My dog ate a cricket, is that bad?

Question

My dog is a cross between labrador and retriever and I estimate he weighs around 40 kgs and he's 1 year and 9 months old. My dog loves chasing crickets, especially because they jump, and in end, he eats them. He's only done this a few times, but most recently, he swallowed it quickly without playing with it that much. Which got me thinking, are alive crickets bad for dogs to eat?

EDIT: To test this out, last year I actually ate a cricket (yes it was dead, and yes I had cricket legs stuck in my mouth for the rest of the day) and confirm that I am still living :D

Answer 1

Don’t worry! Even humans eat crickets, so your dog will be totally fine. Dogs eat a lot of things worse than crickets (my parents’ dog regularly snacks on goose poop despite our best efforts to stop her). As a plus, crickets are a great source of protein and other nutrients!

There could be a rare instance that the cricket was carrying a parasite, so just make sure the dog doesn’t vomit or show discomfort. Again, that would be rare, but it never hurts to keep a close eye on your dog. If the cricket was up and jumping, it’s probably healthy.

Answer 2

Many creatures eat bugs, don’t worry! A cat I know eat any bug she comes across, as long as there isn’t any harmful chemicals like pesticides or fertilizers, that dog will be fine!

Answer 3

To answer more objectively, one ought to know the species of the cricket. But, most types of grasshoppers and crickets are edible (and extraordinarily protein-rich).