Can Dogs Eat Burritos? 7 Reasons Why + 7 Dangers & 9 Tips

The mouth-watering aroma of a Mexican burrito filled your nose.

And it’s irresistible to have a munch on.

You’re about to take a bite when someone starts pawing you.

Then you notice your dog looking at you with puppy eyes. You know that look means:

“I want some too, hooman.”

However, before handing it to your pooch, you’re concerned about a thing:

“Is it safe to feed Fido with burritos?”

Continue reading to find out:

7 real reasons how burritos affect a dog’s health.
7 dangers if your pooch consumes this Mexican food.
9 proper measures to take when your dog eats a burrito to avoid problems.
And a lot more…

Can dogs eat burritos?

Dogs can’t eat burritos. Burritos contain ingredients that are harmful to a dog’s health. These may cause canines to suffer from a number of illnesses. Such as obesity, intoxication, lactose malabsorption, stomach problems, kidney failure, or pancreatitis.

The main ingredients in burritos

The burrito is a well-known Mexican wrapped food. It’s loved by a lot of people.

But its ingredients are dangerous for our canine companions. If they’ve eaten large amounts of it, they can get sick.

Its main fillings are rice, cheese, salsa, chili pepper, ground meat, garlic, onion, and beans.

Some people may even add more depending on their preference. Most of these ingredients are toxic to dogs and may cause various health problems.

And let’s not forget the tortilla that’s used in wrapping a burrito. It’s a flatbread made out of wheat flour.

If a dog is a wheat or gluten allergic, this is bad for them.

The tortilla alone has 30% of calories. While a 1 whole serving of burrito contains:

67% fats.
102% protein.
101% sodium.
43% cholesterol.
31% carbohydrate.

See the table below to know if a burrito’s ingredient is good or bad for your pawed baby.

Burrito ingredients	Whether it’s safe or bad for a dog’s health
Cheese	Safe (if given occasionally) *Bad if the dog is lactose-intolerant
Wheat tortilla	Safe (but it has little nutritional value) *Bad if the dog has a wheat or gluten allergy
Salsa	Bad (especially if spicy)
Chili pepper	Bad
Tomato	Safe (if eaten occasionally)
Seasoned ground meat	Bad (especially salt, pepper, and paprika)
Refried beans	Bad
Sour cream	Safe (if consumed occasionally)*Bad for lactose intolerant dogs
Guacamole	Bad
Garlic and onion	Bad (highly toxic)
Rice	Safe

7 reasons why dogs shouldn’t eat burritos

#1: Dog inappropriate nutritional value

Burritos in general are unhealthy for pooches.

Before diving deeper into that, let’s find out first what the nutritional needs of a dog are.

According to WebMD, here’s a recommended daily nutrition allowances for them (in general):

Fats – 5.5 %.
Protein – 10%.
Fiber – 2.5% to 4.5%.
Carbohydrates – 30% to 50%.

Now, let’s take a look at how much nutritional value a burrito has.

I’ll use 1 large burrito portion as an example. Which contains meat, rice, and beans.

Here are its nutritional contents:

Fat – 62%.
Protein – 75%.
Calories – 42%.
Carbohydrates – 44%.

You see, a burrito has too much fat and protein in it. Which is too high for a dog’s daily needs.

How does that affect your dog?

Warning: Foods that are high in fat may cause sudden weight gain in pooches. While excess protein may lead to kidney problems.

#2: Intoxication

The main problem with burritos when it comes to our fur pals is the ingredients.

Food poisoning is likely to happen in pooches if they’ve consumed the toxic fillings.

Garlic and onion are really alarming. They’re poisonous to dogs in any form. May it be powdered, cooked, raw, or juiced.

Also, guacamole, which is made out of avocado, is toxic for them too.

If a dog is intoxicated by these foods, they’ll experience damage to their red blood cells. And AKC says that it could lead to anemia.

