Can Dogs Taste Spicy? Know More About Your Pup's Taste Buds

Many people love eating spicy foods, while many avoid it at all costs.

But what about pets? What should you do if they want a bite of your Mexican taco?

Many people believe that dogs cannot taste spiciness in foods. It is true; dogs cannot taste the spice in foods like peppers and hot sauce. However, they do react to the heat that follows after eating spicy food. They cannot detect the spicy flavor, but they show physical reactions such as vomiting, upset stomach, watering eyes, and distress. Therefore, spicy foods must not be a part of the healthy diet of a dog. If your dog experiences such symptoms, then you must consult with your vet. Read on to learn more about dogs' reactions after tasting spicy food and learn tips to comfort it.

If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about can dogs eat skittles and can dogs eat chocolate here on Kidadl?

Can dogs taste spicy food?

Dogs do not have the ability to taste the spiciness, but they can feel the heat if they eat spicy foods. A dog is known to feel the heat strongly and much more than humans. Pepper that is mildly spicy to humans can lead to a severe pain reaction in a dog. The reaction is a response from the nervous system sent to the mouth by the brain. The spiciness can be felt in the throat and mouth of the dog, similar to humans. The sensation of spiciness is caused by a substance called Capsicin. Different people will have different reactions to this substance.

Dogs only have 1,700 taste buds, while humans have more than 9,000. This is why dogs can't taste spiciness and only react to the heat from spicy foods. Dogs are also more sensitive to foods like hot sauce and peppers. Dogs must only be fed food that is safe to be given to children. Spicy foods may cause distress in the dog's stomach and intestines. Dogs depend on their sense of smell, not on their sense of taste, to determine which food is safe to consume. The sense of smell of dogs is sharper than that of taste.

What flavors can a dog taste?

Dogs can distinguish between flavors even they possess lesser taste buds as compared to humans. Canines and people can both taste the same flavors, salty, sour, bitter, and sweet.

Just like people, dogs also have preferences for certain flavors. Dogs do not prefer to eat bitter and salty-tasting foods. Along with tasting bitter, salty, sour, and sweet foods, dogs also possess specific receptors for meat. Dogs are not programmed to taste foods that are spicy as they are not safe from capsaicin effects. Capsaicin present in chilis and hot peppers triggers a burning sensation causing the dog significant discomfort.

Spicy Food Reactions In Dogs

Spicy foods are not included in the balanced diet of a dog, as these foods, such as hot peppers, cause the dog to experience gastrointestinal discomfort. At the same time, some dogs avoid eating spicy food, while some dogs like eating it. The heat toleration ability is different for each dog. Even if a dog likes to eat spicy foods, it must not be regularly fed as the heat-triggering substance capsaicin causes vomiting and diarrhea.

If you've been feeding your dog spicy food regularly and carelessly, you must stop doing so. Even if you aren't, your dog can accidentally taste any peppers in its reach because of its curious nature. Some people may also not be sufficiently educated about this and might not even know if spicy food is not suitable for a dog's health and might feed it.

A dog owner needs to know how to proceed in such a situation to ease their dog's comfort. If your dog has been fed hot pepper or something similar, it must be given water first of all to calm the heat and make the taste weaker. The dog must have access to water at all times. If water is not making any difference, the following remedy is milk.

Milk helps in calming the burning pains that Capsaicin can cause. You should not give your dog milk in large quantities if the dog is lactose intolerant. Evaluate if milk or water has made a difference or not. If not, and the dog is getting diarrhea or has started vomiting, he must be taken to the veterinarian as an excess of the two can cause dehydration.

Signs Of A Dog Tasting Hot Spice

People can eat all the spicy food they want, even if they like it or not. However, dogs cannot eat it even if they like it as it can seriously affect their health. Vets do not recommend dog owners feed their precious furry friends with a bite of their Mexican burrito or hot wings as the consequences can be serious.

Some of the symptoms that a dog experiences while it reacts to something spicy are vomiting, thirst, diarrhea, stomach pains, excessive gas, and thirst. If you notice such behavior symptoms that include shaking the head, licking lips, whining, and pacing, you must know that he is uncomfortable or in pain.

You need to find out what the dog ate if it ate it without you seeing it. This is important as what caused the pain is an essential piece of information for the veterinarian. Some foods, for example, jalapeno, are less spicier than other foods, like habanero.

Knowing what the dog ingested is essential for the veterinarian to know as it affects the treatment. To ensure that your pet remains healthy, you must avoid giving it spicy foods and must also keep them out of its reach. If you are a hot peppers or chilis lover, enjoy your favorite foods as much as you want, as long as they are kept far away from your dog's reach.

Did you know?

A pup born in the wild can taste different food flavors only a short while after its birth!

The dog's sense of taste has evolved over the last 20,000 years from wolves' taste buds!

Dogs' taste buds did not develop salt receptors as their diet, mainly comprised of meat, was naturally high in salt!

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can dogs taste spicy, then why not take a look at can dogs taste sweet or french bulldog facts.