- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Your dog can safely eat some cereals as an occasional snack. However, safe doesn’t necessarily translate to “nutritious.”
“Cereals, in general, do not add much nutritional value to a dog’s diet,” says Maria Baker, DVM, veterinarian at pet-how.com.
In fact, the sugar and salt content in many cereals could contribute to health issues if your dog has cereal too frequently. Some cereals also contain ingredients that are very dangerous for dogs, such as raisins and chocolate.
Here’s a quick guide to the breakfast-time delights you can and can’t share with your pup.
What Kind Of Cereals Can Dogs Eat?
In general, the simpler the cereal, the safer it is for your dog. This means cereals with only a few natural ingredients like oats or wheat and minimal “extras” like sweeteners or food coloring.
Dangerous ingredients for dogs
Two common cereal ingredients are extremely toxic for dogs.
- Cocoa: The main ingredient in chocolate can poison your dog—even in small amounts. That’s because it contains a chemical called theobromine that your dog’s body can’t digest.
- Raisins: Any color or variety of raisins can damage your dog’s kidneys. Scientists aren’t fully sure why, but raisins seem to damage the kidney’s lining (epithelium).
Signs of chocolate or raisin poisoning in dogs typically show up within 6-12 hours after they eat the ingredient. Dr. Baker says the signs of food poisoning typically show up in this order:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy or weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Excessive thirst or urination
- Tremors or seizures
- Increased heart rate
After those first seven symptoms, you may notice your dog has trouble breathing or acts like their stomach hurts. Finally, your dog may collapse into unconsciousness.
It’s best to take your dog to the vet as soon as they show any of the signs above, especially if you believe they could have eaten raisins or chocolate.
Ingredients to limit or avoid
Other cereals may have ingredients that aren’t immediately dangerous but can still make your dog ill—especially if your dog eats them regularly or in large quantities. These include:
- Artificial colors or dyes: Dr. Baker says the dye FD&C Red 40 has been linked to allergic reactions and hyperactivity in dogs. However, no artificial colors are dog-friendly.
- BHT: Long-term exposure to this preservative can be harmful for dogs, says Gary Richter, DVM, a veterinary health expert with Rover.
- Corn syrup: This sweetener has a high glycemic index, Dr. Richter says. To put it simply, corn syrup raises your dog’s blood sugar levels really quickly.
- Whole grain corn: “Whole grain” means the corn has all 3 of its original layers: the bran, germ, and endosperm. “Whole grain corn can cause digestive issues and skin allergies for some dogs,” says Dr. Baker.
Can Dogs Eat Cereal With Milk?
Some people may say no cereal is complete without milk, but dry cereal may be safer for some dogs.
Some dogs, especially European breeds, can handle milk and cheese in moderation. Others become fully lactose intolerant after puppyhood. Dairy can give them an upset stomach, a bloated tummy, and gas that can clear a room in seconds.
Coconut milk may be a safer ingredient for dogs who are lactose intolerant.
How Much Cereal Can My Dog Eat?
How much cereal your dog can eat depends on factors like their size, age, and activity level.
For a healthy 40-pound adult dog, the serving size should be somewhere between half a cup and one cup, Dr. Baker says.
Just keep in mind that treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. For most cereals, one cup is a little more than 100 calories, so this may be too large of a snack for many dogs.
It’s also important to consider the cereal’s ingredients. A single serving of many cereals will exceed a dog’s daily limit of sugar. For a 40-pound dog, Dr. Baker recommends limiting sugar intake to no more than 10 grams per day—and the less sugar, the better.
Plenty of cereals also exceed a dog’s daily limit of salt. Dr. Baker recommends keeping a dog’s salt intake under 100 milligrams per day.
The Best Cereals For Dogs
These cereals have very little sugar and salt and contain no unsafe ingredients for dogs.
