You’ve just placed an order for some chicken nuggets at your favorite fast-food restaurant. As soon your dog smells the salty, greasy aroma, they start begging like crazy, You think to yourself, “can Pugs eat chicken nuggets?” – is it really okay to share it with them?
Can Pugs Eat Chicken Nuggets?
While chicken nuggets are not fatal to dogs, they are composed of unhealthy ingredients such as salt, deep-fried bread, vegetable oil, and etc which isn’t the healthiest option for Fido.
Fast food restaurants cook their nuggets in vegetable oil, which is known to cause disorders in dogs such as pancreatitis or obesity. As a pet owner, it’s important to know what Pugs like to eat and which foods are actually good for them.
Let’s take a closer look at why you should avoid feeding your Pug chicken nuggets and other healthy options to choose from.
Note: This article is written by someone who owned a Pug for 16 years, I’m not a veterinarian and you should always talk to your vet before making any changes or adding any new foods to your dog’s diet.
Are There Any Benefits To Feeding Chicken Nuggets To Pugs?
No, chicken nuggets are classified as “junk food” and are packed with high amounts of fat and calories. Depending on how they are prepared, they can contain unnecessary ingredients and fillers that are not good for your dog’s diet.
While it’s true they do have some protein which is essential for your dog’s diet. Richard D. deShazo, MD, a professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center did research and found that chicken nuggets found at national fast-food chains are a poor source of protein and high in fat.
What’s Inside A Nugget?
Chicken nuggets are unhealthy foods for us, but why are they so bad for Pugs? Well, the best way to understand this is to take a look at the ingredients that are found in one.
Every nugget is different, so the ingredients may vary. Here is a list of ingredients that can be found in regular chicken nuggets:
- Breading
- Boneless chicken meat
- Egg
- Vegetable or Canola Oil for frying
- Spices
- Wheat starch
- Water
- Salt
- Autolyzed yeast extract
- Spices
Best Frozen Chicken Nuggets
Kids love eating chicken nuggets and will gladly share them with the family pet. Unfortunately, all processed chicken nuggets are bad for dogs, here’s a list of some of the best and worst processed nuggets you can feed your pooch.
| Brand | Best/Good/Worst |
| Applegate Naturals Chicken | Best |
| Applegate Naturals Gluten-Free Nuggets | Good |
| Earth’s Best Baked Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets | Good |
| Fast Fixin’ Chicken Nuggets | Worst |
| Tyson Chicken Nuggets | Bad |
Fast Food Nuggets
Here’s a table with the most popular fast-food nuggets and the oil used as well as the amount of sodium they contain.
| Restaurant | Cooked In | Sodium |
| Chick-Fil-A Nuggets | Peanut Oil | 990mg |
| McDonald’s Nuggets | Vegetable Oil | 540mg |