A deliciously sweet liquid condiment that goes well with many types of meat, teriyaki sauce is a favorite in its place of origin, Japan, as well as other parts of the world.
Now, onto the question we’re all asking: can dogs eat teriyaki sauce?
Sadly, no, dogs can’t eat teriyaki sauce. Read on to find out why!
Why Is Teriyaki Sauce Bad for Dogs?
Teriyaki sauce can make the most boring meal irresistibly sweet. Unfortunately, this boost in flavor comes at a cost: it makes food dangerous to dogs.
This is because teriyaki sauce is rich in ingredients that can make a dog mildly to lethally sick. These ingredients include:
Xylitol
To make teriyaki sauce less fattening, some varieties contain an artificial sweetener called xylitol instead of sugar. This makes the sauce less guilt-inducing to consume, especially if you’re the type who’s dedicated to healthy eating.
Unfortunately, xylitol is far from healthy for dogs.
A dog that ingests any food that contains xylitol can experience hypoglycemia—a drastic plunge in blood sugar levels that prevents their body from functioning normally. This can occur in any dog regardless of their size, age, and breed.
The symptoms of xylitol toxicity are:
- Upset stomach
- Reduced activity
- Exhaustion
- Lethargy
- Loss of coordination
- Trembling
- Seizures
- Collapse
- Unconsciousness
Consuming a large dose of xylitol can even cause liver failure and death.
These symptoms typically emerge in a dog 10 to 60 minutes after they’ve eaten xylitol. What’s scary, though, is that some dogs don’t experience any problems until a full day after xylitol ingestion, which can trick a fur parent into thinking their pooch is in the clear.
Therefore, if your pet consumes teriyaki sauce that contains xylitol, you should contact a veterinarian immediately to ensure their survival.
Sugar
If xylitol should be avoided at all costs, why not just give dogs the normal kind of teriyaki sauce—you know, the type that contains sugar? After all, sugar isn’t toxic to dogs.
While sugar won’t cause your dog to drop dead, it’s still unhealthy for them, so much so that if your pooch has a low tolerance for the stuff, they can experience digestive concerns including:
- Gas
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
Depending on your pet’s sugar tolerance, the intensity of these problems can range from mild to extreme. Rush your dog to the vet in the event of severe vomiting or diarrhea, as these can cause potentially life-threatening dehydration if allowed to go untreated.
Regularly feeding your dog sugary teriyaki sauce, however, can cause more dangerous long-term effects, including:
- Dental problems
- Sugar addiction
- Pancreatitis
- Hyperglycemia
- Obesity
The last three conditions are especially troubling, as they can reduce a dog’s quality of life and even shorten their lifespan.
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that ultimately leads to the organ’s destruction, causing death.
Hyperglycemia is an abnormal rise in blood sugar levels, which can contribute to diabetes. Diabetes, in turn, results in the deterioration of multiple organs, including the heart, kidneys, eyes, blood vessels, and/or nerves.
Obesity is pathological weight gain that increases the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. It also leaves your dog susceptible to heatstroke and osteoarthritis. The joint pain caused by osteoarthritis can discourage a dog from exercising, preventing them from losing weight.
If you suspect your dog is suffering from any of the above issues, contact their veterinarian for help.
Salt
Teriyaki sauce contains soy sauce, which is loaded with salt.
Unfortunately, the canine body can only absorb a tiny amount of salt per day—about 100 mg of salt for a 33-pound dog. Any dog that exceeds their required daily salt intake can suffer from severe dehydration, which impacts the muscles to cause involuntary muscle spasms. It can even destroy brain cells to cause confusion, seizures, and other difficulties.
The symptoms of salt poisoning include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Weakness
- Reduced appetite
- Incoordination
- Extreme thirst, causing excessive drinking and urination
- Confusion
- Respiratory problems
- Rapid heartbeat
If your dog gobbles up a lot of teriyaki sauce, they may experience severe salt toxicity, whose symptoms also include:
- Muscle tremors
- Seizures
- Fainting
- Coma
If left untreated, salt toxicity can kill a dog. Contact a vet immediately if your dog displays any of the above symptoms after eating teriyaki sauce high in salt.
Alcohol
Authentic Japanese teriyaki sauce contains sake and/or mirin—two types of Japanese alcoholic beverages.
