Teriyaki sauce makes our food tastier, but it’s not good for dogs. It has ingredients and spices that can be harmful to them.
For example, it often has onions and garlic, which are toxic to dogs and should be kept away from them.
If your dog accidentally tastes a bit of teriyaki sauce, there’s usually no need to worry.
However, I advise against deliberately giving your dog teriyaki sauce because it could harm their health.
Teriyaki sauce is combined with various ingredients, so there isn’t a lot of any harmful substance in it.
And it’s typically used as part of a recipe, which makes the harmful ingredients even less concentrated.
What is Teriyaki Sauce, and its Origins?
Teriyaki sauce is a sweet Japanese-style sauce, different from the usual soy and Worcestershire sauces Americans use.
People like to use this sweet teriyaki sauce with foods like beef, chicken, and veggies.
The word “teriyaki” comes from the Japanese words: “teri,” which means shiny, and “yaki,” which means grilled or broiled.
The traditional teriyaki sauce is made using sugar, soy sauce, sake, and mirin.
Nowadays, there are many different ingredients in teriyaki sauce.
So, when you buy it, it’s important to carefully read the label to find out what’s inside.
Harmful Ingredients in Teriyaki Sauce
Teriyaki sauce can have some ingredients that may be delicious for humans but can be harmful to our dogs, causing various health issues.
Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic belong to the same plant family called Allium, and these foods can be harmful to dogs.
However, how dangerous they are depends on the size of the dog and how much they eat.
It usually takes a significant amount to be deadly, but smaller dogs can get affected by smaller amounts, and some dogs are more sensitive to onion and garlic than others.
Many teriyaki sauces you buy in stores contain garlic and onion in a concentrated form, which can be worse than fresh or cooked versions.
If a dog eats these, symptoms can show up within 24 hours, but sometimes they may take a few days to appear.
This delay can make it hard to figure out the cause of the dog’s health problems. The symptoms include stomach issues like vomiting and diarrhea.
If a dog has eaten a lot of onion or garlic or has been eating them regularly over a long time, it can harm their red blood cells and cause anemia.
Signs of anemia, like low energy, weakness, and difficulty breathing, can take up to 5 days to become noticeable.
Salt
Dogs, like all animals, require some amount of salt to stay healthy. But because they’re smaller than humans, they need much less of it.
The dog food you buy at the store usually has the right amount of salt they need, so there’s no need to give them more through treats or snacks.
Giving them too much salt can lead to health issues.
To cause a problem, your dog would have to eat a very large amount of teriyaki sauce because it contains salt.
Xylitol
Most types of teriyaki sauce don’t have xylitol in them.
However, some “sugar-free” recipes might use it, and that’s something to be careful about.
Xylitol is a sugar substitute that’s very harmful to dogs, even in tiny amounts. It can quickly make their blood sugar drop, leading to seizures and liver damage.
If you think your dog ate any sauce with xylitol, you should contact your vet right away.
Soy Sauce
Another ingredient in teriyaki sauce that’s risky for dogs is soy sauce. Soy sauce has a lot of salt, and pets shouldn’t have too much salt regularly.
The tiny bit of sodium in commercial dog food is there to keep their body’s electrolyte balance right.
But large amounts of salt, like what’s in teriyaki sauce, can be dangerous for dogs and cause serious heart problems, sometimes even leading to a heart attack.
Vegetable Oils
Most oils, except for the ones from natural things like seeds and nuts (but not all of them), can be harmful to dogs.
Many teriyaki sauce products have canola or soy oil in them, which can be risky for pets.
How Much Teriyaki Sauce is Safe for a Dog to Eat?
It’s best not to give your dog any teriyaki sauce.
A tiny bit probably won’t harm them, unless it has xylitol, but it doesn’t have any benefits for them either and might cause issues for some dogs.
If your dog just licks up a few drops, there’s usually no need to rush to the vet. A very small amount is usually okay unless your dog is very small or has health problems.
However, if your dog eats a lot of sauce or it has xylitol, it’s a good idea to contact your vet for advice on what to do next.
Your vet might tell you to watch for signs of problems, or they might recommend bringing your dog in, especially if they’re already showing signs of being sick.
Conclusion
Teriyaki sauce isn’t safe for dogs. Even tiny amounts usually won’t cause issues, but they can be a problem for small dogs or ones with health conditions.
The more sauce they eat, the more likely they’ll have problems.
So, it’s best to avoid giving teriyaki sauce to your dog, especially if they have tummy troubles or are very small.
Garlic and onion in teriyaki sauce can be harmful to dogs, and if they eat a lot of it, they might need to see a vet, although symptoms may not show up right away.
If your dog has eaten a lot of teriyaki sauce or if you think it might have had xylitol in it, it’s a good idea to contact your vet right away.
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