Allergies and choking risks
Tapioca drinks with sticky textures feel established, but is it safe for dogs to consume? The first time you give your dog something new, you should always be careful not to cause allergies. You should be cautious about tapioca, not just because of allergies.
Tapioca appears healthy, but it is surprisingly high in calories.
Is Tapioca safe for dogs to eat?
Tapioca is a carbohydrate (sugar) without dangerous ingredients so that dogs can eat it.
Is it okay to give tapioca to dogs as a treat since it is a food they don’t have to eat? That’s another story. Tapioca should not be given to dogs.
Tapioca: what is it?
Firstly, tapioca is made from a potato called cassava.
It is the second largest staple potato in the world after potatoes, is a staple food in Brazil, and is called yuca in other South American countries.
The Portuguese spread its production to African countries, and it is now grown in subtropical climates all over the globe.
Biofuels can be produced on thin land with severe cultivation conditions, such as dry land, acidic soils, or soil with few nutrients.
Type to tapioca
Starch is what tapioca flour is
Cassava is a beneficial crop, but it cannot be eaten raw.
This cassava’s outer skin contains poisonous cyanide, so it must be peeled off to remove the poison. Tapioca flour is made by grating the peeled cassava and then exposing it to water to extract its starch.
A tapioca pearl is a lump of carbohydrates.
“Tapioca flour” gelatinizes readily when water is added.
A tapioca pearl is made by gelatinizing this flour and centrifuging it. We eat “tapioca pearls” with milk tea that has been simmered for almost an hour and a half.
Tapioca flour is gluten-free and low in protein. It is also used as a substitute for wheat flour for those who are allergic to gluten.
It is also very dense and sometimes used to maintain the sticky texture of foods, such as frozen udon noodles and grilled white seabream.
Is tapioca harmful to dogs?
Regarding ingredients, tapioca is refined when used as food, but why is it better not to feed tapioca to dogs?
Several factors contribute to this, including obesity due to high calories, allergies, and suffocation. Let’s take a closer look.
High calories, which lead to obesity
When dried, “tapioca pearls” contain 355 calories per 100 grams, but when boiled, they have a lot of water, so they contain 15.4 grams of carbohydrates and 61 calories per 100 grams.
Because the bulk of dried and boiled 100g is different, we tend to think bubble tea is not so high in calories, but most of the time, we eat tapioca sweet.
Since tapioca has no taste or colour, it is eaten as a topping to sweet milk tea and ice cream, so it is naturally high in calories.
Tapioca is sometimes sweetened with syrup. Taking too much can indeed lead to obesity, even in humans. Avoid giving it to dogs on a diet or with obesity problems.
It may cause allergic symptoms.
“Tapioca flour” is gluten-free and used in dog food. However, “tapioca pearls” consumed by humans have unexpected allergen pitfalls other than gluten.
Squid ink is sometimes used to color black tapioca pearls because the black color comes out more clearly than dyeing with caramel.
Cuttlefish can cause crustacean allergies and anaphylactic shock, which can be life-threatening. Please do not give it to dogs with crustacean allergies.
Risk of suffocation
It is challenging to chew tapioca because of its chewy texture; even adults can get stuck in their throats and almost choke.
As dogs often swallow without chewing, tapioca with large grains is still a choking risk.
In some cases, too much tapioca can cause intestinal obstruction. Dogs have smaller organs than humans, so care must be taken, especially for small dogs.
You must observe the situation thoroughly if you inadvertently eat a large amount. Once dogs learn the taste of sweets, the risk of stealing and eating increases; don’t give it away.
The milk used in bubble tea leads to indigestion.
The lactic enzyme “lactase” found in milk cannot be digested and decomposes well in the small intestine, so diarrhea and indigestion can occur when dogs drink milk.
In rare cases, canines are intolerant of cow’s milk. Tapioca milk tea is a food that contains some of these allergens for dogs.
If your dog has itching around the mouth, eyes, or diarrhea after eating tapioca, take him to the vet immediately.
It is necessary to tell them when, what, and how much they ate. On packaged products, it is essential to check the ingredient label.
Tapioca is used in dog food.
Dogs should not be given tapioca pearls, but tapioca flour can be used in dog food because it quickly gelatinizes when added to water.
In gluten-free dog food recipes, it replaces grains such as flour.
It is recommended for dogs suffering from skin diseases caused by food allergies and digestive problems such as indigestion. Veterinary advice should be followed since it is a medical food.
Summary
Tapioca has a sweet and chewy texture for us, but it contains mostly carbohydrates, which are high-calorie foods high in sugar.
Some products contain elements that can cause allergies, such as squid ink and konjac, so they should not be given to dogs.
In small dogs, there is a risk of suffocation due to impaired swallowing, so it is safer not to give them.
Please give it a small amount, and be sure to observe it. If you experience allergic reactions such as itching, swelling, or diarrhea due to indigestion, take your pet to a veterinary clinic immediately.
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