We often get asked if our carob treats are safe for dogs, and it's no wonder since it looks so similar to chocolate, and we all know that chocolate is toxic to dogs. So what are the differences that allow carob to be safely consumed by our canine companions?
We are proud to use Australian Made Carob that is safe for the hooman to eat too!
Chocolate contains caffeine, oxalic acid, theobromine, thenylthylamine and tyramine, whereas carob does not contain any of these. Caffeine and theobromine are what make chocolate unsafe for dogs. Dogs cannot metabolise these as quickly as humans and so there is a build up of these toxins. Caffeine and theobromine are cardiac and nervous system stimulants which is why symptoms of chocolate toxicity includes rapid heart rate and restlessness/agitation.
As carob doesn’t contain caffeine and theobromine, it is perfectly safe for your pup to enjoy, though we strongly recommend that you read the label of your dogs' carob treats. Sadly a lot of carob treats found at the pet store, and even yoghurt buttons for that matter, often contain sugar, sometimes even as the first or second ingredient!
A screenshot of carob treats available online containing sugar as their first (primary) ingredient!
Compare this with the ingredients below which are provided by our Australian supplier.
Information on our NAS carob buttons provided by our supplier
To avoid unnecessary sugars being added to the carob that we use, we choose to purchase NAS (No Added Sugar) carob buttons. This means that the carob only contains the naturally occurring sugars from the carob itself and the milk powders they use to make it. Although NAS carob is more expensive for us to purchase than the sugar containing variety, we think it's money well spent to ensure that our pups, and yours, don't have any treats with sugar added in them.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to let us know.
And as always, give your pup a cuddle from Aunty K and Aunty D! xo