When you love your pets, you want to spoil them and give them treats. You may even think about giving them some of the treats you enjoy, Sugar is bad for us as human beings, but we still eat it and chose to suffer the consequences, now you can imagine what sugar will do in the dog’s body system.

As a general rule, you should keep sweets out of your dog’s reach at all times. According to the ASPCA, if your dog eats candy that’s high in sugar, it can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.

Swedish Fish is a fish-shaped, chewy candy originally developed by Swedish candy producer Malaco in the late 1950s for the U.S. market. It is a delicious candy that both kids and adults seem to love. It’s popular in other countries too.

But can dogs eat Swedish Fish? Is it safe for them? In this article, we will put you through all you need to know about Swedish fish and provide you with alternatives to Swedish fish, including some healthy treat recipes for your dogs.

What Should You Do If Your Dog Eats Swedish Fish

If your dog eats Swedish Fish, the best you can do for them is first of all monitor them for any sign of illness or even allergic reactions because Swedish fish contains sugar and artificial colour which can cause health issues in dogs.

Try to determine the amount of Swedish fish they ate and how long they ate them, if the amount they ate is small, they may not experience any symptoms but if they ate a bigger amount, they may need to see a veterinarian.

If your dog is showing any signs of discomfort or illness after eating Swedish Fish, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, or loss of appetite, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. They may ask you to bring your dog in for an examination, and then provide your dog with the proper medication they need.

The most important thing to do when it comes to the meals and treats that are harmful to your dogs is to prevent them from accessing them, this may include keeping them out of their reach and supervising them closely when they are around the food. Also, remind those you live with to keep the food out of your dogs sight.

In conclusion, the veterinarian remains the best person to or the best solution when you notice some allergic reaction from your dogs as a result of eating Swedish fish. Do well to take fast action to ensure their health and safety.

What Happens If Your Dog Eats Swedish Fish

Swedish Fish are a type of candy that contains sugar and artificial colours, which can cause digestive upset and other health issues in dogs. If your dog eats Swedish Fish, there are several potential outcomes that could occur. 

The first outcome is that your dog may not experience any effect from eating Swedish fish especially if they ate a small amount. However, if they ate a bigger portion or more than required, they may be at risk for more serious complications

One potential complication that can occur if your dog eats Swedish Fish is digestive upset.  Vomiting and diarrhea are common signs of an inflamed, irritated stomach and intestines, or gastrointestinal upset in dogs and puppies. 

The sugar and artificial colours in Swedish Fish can cause all these symptoms. If your dog is experiencing digestive upset after eating Swedish Fish, it is important to contact your veterinarian if their symptoms do not improve.

Another potential complication that can occur if your dog eats Swedish Fish is hyperactivity. Hyperactivity, otherwise known as “hyperkinesis,” can be defined as dogs who display frenetic activity, abnormally short attention spans, and high impulsiveness.

The sugar in Swedish Fish can cause a temporary spike in energy levels, which can lead to hyperactivity and other behavioural issues in dogs. If this happens to your dog, you need to take them to a quiet environment.

In addition to digestive upset and hyperactivity, there are several other potential complications that can occur if your dog eats Swedish Fish. These include

1. Allergic reactions: Just like human beings, dogs are allergic to some ingredients, some of them may be allergic to some ingredients in Swedish fish which can cause certain symptoms like itchiness, hives, swelling of the face, ears, lips, eyelids, or earflaps · Red, inflamed skin, diarrhoea, vomiting and sneezing. It is important to seek veterinarian care immediately.

2. Pancreatitis: Pancreatitis in dogs is an inflammatory reaction within the pancreas that can result in abdominal pain, inappetence, and vomiting. The high sugar content in Swedish Fish can cause inflammation of the pancreas.

3. Obesity:  Obesity can be defined as an excess accumulation of body fat that contributes to disease. Dogs that weigh at least 10% above their ideal body weight are considered overweight. If your dog eats Swedish Fish on a regular basis, it is important to monitor their weight and adjust their diet and exercise routine as needed to maintain a healthy weight.

