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Chinese food is an easy dinner choice, especially when you don’t feel like cooking!
But whether your dog should be allowed to have leftovers is a tough decision.
Is it really that bad to share?
We get this question a lot! After all, Chinese food can be quite filling and often times these meals go unfinished.
Here’s the deal:
The truth is that dogs shouldn’t be eating spicy foods or anything that contains lots of sodium.
Avoid Feeding Your Dog Chinese Food
It’s generally a bad idea.
The combination of spices, high salt, MSG and other unknowns is a recipe for doggie diarrhea.
And feeding Chinese food, with any frequency, can also turn into a bad feeding habit.
Chinese Food Broken Down
The ingredients may lead you to believe that chowing down is not so bad for your dog.
Meat is typically the main part and most dishes also have healthy vegetables such as broccoli and snow peas.
But that’s not the full picture. For example, upon closer scrutiny, General Tso’s Chicken has too much sodium, soy sauce, chili peppers and it usually has garlic!
No Monosodium Glutamate
Another key reason to avoid giving your dog leftover Chinese food is the likelihood that monosodium glutamate (MSG) is an ingredient.
Make no mistake: It’s a bad choice for a canine despite the fact that many dog foods contain MSG (a whole other topic!).
What’s certain is you should not feed your pet pooch Chinese food, especially if it’s laced with this chemical.
Key Canine Considerations
Besides the dangers of MSG, just the way Chinese food is prepared isn’t appropriate for dogs.
A good percentage of the delicious dishes are deep-fried.
This takeout pastime is a big contributor to obesity in America. If your dog is already overweight then they aren’t going to be able to shed pounds if you give them Chinese food.
Your dog may not get sick from eating Chinese, but it is still a bad habit.
Come up with healthier and more rewarding choices.
You love your dog. Withhold foods that may harm them.
Consider The Consequences
Many owners give leftover Chinese food to their dogs without incident.
Limit portion size and you may reduce the chances of side effects.
Another tip is to hold the sauce since it could be the most disruptive aspect to the canine digestive system.
Diarrhea would not be surprising.
The good news is that changes in your dog’s bowel movements will be temporary. These symptoms, however, are a clear sign that you shouldn’t give Chinese food.
Be strict if you care about having a healthy dog.
The Bottom Line
It is not wise to feed a dog Chinese food. We certainly don’t recommend it.
For one, your dog may get diarrhea. And sharing this food could turn into a bad feeding habit and an unhealthy lifestyle.
Do not let the veggies or tofu fool you.
Chinese cuisine isn’t good for your dog despite the fact that you may not see any effects.
Please stop spreading the long disproven myths about MSG. It’s just anti-Chinese propaganda that is spread by folks who are ignorant.
What about authentic Chinese food? Not take out, but a sweet pork bun?
MSG is no worse for dogs than it is for people. In fact, giving dogs MSG is a good way to stop coprophagia.