Cream of Wheat
- Main ingredient: Enriched wheat farina
- Troublesome ingredients: None
- Calories: about 109 calories
- Sugar content: 0 grams
- Salt content: 0 milligrams
Cream of Wheat is an instant porridge that you can make with water or milk. Dogs can safely eat this cereal as long as you let it cool before you serve it—but it still shouldn’t replace their regular diet.
Frosted Mini Wheats
- Main Ingredient: Whole grain wheat
- Troublesome ingredients: None
- Calories: about 106 calories
- Sugar content: 6.2 grams
- Salt content: 5.1 milligrams
Frosted Mini Wheats contain no unsafe ingredients for dogs and very little salt. However, they do contain over half your dog’s daily sugar allotment of 10 grams. If your dog eats this cereal, you’ll want to avoid giving them other sources of sugar that day.
Grits
- Main ingredient: Corn
- Troublesome ingredients: Whole grain corn
- Calories: about 111 calories
- Sugar content: 0 grams
- Salt content: 0 milligrams
Grits are another type of instant porridge. They contain no sugar or salt, but dogs sensitive to corn may be better off eating Cream of Wheat or Oat Bran instead.
Oat Bran
- Main ingredient: Oat bran
- Troublesome ingredients: None
- Calories: about 105 calories
- Sugar content: 0.75 grams
- Salt content: 0 milligrams
Oat Bran is another hot cereal made with oats instead of wheat or corn. This option does contain a small amount of sugar, but not enough to pose a risk for most dogs.
Safe Cereals For Dogs
These cereals are acceptable snacks so long as your dog eats them in moderation. If you give these as a treat, aim to give your dog small amounts only. A full serving of these cereals contains too much salt for dogs.
Cheerios
- Main ingredient: Whole grain oats
- Troublesome ingredients: None
- Calories: about 115 calories
- Sugar content: 1.2 grams
- Salt content: 150 milligrams
Cheerios are low in sugar and have zero problematic ingredients. However, they do exceed your dog’s daily limit of salt.
Honey Nut Cheerios
- Main ingredient: Whole grain oats
- Troublesome ingredients: None
- Calories: about 118 calories
- Sugar content: 9.6 grams
- Salt content: 171.3 milligrams
Honey Nut Cheerios are Cheerios’ much more sugary cousin. They don’t quite pass the 10-gram-mark, but they get close.
Kix
- Main ingredient: Whole grain corn
- Troublesome ingredients: Whole grain corn
- Calories: about 120 calories
- Sugar content: 3 grams
- Salt content: 165 milligrams
Kix is only safe for dogs whose digestive systems can handle corn. While relatively low in sugar, it does still contain a lot of salt.
Rice Krispies
- Main ingredient: Rice
- Troublesome ingredients: None
- Calories: about 116 calories
- Sugar content: 3.2 grams
- Salt content: 150.6 milligrams
Rice Krispies have very little sugar and no unsafe ingredients, but this cereal is still very salty.
Weetabix
- Main ingredient: Whole wheat
- Troublesome ingredients: None
- Calories: about 111 calories
- Sugar content: 1.7 grams
- Salt content: 111.3 milligrams
Weetabix is a plain wheat cereal with minimal sugar and less salt than many other cereals. One serving does still contain more salt than dogs should eat in a day.
Cereals To Avoid Giving Your Dog
These cereals aren’t toxic, but they contain problematic ingredients and have very high levels of sugar and salt. Dogs shouldn’t eat more than a small pinch—if that.
Apple Jacks
- Main ingredient: Corn flour blend
- Troublesome ingredients: Artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1), BHT
- Calories: about 113 calories
- Sugar Content: 10.3 grams
- Salt Content: 158.7 milligrams
Apple Jacks have a lot of extra ingredients, like artificial colors and the preservative BHT, that aren’t good for your dog. This cereal is also pretty sugary and salty.
