Like most dog parents, you sometimes give your furry friend a little something extra to eat, including refried beans.
Refried beans are mashed, cooked pinto beans with salt and fat. These can also include other ingredients like chili pepper or onion.
But is it safe for dogs to eat refried beans? Let’s take a look at what experts say.
There are few foods that dogs can eat, but refried beans are not one of them. They contain a lot of preservatives that may be harmful to the dog’s health and digestion, plus they’re hard for canines to break down!
Can Dogs Eat Refried Beans?
No, because vets do not recommend refried beans. Refried beans may contain calories essential to maintaining your dog’s bodily functions, but they usually don’t provide other necessary nutrients like vitamins and minerals.
Another compelling reason to keep your dog away from refried beans is that they are primarily made of canola oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt. These spices are harmful to your dog’s stomach.
Beans also have a high-fat content that can cause stomach upset, leading to gas and pain. Most importantly, they contain a protein called phytohaemagglutinin, which can cause your dog significant discomfort.
Are Refried Beans Safe for Dogs?
Some people might think that because refried beans are cooked, they must be safe for dogs to eat. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Beans contain toxins that can be harmful to dogs – even deadly in some cases.
While refried beans themselves are not harmful to dogs, the ingredients and spices mixed into them make it unsafe for your pup. Garlic and cumin are toxic, while chili powder can irritate their digestive system if eaten often or in large doses over time.
So before you let Fido loose on the plate of refried beans at your next potluck, make sure you know whether or not they’re safe for him to eat.
What If the Dog Ate Refried Beans?
If you find your dog snacking on a bowl of refried beans or licking the remnants from a plate, it’s best to stop him immediately and watch for the symptoms if he feels sick.
Of course, if your dog eats too many refried beans, he could become lethargic. Dogs may also exhibit depression or anxiety. If your dog eats raw beans, he may vomit or have diarrhea.
You may consult with your veterinarian to determine the best course of action.
Types of Beans That Dogs Can Eat
There are a few types of beans that you can safely add to your dog’s diet. These legumes will be useful if they’re feeding as part-of homemade treats and meals. They provide carbohydrates while avoiding grains which may cause digestive issues! It also helps boost the day’s nutritional intake without having too many calories.
However, you need to know what type is safe for your pup and which ones will give them some serious side effects! Dogs can eat a variety of beans, as they are listed below.
Black Beans
These are a high source of vitamin C, K, manganese, fiber, and protein. Dry black beans soaked in water overnight and you cook for your dog are always a good choice over canned beans.
Kidney Beans or Red Beans
These beans are full of antioxidants that also control the cholesterol level. If the dogs eat kidney beans, there is no harm in that.
Pinto Beans
These are high in magnesium, help absorb vitamin C, and rich in meat protein and support the digestive system. If dogs eat pinto beans, it’s safe for them unless they are raw or canned beans.
Lima Beans or Butter Beans
These beans are good for digestion, even it’s good food for a diabetic dog. You need to make sure it is cooked at home without any spices.
White Beans
White beans have two types: cannellini and the Great Northern beans. Both types are safe for dogs to eat if you cook at home.
Lentils
It is often used as a replacement for grains in processed dog food. You should avoid seasoning it while cooking for the dog.
It will help if you do not feed your dog beans in excess. Some other safe beans for your dog are navy beans, soya beans, garbanzo beans, and green beans. Even though some legumes are safe for canines, this does not mean you should serve them up whenever they want to mug it down with their meaty lips!
Beans That Dogs Should Avoid
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Coffee Beans
It contains caffeine that is toxic for dogs.
Chilli Beans
Itcontains spices, garlic, and onion that are toxic and harmful to the dog’s stomach.
Broad Beans or Fava Beans
It has PHA which is toxic for the dog.
Baked Beans
It contains high sugar levels that cause many health issues. If the dogs eat baked beans, this could lead them to weight gain and blood sugar problems.
Canned Beans
It has seasoning and preservatives, so you should avoid canned beans given to your dog.
Heinz Beans
It contains a considerable amount of sugar and sodium, so it is unsuitable for dogs.
Burritos Beans
Bean burrito includes toxic ingredients that can not be good for dogs.
Raw Red Kidney Beans
Raw red kidney beans have PHA, leading to poisoning symptoms like drooling, diarrhea, or loss of appetite.
Refried Beans
It contains many seasonings like chili, garlic, onion, or cumin hard on the dogs’ stomach that may cause abdominal pain.
Dried Beans or Raw Beans
Dogs’ stomachs cannot handle these beans. It would help if you avoid feeding dried beans and must soak them in the water before cooking. It would make digestion easy, so your dog can enjoy cooked beans without any spices.
Thus, beans have more disadvantages than advantages for dogs. If you give the correct type of legume to the diabetic dog, he may have severe complications.
Dangers of Beans to Dogs
It’s essential to know the difference between safe and harmful legumes. Therefore, here are some dangers associated with the beans:
- Some beans like peas and soybeans are okay for dogs, while others like refried beans and chili beans can cause great harm, like gas or stellar constipation!
- The high toxicity levels in beans can lead to vomiting and diarrhea, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If overeaten, beans cause a host of other problems:
- Beans contain anti-nutrients – substances that interfere with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food.
- Lectins damage the walls of the GI tract, causing red blood cells to clump together and white blood cells to attack the foreign matter that is causing cell damage.
- Loose stool is the result of eating an excessive amount of beans.
- Phytohaemagglutinin can cause a lot of discomforts.
- Some allergic reactions can be faced, like lethargy or nausea.
All of these things can wreak havoc on your dog’s digestive system. In the worst-case scenario, eating beans could prove deadly for your dog. Dr. Mike Richards of Colorado State University warns that dogs who ingest red kidney beans are at risk of developing hemolytic uremic syndrome – a form of kidney failure.
Final Thoughts
You may think that feeding your dog beans is an excellent idea because some are safe for them, but you should only provide him a moderate amount and not too often. The same can happen with any human food. If an animal overeats, it could result in digestive complications.
If you ever find your dog with a mouthful of beans, don’t panic, but consult with your vet immediately. However, most vets recommend that dogs only eat beans as a last resort. If you must feed your pup some bean product, make sure it’s a small and controlled serving. Home-cooked beans are always a good idea rather than serving raw or refried beans to the dogs.
