Can Dogs Eat Poblano Pepper? Can Dogs Have Poblano Peppers?

With its vibrant color and tantalizing flavors, poblano pepper is a staple ingredient for people who love a fiery kick in their food. Chili pepper enthusiasts love them because they awaken the taste buds by exploding spicy fireworks. Conversely, some people dread the burn—the painful, tearjerking, mouth-searing sensation—and consider chili peppers a punishment.

And so, it begs the question, do dogs enjoy a zing in their diet? Can they relish and enjoy the fiery kick of eating poblano pepper? Or does chili pepper fall squarely in the nightmare food category?

Can Dogs Eat Poblano Pepper?

Dogs shouldn’t eat poblano peppers because they’re too spicy for them. ¹ While poblano pepper isn’t toxic to dogs, it contains capsaicin. Capsaicin, the chemical that gives hot peppers their heat, while not toxic, may cause your pooch to experience severe pain. ²

The level of discomfort capsaicin causes depends on the amount ingested and the dog’s sensitivities and allergies. Eating chili pepper or spicy foods triggers mild to severe symptoms in dogs. ¹ Your pup may cough, sneeze, foam, or drool in the mouth. Due to the heat, you may notice your pooch panting or pawing their face. Sometimes, the kick may cause the eyes to water. 

Ingesting capsaicin is a double tragedy for dogs—it burns its way in and out of the dog’s system. ³ It’ll irritate your dog’s nose, mouth, and throat and cause digestive issues such as vomiting and diarrhea. It’ll also irritate the dog’s stomach lining and burn its way out in a painful bowel movement.

Can Dogs Eat Peppers

Dogs should only eat bell peppers. ⁴ Unlike other peppers, bell peppers aren’t spicy—they contain no capsaicin—they come in at zero on the Scoville Scale. ⁵ As such, they are a safe and nutritious veggie for your furry companions. You can safely add red, yellow, green, or orange-colored bell peppers to your dog’s diet because they contain no capsaicin. Bell peppers are low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in Vitamins A and C, and essential minerals. ⁶

Can Dogs Eat Hot Peppers

Dogs shouldn’t eat hot peppers. Hot peppers such as jalapeno, cayenne, tabasco, and serrano are an acquired taste, even for humans. They pack a punch and feel like molten lava in your mouth. They have a Scoville index of 2,500 to 50,000—the scale measures the heat levels among chili peppers. ⁷

Such heat levels can scorch Fifi’s mouth and digestive tract, subjecting her to painful diarrhea, vomiting, and excruciating belly pain. There’s no reason to give your pooch hot peppers—it only causes pain and suffering.

Can You Eat Poblano Pepper Skin

Dogs shouldn’t eat poblano pepper skin—or any part of the chili pepper. Although poblano pepper is relatively mild on the Scoville Scale, it packs a fiery kick. Ingesting any part of their spicy treat can subject your pooch to excruciating pain and digestive distress.

Can You Eat Poblano Peppers Raw

Dogs shouldn’t eat poblano pepper in any form—raw or cooked. ¹ Chili peppers are most potent in their raw form. Cooking helps bring down the heat levels, but only barely. Your pooch will face the music if you offer them raw or cooked poblano peppers. Dry chili pepper is even worse. The dying process reduces the moisture content and concentrates the heat, making chili peppers even spicier.

Why Dogs Can’t Eat Poblano Pepper

Dogs can’t eat poblano pepper because it contains capsaicin. ¹ By human standards, poblano pepper is relatively mild—it boasts a Scoville index of 1,000 to 2,500. ⁹ But that’s molten lead territory for dogs because they shouldn’t consume capsaicin.

Capsaicin is the chemical compound that gives chili peppers their heat or spiciness. Humans love poblano pepper for its spicy kick and health goodness. Unfortunately, capsaicin negates any of these benefits for your furry companion.