Read Also: Can Dogs Eat Rice Cakes? What You Should Know

Can Dogs Eat Swedish Fish/ Alternatives To Swedish Fish For Dogs

Swedish Fish is very unhealthy for your dog, so you better give him healthier options, and there are a ton of them for you to choose from. there’s always the option of you giving your dog fruit, instead, and there are many that are perfectly safe.

Here are some of the best alternatives to Swedish Fish for dogs:

1. Fresh fruits and vegetables: Fresh dog foods often include vegetables and fruits in diets formulated for dogs because they offer a source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Some good options include apples, bananas, carrots, green beans, and sweet potatoes. Just make sure to cut fruits and vegetables into small pieces to prevent choking.

2. Lean meats: Dogs thrive on high-meat diets full of quality proteins that are the building blocks of life. All types of meat protein are great but generally, leaner meats with greater nutrients like kangaroo and salmon are slightly preferable. You can cook the meat and serve it plain, or mix it with some rice or vegetables for a balanced meal.

3. Peanut butter: Many dogs love peanut butter, and most peanut butter is safe for dogs to eat, and in moderation, peanut butter can be an excellent source of protein and healthy fats, vitamins B and E, Just make sure to choose a brand that does not contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.

4. Natural dog treats: Natural dog treats are snacks and chews for dogs that contain no additives, chemicals or other nasty ingredients. They are free from artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives. 

5. Homemade dog treats: If you enjoy baking, you can make your own homemade dog treats using simple ingredients such as flour, eggs, and peanut butter. Homemade dog treats don’t contain the same amount of preservatives, fats and chemicals that regular store-bought treats contain.

6. Commercial dog treats: There are many commercial dog treats available that are made with high-quality ingredients and are free from artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives.

7. Dental chews: dental chews are specially designed to help remove plaque and tartar from teeth, and they also help to massage the gums and reduce inflammation. Look for dental chews that are made with natural ingredients and are free from artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives.

Other Alternative Healthy Treats For Your Dogs

1. No-Bake Pumpkin Dog Treats

Makes about 10 Treats

Ingredients:

• ¾ Cup Coconut Oil
• ⅓ Cup 100% Pumpkin Puree
• 2 Tablespoons Ground Ginger

Directions:

1. Place the coconut oil and pumpkin in a saucepan and heat on low until the coconut oil is fully melted.
2. Stir the pumpkin mixture well so that the oil takes on an orangish tint and absorbs some of the pumpkin flavours.
3. Place your paw silicone mould on a flat surface
4. Put a pinch of ginger in each paw of the mould before spooning in some of the heated pumpkins.
5. Spoon the pumpkin into each cavity,  then proceed to gently spoon in the rest of the oil to fill the cavities almost to the brim
6. Place in the freezer for an hour. Once the treats are solid, they are ready to serve! Store any unused treats in an airtight container in the freezer.

2. Peanut Butter And Sweet Potato Dog Treats

Ingredients 

• all purpose flour 
• eggs
• baked sweet potatoes
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp peanut butter 
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Use ingredients that are room temperature.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat and preheat the oven 350 degrees.
3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, eggs, sweet potato, peanut butter and salt.
4. Add a little water as needed to get the dough to knead until a dough forms. But not too wet, as you want your dough to be dry and stiff.
5. We recently started changing our homemade dog treats to swap out water for beef or chicken bone broth for added flavour and nutrients.
6. Roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch-thick using a rolling pin on a floured surface and cut them out with your cookie cutter.
7. Bake for about 40 minutes until they are hard! These are crunchy biscuit, not chewy dog treat.
8. Then let your very own treats cool on a wire rack on a stable surface 
9. After the treats have cooled off, keep them in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. If you’d like to freeze them, homemade dog treats last about 6 months in a freezer-safe container.

