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So, you opened a fresh jar of peanut butter and before you can
even taste some yourself, your buddy with a wagging tail wants in
on the action. Now, you might be tempted to give him/her a
spoonful and we wouldn’t blame you, but, we’d ask you to not make
that mistake. It’s because we don’t want you to make it a habit
and we don’t want you to make it a habit for several reasons.
Though peanut butter is fine in small quantities, it’s still a
better bet to just avoid the practice in general.We’ll tell you
why.
Certain Peanut Butter Brands have Xylitol
Xylitol is a type of sweetener that some peanut butter
manufacturers use as an alternative to sugar. Now, it’s generally
safe for humans. But, for dogs, xylitol can cause a sudden
increase in insulin and that leads to a sudden drop in sugar
levels (also known as hypoglycemia). If the drop is big enough,
it can be a threat to your dog’s life. So, if you want your dog
to be safe, make sure you check the brand you’re buying for
xylitol. The information will be provided on the label. However,
if you’ve already fed your dog peanut butter with xylitol, watch
out for symptoms such as weakness, lack of coordination,
seizures, and collapse. If you do notice these symptoms rush your
dog to a veterinarian right away. Do not waste any time.
Aflatoxins
Aflatoxins are mycotoxins which are naturally produced by a type
of fungus known as Aspergillus. Now, aflatoxins aren’t included
in peanut butter by the manufacturers. However, they end up in
there if the peanuts used to make the peanut butter contain them.
Aflatoxins are carcinogenic, which means, they can cause cancer.
Other than that, they can also cause liver damage. So, it doesn’t
matter what kind or what brand of peanut butter you buy because
at the end of the day, there is a good chance that it might
contain aflatoxins. Once again, your option here is either
extreme moderation or complete elimination. We would suggest
complete elimination as it’s the safer way to go.
Fat
Another problem with peanut butter is that it contains tremendous
amounts of fat. The high amount of fat is a result of a process
called hydrogenation which is done to increase the shelf life of
the product. So, too much peanut butter is bad for, not just your
dog, but, even for you. So, we suggest that you consume as little
peanut butter as possible and as for your dog, we think it’s
simply better to not give the little guy or gal even a taste.
Just stick to small quantities of unsalted peanuts. It’s much
safer.
Wondering what will happen to your cat if they have the same,
hover over tp know more.
Can Cats Eat Peanut Butter?
Your cat loves your lunchtime menu of a tuna sandwich. You now
consider whether to give your furball another favorite snack of
yours, the delicious peanut butter sandwich or anything made with
peanut butter. Dogs love to eat nothing more than creamy peanut
butter, but do cats feel the same way too? The peanut butter
edible product is a blend of fat and protein. Some smaller
amounts of carbohydrates and salt are also thrown in. The product
may also contain sugar, depending on the quality of that specific
brand of peanut butter.
No taste peanut butter
When cats taste peanut butter, they do not exhibit the same
excitement as dogs. To a cat, peanut butter cannot break their
boredom, yes, not interesting at all. The nutty aroma and
distinctive taste hold no attraction for felines. If you give
your cat peanut butter, it will either walk out of the room or
wait for you to give some other treat.
In case you love peanut butter and must feed your cat the same,
the good news is that this product is not toxic to cats. It does
not, however, bring any nutritional value to felines too. This is
as cats are carnivores. Their dietary requirements are met by
giving them a diet rich in animal-centric proteins like birds or
mice. Cats, unfortunately, cannot process other foods as
efficiently it can do meats and fishes. Since peanut butter is
classified as a plant protein, they do not possess the amino
acids which is much needed by cats for their survival. If you
want to make your kitty happy, give it fish.
Unwise to give peanut
butter
When it comes to the quantity of peanut butter you cat can eat
safely, then the answer does not give the cat the product in the
first place. You should feed your cat this peanut product only
when you provide it with medication. This is as the peanut butter
compound is saturated with fats which contribute to obesity.
There are also a few amounts of carbohydrates, that may lead to
the cat being diabetic. If you regularly feed peanut butter to
your cat, then the feline's health will be hampered. If the cat
eats an excessive amount of peanut butter, the animal will vomit
or suffer from diarrhea. The pasty consistency of peanut butter
sticks to your cat's throat and mouth, causing the animal to
choke. Cats find any pasty food hard to eat as it does not get a
grip on the food. A few cats, however, may love to taste the
peanut butter. You can insert medicine inside the peanut butter
product to make the cat eat the medicine. The bottom line is that
you should not feed your cat peanut butter even though the food
product does not harm the cat.
