Tortillas are round, unleavened flatbreads originating in Mexico, where they were created using cornmeal. When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they began using wheat flour to make tortillas.
Today, people the world over enjoy both corn and flour tortillas. But can our furry friends eat them, too?
It’s not recommended for dogs to eat tortillas.
True, tortillas aren’t toxic to dogs. Your dog may even be able to eat them occasionally without experiencing problems.
Unfortunately, tortillas aren’t healthy for dogs, either. And if eaten in great quantities, they can cause serious issues in your pooch.
Why are tortillas unhealthy for dogs?
Both corn and flour tortillas are high in sugar and fat, which makes them bad for dogs. However, flour tortillas are unhealthier as they can have nearly three times the amount of sugar and fat as corn tortillas.
It doesn’t end there, however: tortillas contain other substances that aren’t good for dogs.
The issues eating tortillas can cause a dog include:
Digestive problems
Some dogs are extra sensitive to sugar. Therefore, eating tortillas can give Fido digestive problems such as vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach aches. Even a single tortilla can lead to such issues.
Depending on how many tortillas a dog eats, these digestive problems can range from mild to severe. Severe symptoms require veterinary treatment.
If a dog often eats high-fat, high-sugar tortillas, they can gain unnecessary weight and even grow obese.
Obesity harms a dog’s quality of life. Those additional pounds put the bones and joints under extra stress, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and joint pain. Unable to move comfortably, the obese dog rejects physical activity, resulting in a lack of exercise and thus even more weight gain.
Obesity can also shorten a dog’s life as it increases the risk of serious health problems, including:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Cancer
- Heatstroke
High blood sugar levels
Eating sugar-rich food elevates a dog’s blood sugar levels.
If these blood sugar levels stay high due to the regular consumption of tortillas, a dog can experience:
- Dehydration
- Extreme thirst
- Depression
- Reduced energy
- Seizures
- Coma
Worse, prolonged blood sugar level elevation can cause kidney disease, heart disease, pancreatitis, stroke, and possibly even diabetes in dogs.
Sugar addiction
Sugar is addictive. If a dog gets obsessed with sugar-rich tortillas, they may end up rejecting healthy foods. This will cause their health to plummet, leaving them vulnerable to diseases, illnesses, and infections.
Tooth decay
The more acidic the mouth, the more vulnerable the enamel (the tooth’s hard, outer layer) is to erosion. As sugar raises the mouth’s acidity level, eating sugar-rich tortillas can result in cavities and even tooth loss.
Allergic reaction
While 10% of all canine allergies are food allergies, some dogs are particularly susceptible to wheat allergies. In fact, wheat is the third most allergy-provoking ingredient a dog can consume.
Corn can provoke allergies, too.
Food allergy symptoms include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Flatulence
- Asthma-like symptoms
- Sneezing
- Inflamed ears
- Itchy skin, leading to excessive scratching
- Itchy anus, leading to excessive anus-licking
- Repeated licking or chewing of the paws
- Rubbing the face on a surface (e.g. the carpet)
- Behavioral changes (e.g. hiding, uneasiness, lethargy)
- Headshaking
- Seizures
If your dog displays such symptoms after eating tortillas, take them to the vet as soon as possible.
Gluten intolerance
This is an issue that may arise in a dog that eats wheat flour tortillas.
Wheat contains a protein called gluten, which some dogs are extremely sensitive to.
The symptoms of gluten intolerance and wheat allergy are similar. In addition, a dog may experience:
- Abnormal and unhealthy weight loss
- Skin conditions (e.g. dry, flaky skin; rashes; bumps)
- Dull coat
A dog showing signs of gluten intolerance should be treated by a vet.
Salt poisoning
If a dog eats tortillas, especially flour tortillas, they can end up ingesting far more salt than they need per day.
Ingesting too much salt can result in:
- Severe dehydration
- Extreme thirst, leading to excessive drinking and frequent urination
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Depression
- High temperature
- Tremors
- Seizures
If your dog displays such symptoms after eating tortillas, bring them to the vet.
Dogs that regularly consume more salt than necessary are at an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
Other potential problems
Many store-bought tortillas are manufactured using chemicals that can harm or even kill your dog.