3. Homemade Dog Treats

These Homemade Dog Treats are made with peanut butter and pumpkin and are sure to be a hit! This easy recipe is made in one bowl with just 5 ingredients – simple and delicious!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 48

Calories 32kcal

AuthorTrish – Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup peanut butter natural, NO Xylitol or sugar substitutes
• 2 cups whole wheat flour all-purpose can be used instead
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon (check your pumpkin pie spice or make your own – NO nutmeg, can be toxic to some dogs)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, and peanut butter. Stir until completely combined.
3. Add in flour and pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon) – stirring just until combined.
4. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out the dough to one-quarter inch, using flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.
5. Cut shapes out of dough and place them on prepared baking sheet.
6. Remove treats from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer

4. Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 large ripe banana (or 2 medium bananas), smashed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Blitz the old-Fashioned rolled oats in a blender until you have a fine flour, or, alternatively, use oat flour instead. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, smash the peanut butter and ripe banana. And the oat flour and smash with a fork until the dough is thick and well combined. If it’s crumbly, add 2-4 Tablespoons more peanut butter and recombine. You want the dough to be firm, sticky, and pliable
4. Roll dough into a thin slab, about ~1/4 inch thick, and cut into shapes with a cookie cookie. Alternatively, you can roll them into ~1 Tablespoon balls and flatten them with your hands for a simple circular cookie.
5. Bake for ~15 minutes until lightly brown underneath. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before sampling or sharing with your pup!
6. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!

Read More: Can Dogs Eat Quesadillas? What You Should Know

5. Apple Carrot Dog Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup oats
• 1 TBSP brown sugar, optional if your dog doesn’t like sugar
• 1 apple, cored and grated (leave peel on)
• ½ cup carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 egg, beaten
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ – ½ cup water, note: the apples add moisture, so only add extra water if necessary

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a cookie sheet.
2. Core and grate apples; peel and grate carrots (I used food processor).
3. In one bowl, mix the flour, oats, and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and mix in the oil, water, and grated apples and carrots. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients bowl and mix completely.
4. Carefully roll ‘dough’ out and cut out the desired shape with a small cookie cutter.
5. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until apple juices are soaked and the biscuits are firm.
6. After the biscuits cool, feel free to share with the pups in your life! Store in an air-tight container.
7. Serving size: makes 20-24 small dog biscuits.

6. Gingerbread Dough Treat

Ingredients

¾ cup unsulphured molasses

• ¾ cup butter
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• 4 ½ cups flour, plus more for rolling surface
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 3 ½ tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Royal icing (optional)
• Sprinkles, cinnamon candies, or any other decorations of your choice (optional)

Directions

• In a medium saucepan, heat the molasses to the simmering point. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until it melts. Stir in the brown sugar. Allow to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon. Add the cooled molasses and the egg to the flour mixture and mix very well until a dough forms. You may need to use your hands to really incorporate the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
• Wrap dough in wax or parchment paper and chill for 1-2 hours, or until firm enough to roll.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer chilled dough to a lightly floured rolling surface and roll out the dough to one-quarter inch thickness. Roll out a quarter of the dough at a time.
• Cut cookies with your choice of cookie cutter. I chose a traditional gingerbread man, but you can get creative with any kind of cookie cutter you’d like.
• Transfer the cut dough to a baking sheet that has been lightly greased with nonstick cooking spray or lined with a silicone baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will puff up, but won’t spread much.
• Cool completely on a rack before decorating with royal icing, decorative sprinkles and candies.

7. Blueberry Ginger Dog Treat Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup oat flour

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup desiccated/shredded coconut

2 tbsp psyllium husk powder

1/4 cup coconut oil

A thumb-size piece of ginger root, grated (2 tbsps, grated)

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup blueberries

2 eggs

Instructions:

