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Who doesn’t let their dog lick their dishes clean once in a while? I admit I know – it makes them so happy!
However, we must be careful which foods we share with our dogs. In the case of refried beans, it’s best to toss the excess in the trash or keep it as leftovers.
Refried beans often contain toxic ingredients like garlic and onions. They also contain a variety of spices that can upset your dog’s throat and digestive tract. Refried beans can cause health problems such as salt poisoning, pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, and kidney damage.
In this article, we’ll discuss why dogs shouldn’t eat refried beans, the risks, and more.

©iStock.com/kafaca
Refried Beans Are Toxic to Dogs
Refried beans are toxic to dogs, but it depends on the ingredients. Typically, refried beans will contain some or all of the following flavorings that are toxic or unsafe:
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- chili
- Cumin
- chili
- paprika
- black pepper
While not all of these are strictly poisonous, they can irritate your dog’s throat or digestive system. Garlic and onions in particular are highly toxic to dogs.
In general, spicy food doesn’t go well with dogs!

©iStock.com/fotyma
Other risks of refried beans
In addition to often containing toxic ingredients, refried beans are often unhealthy for dogs. Here are some of the risks of feeding refried beans to your dog:
upset stomach
Refried beans are likely to upset your dog’s stomach slightly or severely. They may experience only a little stomach pain, or they may become very sick with vomiting, diarrhea, and severe abdominal pain.
If your dog is unable to control food or water, has profuse diarrhea, or is in severe pain, see your veterinarian immediately. These may be symptoms of gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines) or pancreatitis, which we discuss further below. Both conditions can be fatal if left untreated.
pancreatitis
Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, occurs when dogs eat fatty foods like refried beans. This is a life-threatening emergency, so if your dog develops symptoms, see a veterinarian immediately. If your primary veterinarian is not available, it is best to call an emergency veterinarian to ensure your dog receives prompt treatment.
Symptoms of dog pancreatitis include:
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
- fever
- tired
- severe abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- increased thirst
- Shock
- depressed
- A “downward dog” position with the butt in the air and the head down
salt poisoning
If dogs consume too much salt, they can develop salt poisoning. While a moderate amount of salt is essential for dogs, they can get everything they need from their daily dog food.
Salt poisoning is especially at risk if your dog eats large amounts of refried beans. Small dogs are more likely to be poisoned than small dogs because they need less salt in their system to poison them.
Symptoms of salt poisoning include:
- Vomit
- diarrhea
- loss of appetite
- tired
- lack of coordination
- excessive thirst or urination
- Tremor
- epileptic seizure
- coma
In extreme cases, salt poisoning can kill a dog. If your dog notices symptoms of poisoning after eating refried beans, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison hotline for help.
You can help reduce your dog’s risk of salt poisoning by giving them constant drinking of plain water after they eat refried beans – but if they start throwing up and can’t keep the water down, take it out and take them See an emergency veterinary clinic. (This is a sign of pancreatitis.)
kidney damage
The salt content in refried beans can also cause kidney damage. This can happen if your dog gets more salt than water in his system.
As we discussed above, if your dog eats refried beans, especially in large quantities, provide your dog with constant fresh water.
If your dog keeps vomiting water, take him away, as this is a symptom of pancreatitis. See a veterinarian immediately.
If your dog shows signs of salt poisoning or kidney damage, such as increased thirst and urination, loss of appetite, depression, upset stomach, and bad breath, seek immediate veterinary help. The sooner they are treated, the less damage is done to the kidneys.
Remember that kidney damage is irreversible and you will not see symptoms until they have lost at least ⅔ of their function.
they contain harmful preservatives
Finally, refried beans may contain preservatives that are not safe for your dog. They can make your dog sick, especially when used in large quantities, or cause poisoning in the case of too much salt.

©Roger costa morera/Shutterstock.com
What to do if your dog eats refried beans
If your dog has eaten refried beans, your best course of action is to call an emergency veterinary clinic or a pet poison hotline immediately.
Let them know if the beans contain toxic ingredients, how much your dog has eaten, and if they are showing symptoms of stomach upset, pancreatitis, or poisoning.
Waiting for your dog to develop symptoms after eating a poisoned food can be dangerous because some symptoms cannot be seen. For example, garlic and onion poisoning can damage red blood cells, while the high salt content in refried beans can cause kidney damage.
Your veterinarian can detect this damage with blood tests and make other diagnoses, but you may not be able to see the damage externally until it’s far and irreversible. This can lead to lifelong health problems and even death for your dog.
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I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.