Here are the symptoms of anemia due to intoxication:

Panting.
Fainting.
Lethargy.
Vomiting.
Pale gums.
Reddish urine.
Loss of appetite.

Aside from that, you should also be concerned with the burrito’s salsa. Particularly if it’s a spicy one.

Anything spicy is poisonous for doggos. The possible effects of this are:

Gastritis.
Diarrhea.
Vomiting.
Excessive thirst.

#3: Obesity

When it comes to high-fat foods in a burrito, cheese, refried beans, and meat are on top of the list.

Meats that are used in this Mexican food could be from chicken, pork, or beef.

Chicken meat is fine, but pork and beef might cause a problem.

It’s because both of them are high in saturated fats. In other words, unhealthy fat.

Also, ever wonder why burritos have such a strong taste?

The reason for that is because the meats are highly-seasoned. Particularly paprika, salt, and pepper.

Take note that seasonings may bring problems in a dog’s digestion.

And for the case of cheese, it won’t be a problem if a dog happens to have a few of it. But it’ll become worrisome if Fido eats it regularly.

These burrito fillings may cause weight gain in your fur pal. Which may eventually turn into obesity.

Being obese will put a dog’s life at risk. And could also lead to the development of:

Diabetes.
Hypertension.
Osteoarthritis.
Any type of cancer.
Breathing problems.

A study suggests that obesity’s prevalence in dogs is 41%. And it increases as pooches reach the age of 10.

You may also want to read: Why does my dog suddenly pant (heavily)? 19 Dangers + 5 Tips

#4: Pancreatitis

Other than obesity, cheese and meat may lead to another health issue.

These fatty ingredients will cause inflammation of a dog’s pancreas. Which has a medical term of pancreatitis.

AKC says that this condition can potentially end a canine’s life.

Pancreatitis brings problems in a dog’s digestion. And can be extremely painful for our furry companions.

Pooches with pancreatitis will exhibit symptoms such as:

Fever.
Bloating.
Diarrhea.
Lethargy.
Dehydration.
Hunched back.
Loss of appetite.
Repeated vomiting.

One study shows that there are dogs who are more prone to fatal acute pancreatitis.

Such as the Yorkshire Terriers breed, males, and neutered females.

You may also want to check out: Why Does My Dog Stretch So Much? 7 Reasons + 3 Tips

#5: Stomach problems

Chili peppers are not recommended for canines.

First, they have a capsaicin compound. Which is considered a chemical irritant to humans and dogs alike.

How does it affect dogs?

It causes a burning sensation to whoever makes contact with it. And if your pooch eats those, they might cough, drool, or sneeze.

Plus, eating too much chili peppers may cause various stomach problems in your fur pal.

The most common example of it is:

Canine constipation

This is often a temporary result of improper diet in dogs. Especially if they’ve consumed foods with dietary calcium. Cheese for example.

Constipation will make a canine’s excrement look:

Dry.
Hard.
Pebble-like structure.
Difficulty in defecation for days.

Don’t forget to read: 5 Easy Ways To Massage A Dog To Poop (How-To Guide)

Gastroenteritis

This refers to the inflammation of a dog’s stomach and intestine. Which often occurs when pooches eat human food. Particularly if it’s unhealthy for them.

If your dog happens to experience this, they’ll breathe heavy or fast. And will also gag after eating the meal.

#6: Lactose malabsorption

This refers to lactase deficiency. Or the inability of the stomach to digest lactose (sugar in milk).

Some fillings of a burrito contain dairy products. Particularly the cheese and sour cream.

What’s about these is that a lactose intolerant pooch will struggle to digest them.

And might cause issues such as:

Hives.
Diarrhea.
Vomiting.
Paw licking.
Face swelling.
Breathing difficulty.
Excessive scratching.
Redness on the ears and anus.

However, research says that lactose intolerance symptoms may occur differently for every dog.

Say a dog eats a dairy product, It could appear after several hours or days. And may even last for a couple of hours or days.

