Can Dogs Eat Hobnobs?

McVitie’s Hobnobs are a popular British biscuit – or cookie, as we call them here in the states – made out of rolled oats. Even though oats are good for dogs, Hobnobs contain too many other unhealthy ingredients to be considered safe for canines to consume. Continue reading to find out more about why you shouldn’t feed your dog Hobnobs…

Why Hobnobs Are Bad for Dogs

To understand why Hobnobs are bad for dogs, all we have to do is take a look at the ingredients:

Rolled Oats (40%),
Wholemeal Wheat Flour (24%),
Vegetable Oil (Palm)
Sugar
Partially Inverted Sugar Syrup
Raising Agents (Sodium Bicabornate, Ammonium Bicarbonate),
Salt

Rolled oats and wheat flour are fine for dogs. They are commonly used in dog food and treats. However, vegetable oil, sugar, partially inverted sugar syrup, and salt are not ingredients you should feed your dog.

Consuming a small amount of these ingredients won’t harm your pup, but feeding them those ingredients in large quantities or on a regular basis could do serious damage to their health.

In particular, the refined sugars used in Hobnobs are especially bad for dogs. Table sugar and partially inverted sugar syrup are completely unnatural to a dog’s diet, and can cause inflammation all throughout their body. Sugar can also upset your dog’s stomach, give them cavities, and cause weight gain.

That being said, if your dog just ate one or two Hobnobs, don’t panic; they’re going to be fine. The main point is you should not feed them Hobnobs on a regular basis, the way you would give them ordinary dog biscuits.

Chocolate Hobnobs

McVitie’s also makes milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and chocolate chip Hobnobs. Under no circumstance should you ever let your dog eat a chocolate Hobnob. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and can be fatal.

References:

McVitie’s. Hobnobs. Retrieved from https://mcvities.co.uk/products/hobnobs

Teresa Traverse. 6 Reasons Why Your Dog Shouldn’t Have Sugar. Retrieved from https://www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/6-reasons-why-your-dog-shouldnt-have-sugar