For example, xylanases and amylases are used to extend the textural shelf life of corn and flour tortillas. These substances can harm your dog’s pancreas.
The preservatives, emulsifiers, and acidulants used to extend the shelf-life of tortillas may also lead to everything from unhealthy weight gain to gastrointestinal inflammation.
Can dogs benefit from eating tortillas?
Tortillas do contain nutrients every dog needs to stay in good health.
For instance, tortillas have a decent amount of protein, which is necessary for the building and maintenance of skin, hair, nails, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage.
They are rich in carbohydrates, which provide your dog with energy, allowing them to stay mobile and healthy.
Their fiber keeps your dog’s gut healthy, preventing digestive concerns such as constipation and diarrhea.
Tortillas also boast high levels of phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, which all play significant roles in a dog’s body.
However, these pros are outweighed by the cons of eating tortillas. If you want to give your dog a healthy treat, there are far superior alternatives to tortillas.
FAQs about tortillas for dogs
Here are more commonly asked questions about tortillas for dogs.
Can dogs eat homemade tortillas?
Homemade tortillas are much safer for dogs than those you can buy in a supermarket or restaurant. This is because you can choose what goes into a homemade tortilla and how the food is prepared. A dog lover wouldn’t put preservatives or other potentially harmful chemicals in a homemade tortilla, for example.
Nevertheless, homemade tortillas are still made from allergy-provoking wheat or flour. They also contain salt, sugar, and fat, which are all unhealthy. For these reasons, homemade tortillas are best avoided or eaten occasionally, only.
Can dogs eat tortilla chips?
Nope! Tortilla chips are high in salt, fat, oils, and seasonings – all of which can harm your dog. Tortilla chips containing garlic and onion can even threaten your dog’s life, as these ingredients are toxic to canines.
Can dogs eat fried tortillas?
Like all fried foods, fried tortillas are oily and exceptionally fatty. If you want your dog to maintain a healthy weight, don’t give them fried tortillas.
Can dogs eat baked tortillas?
Baked tortillas are safer for dogs to eat than fried tortillas. As such, your dog can eat them in moderation. Just keep in mind the pros and cons of tortilla consumption we discussed above.
Can dogs eat flavored tortillas?
It’s a bad idea to feed dogs flavored tortillas, as they could contain toxic ingredients such as garlic or onion, while other ingredients could cause allergies.
Can dogs eat tortilla wraps/burritos?
The tortilla wrap itself is no different from a tortilla, so it’s not toxic but unhealthy for a dog to eat.
The filling is another matter, as it can contain seasonings and ingredients (e.g. salt, spices, herbs, oil, etc.) that can harm your dog. Don’t feed your dog burritos.
Can dogs eat tacos?
No. A taco is essentially a tortilla folded around a filling. Tortillas are already unhealthy for dogs, but the fillings can be even worse as most contain seasonings and ingredients harmful to dogs.
For instance, many fillings include salt, spices, herbs, fat, and/or oil. Some even contain garlic or onion, which are highly toxic to dogs.
Can dogs eat taco shells?
Taco shells are similar to tortillas. As such, they’re also unhealthy for dogs, so your pet is better off not eating them.
Can puppies eat tortillas?
No. Pups have different nutritional requirements than adult dogs, and eating tortillas will just make them absorb an excess of potentially harmful substances. Puppies also have far more sensitive stomachs than adult dogs.
Can sick dogs eat tortillas?
Never. Tortillas can give a sick dog additional problems or worsen existing ones. Tortillas are exceptionally dangerous to dogs with diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, or obesity.
My dog ate a tortilla. What do I do?
First things first: don’t panic.
Next, determine how much your dog ate. A few bites shouldn’t give them any issues. If they ate several, they may start passing gas or experiencing other mild symptoms of digestive problems.
At any rate, you should monitor a dog that’s eaten tortillas. If they display any of the symptoms described above, call a vet for advice on what to do next. If the symptoms range from moderate to severe, bring your pooch to a vet clinic or hospital immediately. Hesitation can make your dog’s suffering grow worse.
Conclusion
While tortillas won’t poison a dog, they’re high in substances that can cause your pet many problems. For this reason, we don’t recommend feeding dogs tortillas. If your pet gets ill after consuming tortillas, don’t hesitate to seek veterinary assistance.