If you enjoy eating deviled eggs, Oysters Kirkpatrick, or caesar salad, then you’re probably familiar with Worcestershire sauce. After all, using even a tiny bit of this sauce can add a sweet, savory flavor to your favorite dish.
But, can your dog eat this sauce? Is it safe for them?
Since your dog’s digestive system is different from humans, they may suffer severe health issues if you let them eat food that has this liquid condiment.
So, let’s take a more detailed look at it,
What Is Worcestershire Sauce?
Worcestershire sauce is a condiment that adds savory flavor and a tangy taste to many dishes. In 1835, two pharmacists, Lea and Perrins, came up with the recipe for this table sauce.
Later on, this sauce became famous worldwide due to its incredible flavor. Nowadays, it’s one of the best sources for the fifth savory flavor (Umami).
There are several variants of recipes for this table sauce. But, typically, its ingredients are,
- Distilled white vinegar
- Garlic
- Anchovies
- Molasses
- Salt
- Sugar
- Onions
- Cloves
- Natural flavorings
- Spices
Skilled cooks often use this sauce to augment the taste of steak, meat-based dishes as well as salads. Also, this sauce adds flavor to cocktails like Caeser or Bloody Mary.
However, since it has high sodium levels, overeating this sauce can cause blood pressure to rise sharply.
Can Your Dog Eat Worcestershire Sauce?
Worcestershire sauce contains garlic and several different spices that are poisonous for your furry friend. Plus, this sauce is rich in sodium which can also harm your pet.
Therefore, your dog should not eat Worcestershire sauce.
Also, any plant belonging to the Allium family is toxic to your canine pet. Thus, the garlic in this sauce can cause your pup to become lethargic or suffer abdominal pain.
In addition, the salt in it can lead to sodium poisoning. In extreme cases, if your pet eats a lot of food that has Worcestershire sauce, it may even face death.
So, at a glance, if your dog eats this sauce,
- It may start vomiting
- Suffer from diarrhea
- Become lethargic
- Loose coordination
- Suffer from food poisoning
Moreover, some recipes for this sauce contain a lot of spices. Usually, most of these spices are not suitable for the diet of your four-legged friend.
What To Do If Your Dog Eats Worcestershire Sauce?
Since most dog breeds require copious exercise to stay healthy and happy, it can be challenging to watch over it constantly.
As such, your pet pal may end up eating any food it can find or reach. If it eats Worcestershire sauce, it may start showing symptoms of food poisoning and a lack of appetite.
So, if you notice that your energetic buddy has suddenly become lethargic and is suffering from diarrhea, you may want to check if it has eaten this sauce.
In case the sauce is homemade and has natural ingredients, your full-grown dog may be able to tolerate a tiny bit of it.
Nevertheless, it would be better to contact the vet to be safe. Or, if you find out that the pet has eaten a large portion of the sauce-enhanced food, you may want to get your pet to the vet as soon as possible.
However, if you can’t contact the vet, you can ask for advice from the nearest animal shelter. They may be able to help you out to some extent.
To learn more about your dog’s diet, check out “Can Dogs Eat Nutter Butter?“
Can Puppies Eat Worcestershire Sauce?
Puppies have a weaker digestive system than their full-grown counterparts. Thus, they are more likely to suffer food poisoning from eating unsuitable food.
Since the ingredients of Worcestershire sauce are highly toxic to puppies, they should not eat it at all.
But, most puppies have a curious nature. As such, you may want to keep your deviled eggs and sauced steaks well out of their reach.
Bottom Line
If you want to ensure your pup’s health and longevity, you must provide them with appropriate food. To do so, you’ll need to gain enough knowledge about ingredients that may cause harm to your pet.
This way, you won’t have to worry about your dog suffering from food poisoning or lacking appetite.
As such, since Worcestershire sauce ingredients are not suitable for your furry buddy’s diet, you can offer them a safer sauce that has basil, cinnamon, or parsley instead.