#7: Kidney issues

As I’ve said, too much protein in dogs may cause kidney failures.

But the question is:

What particular burrito ingredient contributes most to the protein count?

The 2 highest protein contributors in this Mexican food are cheese and ground beef.

For example, 100 g of cheese has 50% of protein in it. While ground beef has 25%.

So, what happens if a dog suffers from kidney disease?

If a canine’s kidney malfunctions, it may give rise to:

Dehydration.
Electrolyte imbalance.
Inability to remove body toxins.
Restriction in the production of red blood cells.

Try to spot symptoms of kidney problems in dogs. Such as:

Diarrhea.
Vomiting.
Pale gums.
Loss of appetite.
Blood in the urine.
Unpleasant breath.
Change in amount of urine.
Drinking less or more water.
Loss of interest in social interaction.

Further reading: 5 Reasons Why Your Dog Drinks So Much Water In Winter

9 tips on what to do if your dog eats a burrito

#1: Watch out for symptoms

Watching out for symptoms is a must. It’ll determine the status of their dog’s well-being.

Plus, it can be useful for veterinarians when diagnosing health issues in pooches.

I’ve mentioned some of the signs of certain sickness previously. And it’s best to take note of those.

Other than that, food poisoning is the most common effect of consuming a burrito to Fido. Especially if they eat a whole of it in one sitting.

And its symptoms are:

Nausea.
Panting.
Seizures.
Tremors.
Diarrhea.
Vomiting.
Salivation.
Severe thirst.
Incontinence.
Hyperactivity.
Heart palpitations.

You might also be interested in: Why Is My Dog Suddenly Peeing A Lot (In The House)? 27 Tips

#2: Applying proper first aid

It’s best to be prepared at all times.

Particularly during emergency situations. Like your pooch accidentally eats a burrito.

If this occurs, apply a first aid treatment.

How?

This can be done by making your dog throw up. Through this, Fido will get rid of toxins from their body.

But you can only do this if it’s only been 10-15 minutes since your pooch consumed a burrito.

Here’s how it works according to AKC:

Get a feeding syringe and 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Pour and measure hydrogen peroxide on the syringe. Measurements will depend on a dog’s size. It should be 1 tsp (5ml) for every 5lbs (2.3kg) of a dog’s weight. And its maximum will be 3 tsp (15ml) for a 45lbs (20kg) canine or more.
Load the hydrogen peroxide in a feeding syringe.
Squirt it in your dog’s tongue. From the outer to the inner part of it.
Wait for your dog to vomit. If 15 minutes passed and they haven’t vomited yet, give them a 2nd dose.
If your dog vomits, keep them away from it since they might lick it.
Put some of the vomit in a jar and present it to your veterinarian.

#3: Getting an obese pooch back in shape

When can a dog be considered obese?

It’s when they have about 10-15% of excess body fat.

Good thing, obesity can be treated in a natural way.

And this is by letting your dog have lots of exercises.

Note: Consult your veterinarian first. This is to be sure that your pooch isn’t suffering from other health conditions caused by obesity. Heart problems and arthritis for example.

After that, create an exercise regime for Fido. The goal here is to make them lose weight.

Yes, they need a lot of physical activity but this should be applied gradually.

Here’s an example:

Start by making your pawed baby walk twice per day. You may have it done for 15-30 minutes.

Don’t forget to let them have some fun too. Try to exercise them through playing. Such as tug of war and fetch.

Then as the day goes by, you may proceed on a higher level of exercise. Such as hiking and swimming.

#4: Relieving the spice

If a dog consumes a chili pepper in a burrito, there’s an easy way to respond to this.

The most common and immediate sign of this will be gagging. It’s because chili peppers may irritate a canine’s throat.

So, if this happens, get water right away. And wash your dog’s tongue and mouth with it.

#5: Addressing digestive issues

Digestive problems caused by eating a burrito can be fixed with medications.