Bran Flakes
- Main ingredient: Whole grain wheat
- Troublesome ingredients: High fructose corn syrup
- Calories: about 114 calories
- Sugar content: 5.2 grams
- Salt content: 207 milligrams
Bran Flakes may sound like they’d make a healthy option for anyone, but this cereal contains double the daily recommended sodium content for dogs. It also contains high fructose corn syrup.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
- Main ingredient: Whole grain wheat
- Troublesome ingredients: BHT
- Calories: about 121 calories
- Sugar content: 8.9 grams
- Salt content: 173.7 milligrams
Cinnamon Toast Crunch is fairly high in sugar and salt. And while cinnamon is generally safe for dogs, the preservative BHT is not.
Corn Flakes
- Main ingredient: Milled corn
- Troublesome ingredients: Corn syrup
- Calories: about 110 calories
- Sugar content: 2 grams
- Salt content: 300 milligrams
Corn Flakes contain three times the daily recommended level of sodium for a medium-sized dog.
Froot Loops
- Main ingredient: Corn flour blend
- Troublesome ingredients: Artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1), BHT
- Calories: about 112 calories
- Sugar content: 9.4 grams
- Salt content: 158.7 milligrams
Froot Loops have a lot of sodium and unsafe ingredients, like artificial coloring and BHT.
Frosted Flakes
- Main ingredient: Milled corn
- Troublesome ingredients: Corn syrup
- Calories: about 116 calories
- Sugar content: 11.6 grams
- Salt content: 135.6 milligrams
Frosted Flakes have too much sugar and salt for dogs to eat this cereal safely.
Honey Bunches of Oats
- Main Ingredient: Corn
- Troublesome ingredients: Caramel color, corn syrup, BHT
- Calories: about 122 calories
- Sugar content: 6.4 grams
- Salt content: 128.7 milligrams
The added ingredients in Honey Bunches of Oats can make your dog sick, especially if they eat a lot of this cereal.
Life
- Main ingredient: Whole grain oat flour
- Troublesome ingredients: Artificial colors (Yellow 5, Yellow 6), BHT
- Calories: about 112 calories
- Sugar content: 5.8 grams
- Salt content: 149.4 milligrams
Life doesn’t contain much sugar, but it does have artificial colors and the preservative BHT, along with a high sodium content.
Lucky Charms
- Main ingredient: Whole grain oats
- Troublesome ingredients: Artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1), corn syrup
- Calories: about 117 calories
- Sugar content: 9.9 grams
- Salt content: 192 milligrams
Lucky Charms has a lot of artificial colors and sweeteners. What’s more, too many of the marshmallows could make your dog’s blood sugar skyrocket.
Rice Chex
- Main ingredient: Whole grain rice
- Troublesome ingredients: None
- Calories: about 111 calories
- Sugar content: 2.2 grams
- Salt content: 244.5 milligrams
Rice Chex may not contain much sugar, but this cereal does contain plenty of salt—too much for a dog to eat in a day.
Special K
- Main ingredient: Rice
- Troublesome ingredients: None
- Calories: about 114 calories
- Sugar content: 3.7 grams
- Salt content: 210.3 milligrams
Special K has more than twice the recommended daily sodium content for dogs.
Trix
- Main ingredient: Whole grain corn
- Troublesome ingredients: Artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1), corn syrup, whole grain corn
- Calories: about 116 calories
- Sugar content: 9.7 grams
- Salt content: 145.2 milligrams
Trix is a brightly-colored, corn-based cereal with lots of artificial dyes. It also contains a lot of sugar and salt.
3 Cereals Dogs Should Never Eat
The following cereals have either chocolate or raisins inside. A single raisin or chocolate puff may not send a larger dog to the hospital, but it only takes a small amount of these cereals to make a dog very sick.
- Cocoa Puffs: This cereal contains cocoa.
- Raisin Bran: This cereal contains raisins.
- Reese’s Puffs: This cereal contains cocoa.
Always check the ingredients to make sure a cereal doesn’t contain any cocoa, chocolate, or raisins before you share it with your dog.
Your dog may eye your breakfast with longing, but saving cereal for the human family members is generally the safest option. That said, if you’re in the habit of slicing a banana or strawberries into your bowl, you can absolutely share these fruits with your dog!