No, it is not advisable for dogs to eat tortillas.
Made from maize dough and hominy, tortillas are round, thinly sliced unleavened flatbread. Grilled or steamed, they’re an important component for wrapped dishes such as burritos, tacos, and fajitas. The flatbread originated in Mexico and Central America, and soon became available using wheat (wheat flour tortillas).
Strictly speaking, a bite of plain tortilla should not harm your pooch as long as he isn’t intolerant to gluten or allergic to corn. However, some wheat-based tortillas use ingredients such as oil, lard, and salt, which are not necessarily good for dogs. In addition, others use seasonings and preservatives to extend the shelf life of tortillas. When a considerable amount is consumed, it can affect your dog’s pancreas.
What to do if your dog accidentally eats tortillas: Nothing extreme should happen if your dog swiped a piece of plain tortilla. Nevertheless, keep a close eye on him over the next 24 hours.
If he consumed a tortilla that contains burrito, taco, or fajita filling, review the ingredients immediately. Spicy flavoured meat, garlic, onions, beans, and other herbs and spices may be toxic for him. Similarly, fried tortillas should never be given to dogs as they are high in fat and do not provide him with any nutritional benefits.
Poisoning symptoms may manifest as diarrhea, vomiting, pale gums, nausea, drooling, tremors, and convulsions. He may also experience unsteadiness on feet, agitation, abnormal heart rate, and difficulty in breathing.
In summary: Tortillas may not be in the top list of toxic food for dogs, but this doesn’t mean you should make a habit of feeding them to your pet dog. When given often and in large amounts, the flatbread may cause stomach upset, weight gain, and pancreatitis.
Browse through our “can dogs eat” category to learn which human foods you can safely give your canine pet.
References:
Can Dogs Eat Tortillas? 3 Risks of Feeding Tortillas to Dogs
Dog poisoning: Signs of poisoning in dogs and what you need to do
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