Disclaimer: The medications that’ll be mentioned should only be prescribed by a vet. Consult them before letting your dog take any of it.

Medicinal drugs that may relieve canine digestive issues include:

Antacids.
Intestinal protectants.
Cerenia for anti-nausea.
Metronidazole for diarrhea.
Probiotics formulated for pets.

#6: Eliminating intoxication

Eliminating toxins in a dog’s body after eating a burrito may be done naturally. And also through medication.

Here’s how:

Fasting

This is the most natural and easy method of getting rid of intoxication. Especially if the furry companion keeps throwing up.

Just simply let your dog fast for 24 hours. Meaning: they won’t eat any food but may only drink water.

You’ll know it’s working if they stop vomiting. But if they continue doing so, bring them straight to the vet.

IV fluids

If you brought your dog to the vet, they might prescribe IV fluid therapy.

Intravenous (IV) fluids help rehydrate a dog’s body. And will also provide them with the electrolyte they need.

Activated charcoal

Dr. Faulkner says that activated charcoal acts like a magnet. Which basically absorbs toxins in a dog’s intestines.

This is usually the last step in eliminating intoxication. Such as after making your pooch throw up.

It’s because it mops up the remaining poison from a dog’s body.

Vets could also give pooches activated charcoal if the dog has swallowed a few pieces of chocolate.

Watch here how it’s properly done by a professional:

#7: Treating pancreatitis

If you’re suspecting pancreatitis in Fido, head to the nearest animal hospital.

A vet will be able to diagnose this condition by:

Physical examination.
Conducting blood tests.
Tracking medical history.
Radiographs or ultrasound.
Fine needle aspiration of the pancreas.

And when it comes to treating pancreatitis, the most common option include:

IV fluid therapy.
Antiemetic medication.
Fasting to rest the pancreas.
Feeding smaller and ultra low-fat meals. (for a long term treatment)

#8: Managing lactose intolerance

Avoidance is best in managing lactose intolerance in canines. This isn’t limited to burritos. But also applicable in other foods.

What does that mean?

I refer to the elimination of any dairy product in a dog’s diet. Also, be sure to always check food labels when buying meals for your fur baby.

See and avoid products such as:

Milk.
Bread.
Butter.
Yogurt.
Cheese.
Tortillas.
Crackers.
Hot dogs.
Buttermilk.
Sour cream.
Canned tuna.
Breaded meats.
Whipped cream.
Breakfast cereals.

#9: Cure for kidney problems

It’s a fact that kidney failure is often fatal. But dogs may recover from it if taken care of immediately.

This can be achieved by giving canines medicines for:

Dialysis.
Anemia.
Production of urine.
Reduction of vomiting.
Addition of electrolytes.

You might also like: Can Dogs Eat Croissants? 15 Must-Read Dangers

How to make dog-friendly burritos at home

Burritos for humans don’t sit well with dogs. But fortunately, fur parents may create a burrito that’s safe for the four-legged pals.

First and foremost, eliminate ingredients that are harmful to doggos. Then replace them with something canine-friendly.

Now, start by having a burrito wrapper. You may use a flour tortilla. But keep in mind that Fido should only eat this in moderation.

Not because it’s toxic but it has minimal nutritional value.

Then, choose what goes in your pooch’s burrito and fill the tortilla. You may include boiled and skinless chicken. And also steamed veggies such as:

Celery.
Carrots.
Squash.
Spinach.
Peppers.
Zucchini.
Pumpkin.
Green beans.
Sweet potatoes.

If you’re done filling the tortilla wrap, you may also add sugar-free peanut butter.

This is to help secure the burrito. And keep the components from falling apart.

After that, your dog-friendly burrito will be ready for your pawed baby to enjoy. 🙂

Can Dogs Eat Burritos? 7 Reasons Why + 7 Dangers & 9 Tips

Can dogs eat burritos?

The main ingredients in burritos