Can Dogs Eat Cicadas? It’s Best to Avoid Them
While cicadas aren’t inherently poisonous to dogs, there are several reasons they’re best left off the doggy menu:
- Digestive Upset: Their hard exoskeletons are difficult to digest. Eating too many cicadas can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and potential blockages.
- Pesticides: Cicadas that have been exposed to pesticides can be toxic to dogs.
- Choking Hazard: Especially for smaller dogs, whole cicadas pose a choking risk.
- Allergies: Some dogs may have allergies to cicadas, similar to shellfish allergies, leading to reactions.
Why Do Dogs Eat Cicadas?
- Novelty: Cicadas are a new and interesting thing to explore.
- Crunch Factor: Their texture can be appealing to dogs.
- Instinct: Dogs are naturally curious and might try to eat anything they find.
How Many Cicadas Are Safe?
Ideally, none. However, if your dog does manage to snag one or two, they’re unlikely to cause serious harm unless your dog has specific allergies or sensitivities.
Key Takeaways
- Cicadas are not a suitable treat for dogs.
- They present potential health risks and offer no nutritional benefit.
- Supervise your dog outdoors, especially during cicada season, to prevent them from eating these insects.
- If your dog eats a large quantity of cicadas, or if you notice any concerning symptoms, consult your veterinarian immediately.
Contents
What are Cicadas?
Cicadas have a long history of being thought of as annoying pests that cluster and are loud. The bulk of a cicada’s life is spent underneath the growth. Before they may surface to sing, mate, and produce eggs, they must spend many years maturing into adulthood.
The bulk of the over 3,400 cicada varieties emerges every two to five years, with cycle-to-cycle variations. On the contrary hand, the odd periodical cicadas are rather distinct.
Cicadas are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Although nothing is known about the precise amounts of nutrients in cicadas, it is known that they are highly packed with protein and low in fat. Generally speaking, insects are a great source of fibre and minerals. When cicadas have recently moulted, experts advise eating them.
Young trees can occasionally suffer damage from them, but this is easily avoided by wrapping the stems. Cicadas are generally advantageous.
When they perish, their corpses provide a significant supply of nitrogen for developing plants. They also trim existing trees, oxygenate the soil, and improve soil quality.
Do Dogs Like Cicadas?
Yes, dogs are fond of the taste of cicadas. This is mainly because of the crunchiness the canine has. The canines and many other animals like cats and rabbits are also fond of their taste.
The cicadas usually possess a meaty and delicious nutty flavor, which is a major source of attraction for the animals. Due to this, they keep on enjoying it with utmost interest.
Your dog won’t be injured if they eat a few cicada bugs. However, because their exoskeletons and casings are difficult for dogs to process, ingesting a large number of them can cause serious digestive problems.
If you own a dog who enjoys eating anything that is on the floor, you must be ready to prevent him from consuming this copious delight.
The crunchy creatures may provide pet dogs with a break from their monotonous, routine dog chow.
Some dogs are indeed so cicada-crazy that their guardians have to put a muzzle on them when bringing them outside in the concern that they would ingest a large number of them and have digestive issues.
Can Dogs Eat Cicadas?
No, the consumption of cicadas is usually not suggested for canines. As per the research done, the vets have recommended that dog owners they should avoid this insect from their diet canine.
This is mainly because research has proven that if the cicada is not included in the diet of the canine on a regular basis, it may lead to stomach upsets and digestive disorders.
Whereas once in a while, consumption of this insect will also lead to allergic reactions in the case of canines, as the body will not adapt to it. So in order to avoid all those discomforts, it is better to avoid this crunchy insect from the canines’ diet.
Overeating cicada shells can make dogs throw up, have diarrhoea, become lethargic, or have a poor appetite. You should visit a veterinarian in this situation because your dog could need intravenous fluids or pain, gastroprotectant, or anti-nausea drugs.
In exceptional cases, your dog may be sensitive to the cicada shells and need even more care because some dogs are more susceptible than others. Even more rarely, dogs have passed away after consuming too many cicada shells.
What are the Disadvantages of Feeding Cicadas to the Canines?
It is very important for the dog owner to know about the disadvantages of feeding cicadas to the canine as it will help them to decide why they should skip this from the canine’s diet. Below mentioned are the disadvantages of feeding cicadas to the canine.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
It was scientifically proven that when the dog eats a large number of cicadas at a time, it leads to gastrointestinal disorders like vomiting, diarrhea, and many others, which is extremely discomforting for the canine.
Allergic Reactions
As per the research on the anatomy of cicadas, it was found that this crunchy insect is almost the same as the crustacean-like shrimp and can be equally toxic for the canine having allergic reactions to shellfish. Thus it’s harmful.
Anorexia
The consumption of cicadas sometimes causes anorexia in canines. The discomforts the canine suffers after consuming it in large amount make them lose their interest in eating, and sometimes it may also be due to the overconsumption of a raw insect.
Why Do Dogs Use to Eat Cicadas?
Dogs simply used to eat cicadas because of the crunchiness they possessed. The shells and the skin of the cicadas also make them a bit chewy, and as we all know, dogs are attracted to chewy things, which is the significant reason why dogs used to eat cicadas.
The main fact to notice here is that cicadas are proven to be harmful to the canine only if the dog is allergic to the crustaceans or consuming it in large amounts.
Whereas if the dog has it in a moderate amount, then the proteinaceous material in it will benefit the canine, so eating it in a moderate amount can be preferred, but not in all cases.
How Many Cicadas Can Dogs Eat?
It is very important for dog owners to know how many cicadas can dogs eat at a time. This is because sometimes the situation gets out of control, and the owner has to feed cicadas to the canine to control his anxiety.
Then they should know the amount to make its consumption trouble-free and, most importantly, to determine how much of it can be beneficial.