1. Melt the coconut oil and set it aside to cool a little (but don’t leave it so long that it hardens again).
2. Add all the dry ingredients to the bowl of your food processor and pulse to combine.
3. Grate the ginger and add to the bowl of the food processor.
4. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, blueberries (fresh or frozen), eggs, and coconut oil.
5. (Optional) add any supplements, herbs, or other extras at this point.
6. Blitz in the food processor until fairly smooth. Usually less than a minute. You might need to pause and scrape down the sides a few times to get it well combined.
7. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more milk. If it’s too wet, add a little more coconut flour or psyllium husk.
8. I don’t usually bother to prep the moulds with oil, as with good quality silicone, the finished treats tend to pop right out without sticking. But if you want, spray a little olive oil spray into each well.
9. Use your straight spatula and spread into the moulds.
10. Pop them in the oven and cook on 350°F/180°C for 10-12 minutes, until golden and slightly firm to the touch.
11. Let cool for a few minutes, then turn out of the moulds.
12. If using a dehydrator, place them on a mesh rack and into the dehydrator to dry out for 4 to 8 hours on a low setting.
13. If you don’t have a dehydrator, turn the oven on to its lowest temperature, place the unmolded treats on a baking sheet, and place them in the oven. Prop the oven door slightly open with something that’s ovenproof, and leave the treats there overnight.
14. Store in an airtight container and let your dog enjoy it!

8. Healthy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:
1 organic egg
1/3 cup organic coconut oil (melted to room temperature)
1/3 cup maple syrup
¼ cup blackstrap molasses
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 ¼ cups organic whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp maple syrup for brushing

Toppings:
1/8 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/8 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add egg, molasses, maple syrup, vanilla extract and melted coconut oil; whisk vigorously to thoroughly combine.

2. Add grated ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and flour to the wet ingredients and stir with a large spoon or hands until well combined.

3. Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap and form into a ball. Chill for at least an hour, or overnight. 

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Generously sprinkle flour on a clean flat surface and a rolling pin, then roll out the dough until it is about ¼ inch thick.

6. Use cookie cutters to cut out gingerbread men.

7. Place gingerbread men on a parchment paper-lined (or foil) baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes and let cool completely.

8. Get the topping ready.

9. Brush each cookie generously with maple syrup, sprinkle with a topping of choice

10. Lay flat to dry.

9. Gingerbread Dough Treat

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsulphured molasses
• ¾ cup butter
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• 4 ½ cups flour, plus more for rolling surface
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 3 ½ tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Royal icing (optional)
• Sprinkles, cinnamon candies, or any other decorations of your choice (optional)

Directions

• In a medium saucepan, heat the molasses to the simmering point. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until it melts. Stir in the brown sugar. Allow to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon. Add the cooled molasses and the egg to the flour mixture and mix well until a dough forms. You may need to use your hands to really incorporate the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
• Wrap dough in wax or parchment paper and chill for 1-2 hours or until firm enough to roll.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer chilled dough to a lightly floured rolling surface and roll out the dough to one-quarter inch thickness. Roll out a quarter of the dough at a time.
• Cut cookies with your choice of cookie cutter. I chose a traditional gingerbread man, but you can get creative with any kind of cookie cutter you’d like.
• Transfer the cut dough to a baking sheet that has been lightly greased with nonstick cooking spray or lined with a silicone baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will puff up, but won’t spread much.
• Cool completely on a rack before decorating with royal icing, decorative sprinkles and candies

10. Cheese And Green Bean Dog Treats

6 ingredients 

40 minutes

39 Calories 

Prep – 10 mins

Serving – 48

Ingredient: 

• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup green/ yellow string beans
• 3 ½ cup wheat flour
• 88 ml beef broth
• ½ cup milk (fat-free)
• 1 tbsp Extra virgin oil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Gently toss the cheddar cheese and the flour in a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, mash the green beans.
• Stir in the broth, milk, and olive oil to the green bean mixture.
• Make a well in the centre of the cheese flour.
• Pour in the green bean mixture and mix thoroughly.
• Knead the dough in the bowl until combined.
• Fold out onto a floured surface and continue to knead using extra flour.
• Knead until you have a firm dough.
• Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out preferred shapes.
• Place the cut outs on a baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
• Pour 1/4 cup of beef broth into a small bowl.
• Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the broth onto the cutout cookies.
• Bake for 30 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Conclusion 

Swedish Fish are so popular because they are chewy, fruity, and come in a variety of flavors.

If you must feed your dog, which is not entirely advisable, then do that in moderation and watch out for allergic reactions.