Because the canine kidney can’t process alcohol, sake and mirin are toxic to dogs. If ingested, they can cause the following problems:
- Depression
- Lethargy
- Retching or vomiting
- Drooling
- Weakness
- Incoordination
- Decreased respiratory rate
- Collapse
- Hypothermia (low body temperature)
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Hypotension (low blood pressure)
Alcohol toxicity can even cause death if treatment is delayed.
Fortunately, alcohol toxicity is rare in dogs; your pooch has to ingest a large amount of authentic Japanese teriyaki sauce to become dangerously ill.
Keep in mind, however, that your dog’s size can influence the outcome of teriyaki sauce ingestion, with smaller breeds being at greater risk of suffering than larger breeds.
Vegetable oil
Most dogs can eat small amounts of vegetable oil safely. Larger amounts, however, can cause:
- Stinky flatulence
- Vomiting
- Soft stools or diarrhea
In addition, some types of vegetable oils contain corn and soybean products, which are allergens to some dogs. Food allergy symptoms include:
- Itchy paws, ears, and/or skin
- Excessive scratching/licking due to itching
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Hyperactivity
- Weight loss
- Aggression
Seek veterinary assistance if your dog experiences digestive problems or an allergic reaction following the consumption of teriyaki sauce that contains vegetable oil.
To prevent future allergic reactions, have a vet find out what foods your dog is allergic to. This will allow you to avoid exposing them to allergens, thereby saving them from discomfort and pain.
Onion and/or garlic
Some types of teriyaki sauce contain onion and/or garlic, both of which are toxic to dogs.
Onion breaks down red blood cells to cause anemia. The symptoms of onion toxicity are:
- Vomiting
- Panting
- Elevated heart rate
- Poor appetite
- Weakness
- Lethargy
- Reddish urine
- Pale gums
- Fainting
Untreated onion toxicity can have fatal consequences.
Though garlic also causes anemia, it’s less dangerous than onion. The symptoms of garlic toxicity include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Pale or yellow gums
- Breathlessness
- Rapid breathing
- Elevated heart rate
- Abdominal pain
- Discolored urine
Keep in mind that the smaller your dog is, the more likely they are to experience onion or garlic toxicity. This is especially true if they have a low tolerance for either food.
Get help from a veterinarian if your dog experiences the above problems after ingesting teriyaki sauce containing onion or garlic.
FAQs About Teriyaki Sauce for Dogs
Let’s answer more frequently asked questions about teriyaki for dogs!
My dog ate teriyaki sauce. What should I do?
Don’t panic and determine 1) what ingredients the teriyaki sauce contains and 2) how much teriyaki sauce your pet ingested.
Examine the ingredients list. If the sauce contains xylitol, call a veterinarian immediately. You’ll likely have to rush your pooch to the pet clinic or hospital as xylitol poisoning requires emergency treatment. If you’re quick, there’s an excellent chance your dog will survive.
Did your dog lap up only a small amount of teriyaki sauce without xylitol? Then you can relax; it’s doubtful your pet will come to any harm. Nevertheless, observe them for digestive problems such as vomiting and diarrhea, and contact a vet should such issues occur.
If your pet ate significant quantities of teriyaki sauce, they’re at a higher risk of digestive problems as well as various types of poisoning, so seek veterinary aid as soon as possible. If they instruct you to rush your pooch to the pet clinic or hospital, don’t hesitate; you don’t want to wait for their condition to worsen.
If you can’t reach your dog’s vet, those in North America can call the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 or Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.
What types of teriyaki sauce are bad for dogs?
All of them. Homemade, restaurant-prepared, and store-bought teriyaki sauce all contain ingredients that can harm your pooch.
Can dogs eat teriyaki chicken?
Absolutely not. This dish contains not only teriyaki sauce (which, as we’ve already discussed, is bad for dogs) but also a host of ingredients that dogs should never eat, including some that can cause deadly toxicity.
You should also avoid feeding your dog teriyaki pork, teriyaki fish, teriyaki beef, and the like.
Can dogs eat Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade?
No. This condiment contains sugar, alcohol, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. That’s a lot of toxic ingredients in one sauce!
Can dogs eat Veri Veri Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce?
Nope. This type of teriyaki sauce contains sugar, salt, and toxic ingredients such as onion and garlic.
In Conclusion…
Dogs can’t eat teriyaki sauce. This condiment is rich in substances that can cause them everything from digestive issues to more serious concerns such as salt, alcohol, or xylitol toxicity.
Keep your dog safe from harm—don’t give them teriyaki sauce!