Dogs have fewer tastebuds than humans—1,700 vs 9,000—so they can’t taste spiciness. ⁸ But they’re highly sensitive to the heat from eating chili peppers. Contrary to popular opinion, the heat of a poblano pepper isn’t a taste but a pain response. ¹⁰

When you consume a chili pepper, the capsaicin activates a heat-sensitive protein in the body. The protein alerts the brain, and it responds by letting the affected part of the body feel a jolt of pain—the kick of a hot pepper. ¹⁰

As such, dogs that consume hot peppers such as poblano only feel the sting and none of the benefits of a spicy dish. Adding insult to injury, capsaicin wreaks havoc in your pup’s digestive tract. It burns in and out your dog’s digestive system—subjecting them to untold suffering.  

For human beings, poblano peppers are healthy and nutritious treats with vitamins and minerals. Dogs don’t experience any of these benefits—the effects of capsaicin make them a health risk for your fur babies.

Don’t feed your dog poblano peppers because, at best, you’re subjecting them to untold suffering with no health benefits whatsoever.

What Do I Do If My Dog Eats Poblano Pepper?

You’ll notice signs of distress immediately after your pooch eats poblano pepper. Luckily, this chili pepper has a strong kick, so your dog is unlikely to eat too much. However, even the smallest poblano pepper can elicit strong reactions in dogs with pepper allergies and sensitivities. ¹¹

Offering copious amounts of water to soothe the burning sensation is tempting. But that would be a mistake. Drinking too much water may lead to bloating and excruciating stomach pain. ¹²

Instead, you should offer your pup a little milk or plain yogurt. ³ That’ll help douse the burning fire in the throat and mouth. Wipe the paws with a damp and dog-friendly shampoo to remove the pepper oils. That prevents the oils from being transferred to the face and eyes.

Wipe down Fido’s face with cold water if you notice the eyes watering or if they’ve already pawed their face.

Since poblano pepper isn’t toxic for dogs, your pooch may endure some short-lived gastrointestinal discomfort, but it should be just fine. However, keep an eye on him and call the vet if you notice signs of allergies and sensitivities. Call a vet if things get out of hand.

What Can I Feed My Dog instead of Poblano Pepper?

Offering any form of poblano pepper to your pooch subjects them to the punishing effect of capsaicin. Some healthy veggie alternatives ¹³ that’ll keep your fur baby safe and healthy include:

• Bell pepper
• Broccoli
• Pumpkins
• Carrots
• Green beans
• Kale and spinach
• Brussel sprouts
• Sweet potatoes
• zucchini

Are There Any Safe Poblano Pepper for Dogs?

The presence of capsaicin makes all forms of poblano pepper unsafe for dogs. Every encounter with this chili pepper will likely be a painful experience for your dog. As a rule, dogs should only eat bell peppers because they don’t contain any capsaicin.  

So, Can Dogs Eat Poblano Pepper? What’s The Verdict?

Dogs shouldn’t eat poblano pepper because it spells nothing but trouble for them. Like all chili peppers, poblano contains capsaicin, a harmful chemical that irritates their digestive system.

Consuming even the tiniest amount of poblano pepper produces a painful burning sensation in the mouth and throat. It also irritates the digestive system, leading to vomiting and painful diarrhea.

There’s no upside to feeding your pooch poblano pepper or chili peppers—you only set them up for a painful experience. Bell peppers are the only dog-safe peppers because they don’t contain capsaicin.

Sources

1. https://greg.app/poblano-pepper-toxic-to-dogs/
2. https://www.fellow.dog/ingredient/capsaicin
3. https://wagwalking.com/sense/can-dogs-feel-heat-from-peppers
4. https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-bell-peppers
5. https://www.mikeyvsfoods.com/post/understanding-the-scoville-scale-made-simple
6. https://wellbeloved.com/blogs/caring-for-dogs/can-dogs-eat-peppers
7. https://bonnieplants.com/blogs/garden-fundamentals/pepper-heat-levels
8. https://blog.tryfi.com/can-dogs-taste-spicy/
9. https://www.epicgardening.com/hot-pepper-types
10. https://www.snexplores.org/article/cool-science-hot-peppers
11. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/food-allergies-in-dogs
12. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/can-dogs-eat-spicy-food
13. https://www.thesprucepets.com/best-vegetables-to-feed-your-dog-5101206

If you’re looking for more nutritional advice for your pet, The American Canine Club is a great starting point for all things canine health.

---

Loved Our Article On Can Dogs Poblano Pepper?

Check Out More Below…..