Can Dogs Taste Fizzy food?

What comes to mind when you think about fizzy food? Does it make you think of soda pop, beer or champagne? Maybe you tried some exploding candy when you were a child. There are also fizzy foods that are fruits treated with carbonation to make their flavor stronger. 

All of these forms of fizzy food have one thing in common - carbonation. Dogs like sweet tastes and most fizzy foods are sweet. While it may be tempting to share fizzy food with your dog, it really is not a good idea. The fuss about fizz is found in the potential for there to be substances in the food that are potentially harmful to your best friend.

If you encounter something that tickles your nose, bubbles in your mouth, and gives you different sensations, you can speak up. For your dog, they do not have words to tell you whether or not they are enjoying their encounter with fizzy food. 

Dogs like things that taste sweet but many fizzy food may contain substances that are either bad for your dog's general health or even dangerous. Dogs differ in their disposition and how they interact with food. Some dogs will pretty much inhale anything they can find in their bowl or around the house. 

Other dogs can actually be picky eaters. Dogs can vary in their reactions to food. As a responsible owner, it is important to be a good observer of your dog and the context of the feeding experience. Watch for reactions that your dog may be having to foods if the dog encountered enough a substance that could be threatening to your dog's well being.

Fizzy food may be surprising for your dog. You may find your dog looking inquisitive. The curious dog will give a head tilt as if to say, "What's this?" Their eyes will be intently focused on the object of curiosity and the ears will be up and alert. 

It could be that your dog reacts to the fizzy food by being a little scared. A dog that is frightened will show a low body posture. The dog may run and hide, peaking around the corner to see what will happen next. You may see the dog with ears that are flattened and laid back. The scared pup may even cower and shake. 

There are other dogs who may just lap up the fizzy food and not show any particular reactions. Instead, the dog will move about in typical behavior patterns, appearing relaxed with a smooth brow and body posture.

Carbonation is not, in itself, harmful to dogs but it is not really good for them, either. Dogs should drink water. The problem with sharing fizzy food with your pooch lays in the other ingredients that could be dangerous for your dog. 

When dogs are having a digestive issue or other reaction to a food, the signs of a problem are the same. Your job as the owner will be to be alert to what the dog has eaten and the signs of a problem so that you can provide the proper support and care to your pet. 

There are a number of signs of a problem. The most obvious are digestive issues marked by vomiting, diarrhea, or flatulence. If the dog is having a reaction to something eaten, you may see less energy. Your dog may appear lethargic and move slowly. Watch for a fever in your dog. The dog may have a loss of appetite that leads to weight loss. 

If you are seeing signs of your dog not being well, do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian to seek proper advice and treatment.

Carbonated water was first discovered in 1767 by Dr. Joseph Priestley. Three years later, Swedish scientist, Torbern Bergman, developed a device to make carbonated water. 

The idea of carbonated water came from mineral springs. Once scientists discovered the gas carbonium or carbon dioxide was behind the bubbles in natural mineral water, they began to develop ways to make it and to add flavors.  The early carbonated drinks were flavored with lemon and honey.  

In 1820, John Matthews made the first patent in the United States to manufacture carbonated beverages in Charleston, South Carolina. The drink did not become popular until 1832. The early drinks were made with mineral water, considered to be healthy. Soda fountains appeared in pharmacies where people would order their soda to benefit their health. The soda pop industry developed so that people could take their health drinks home.

Fizzy foods started by accident. About 13 years ago a neurobiologist, Galen Kaufman, bit into a pear on his boat near Galveston, Texas. The pear had been locked in a cooler with dry ice that had become carbon dioxide and soaked into the pear. The carbonation enhanced the flavor of the fruit. He patented the fruit-carbonation concept and worked with Oregon's Food Innovation Center to find a technique to produce fizzy food.

In 2005, Kaufman started a company called Fizzy Fruit. Carbonated foods are expanding into more varieties of fruits and even yogurt. Children who were not inclined to eat their fruit and vegetables like the enhanced flavoring the carbonation brings to the food. Dietitians are pleased to see the rise in foods being offered to children that will be healthy for them. 

The sense of taste in dogs is similar to that of humans in that dogs can taste sweet, sour, bitter, and salt. Dogs like sweet tastes. They differ from people because they do not have as many taste receptors on their tongues. People have discriminating taste and enjoy flavors with more specificity with their 9000 taste receptors on their tongues. Dogs do not have as many taste receptors. 

Dogs have about 1700 taste receptors. As a result, they do not have the same tastes as people. Dogs also do not really like salt. This is because they have a diet that is predominantly based on meat, that is naturally salty. 

They need water to digest meat proteins and their tongues have special water receptors in the tips, where they lap water to drink. Smell is actually more important to the dog than taste. Dogs have a super sense of smell and are attracted to all sorts of scents. When we consider the taste enhancement of fizzy foods, there may be a slight more taste for dogs but unless the enhancement is of smell, it is likely that fizzy food is not really anything special for the dog to savor. 

There is also reason for concern when it comes to sharing fizzy foods with your dog. First, many, such as soda, have a lot of sugar that can make your dog fat. Diet sodas are toxic to dogs because of Xylitol. Never give your dog diet food with Xylitol. Further, many sodas have caffeine, which is also dangerous. Do not pour your dog a can of soda pop. There is no reason for the dog to be consuming it. Just give your dog water.

When it comes to the new fizzy foods, many are made of fruits that your dog cannot eat. Here is a list of foods your dog should never eat:

• Avocado
  
• Alcohol
  
• Caffeine
  
• Chocolate
  
• Grapes and Raisins
  
• Milk and Dairy
  
• Macadamia Nuts
  
• Onions and Garlic
  
• Persimmons, Peaches and Plums
  
• Raw Eggs
  
• Raw Meat and Fish
  
• Salt
  
• Sugary Foods
  
• Yeast
  
• Baking powder and baking soda
  
• Xylitol

Why take the risk? Your dog does not really need the flavor enhancement of fizzy foods. Save the cost of the fizz and keep your dog healthy with water and a balanced dog diet. 

People started drinking fizzy waters in hopes it would be healthy. The fizzy food craze has been heightened with a hope more children and people will eat their fruits and vegetables with the added flavor blast from the carbonation. Your dog's healthy diet needs to include the vitamins and minerals from vegetables and fruits. You can teach your dog to enjoy vegetables. 

Identify the fruits and vegetables that are safe for your dog to eat. Favorites for dogs include carrots, broccoli, pumpkin, and turnips. The best way to introduce a new food is to add small amounts of new foods to familiar foods. 

Here are some simple suggestions to teach your dog to eat veggies: 

• Grate carrot on top of the food. You can mash cooked carrot into food or pick up carrot chips (unsalted). 
• Pick up canned pumpkin (without pie spice) and add it to your dog's food. 
• Broccoli is very good for your dog. Do not give your dog the stems as they can choke on it. You can sprinkle the flowerets on the dog's dish. 
• Cooked turnip can give your dog added fiber and vitamins when you mix it in the food. 
  

Do not overfeed your dog. Adding some vegetables to their diet can give them some nutrition and fiber that is good for them. Consult with your veterinarian on the best diets for your dog.