
Healthy Yorkshire terriers can be given about one teaspoon of peanut butter occasionally as a treat, during their childhood. Whey they become big, they can be fed one tablespoon of peanut butter as treats. Though peanut butter is a healthy and nutritious snack for human beings, the same cannot be said about dogs. Therefore, you have to be absolutely careful about your Yorkies’ diet plan.
Some important points to note before feeding peanut butter to Yorkies
By nature, the Yorkies are known to be quite sensitive to new varieties of foods. Therefore, you have to first test if your dog is not allergic to peanut butter, before considering to give it as a treat for your pet. All you need to do is to apply a little bit of peanut butter on the tips of your finger and allow your dog to lick it.
Allergies, whether mild or severe, can develop within one hour of the dog feeding on the peanut butter. You have to watch out for the following symptoms in your Yorkies for about one to two hours after it has licked the peanut butter from your finger. The symptoms are:
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Seizures
- Sudden collapses
- Nausea
- Itching or rashes on the skin
- Hives
- Swelling of eyes
- Urge to chew their paws
- Problems in anal glands which leads to difficulty while urinating or defecating
- Ear infections
- Thinning of the fur coat
Though these symptoms are quite rare among dogs eating peanut butter, it makes sense to observe your Yorkies carefully, because of their sensitive nature. Even if you notice one of these symptoms, consult your veterinarian immediately and stop feeding peanut butter to your dog in the future.
Can you feed any type of peanut butter for your Yorkies?
Definitely, not! Though peanut butter is easily available in the stores these days, we highly recommend you to make this delicious snack at home, if you plan to feed this to your Yorkies. However, if, you don’t have the time or the equipment to make peanut butter at home, you should take extra care to read the labels of the peanut butter jar before you buy it from the store.
Points to remember while buying peanut butter
If a jar of peanut butter says that it is made from 100% natural ingredients, never believe the claim. Always check the product labels to find out for some fishy ingredients such as the following:
Xylitol – Never buy any brand of peanut butter, if you see this ingredient on the label. Xylitol is a natural sweetener used in nut butter in the place of chocolate. While this can be healthy for humans, it is a disaster ingredient for your sensitive Yorkies. Even a very small amount of Xylitol can cause dangerous side-effects such as seizure, instant collapse, disorientation and staggering in your dogs.
Trans-Fats – Do not buy peanut butter that contains trans-fats, as these fats can cause cardiac ailments and chronic inflammation in your Yorkies, apart from making them prone to diabetes.
Nickel – Avoid peanut butter contain nickel, because it is dangerous for the health of the vital organs of your Yorkshire Terriers.
Aflatoxins – If you notice this ingredient in the product label of a peanut butter jar, stay away from it. These toxins can cause cancers in Yorkies and damage their liver functionality by a considerable extent.
Sugar – Never buy peanut butter that contains sugar, as it can cause severe side effects in Yorkies.
Conclusion
It is highly recommended that you give only natural and homemade peanut butter to Yorkies as treats. These can be given to divert your dog’s attention at the time of bathing it or trimming its nails. Always do a quick allergy test as we told you to be safe than sorry in the future.
