Can dogs eat pastry? That is the question on many people’s minds. The answer, as you might expect, is not a straightforward yes or no! There are some types of pastries that dogs can consume and others they should avoid. We will discuss what types of pastries are safe for dogs to eat and which ones you should never give to your pup in this blog post.
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What dogs eat, what dogs ate and what dogs can eat (ie what are toxic to dogs) are major questions to dog-owners as dogs love eating anything. What to give your dog also covers what about a dog that scrounges, knocks over a bin for food etc. Some breeds – such as labradors – will eat and eat and seemingly never loose their appetite.
Table of Contents
Firstly, Are There Definite No-Nos?
The answer is yes. Before we tackle the pastry challenge, here are some foods where we all agree, they are NOT for dogs:
Avocado
Large avocado stones present most danger because they could block the gastrointestinal tract. These fleshy green fruits contain a fungicidal toxin called persin. The large avocado stone could potentially block the digestive tract. Your dog may need surgery if it is found to have ingested too much avocado.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine, which is poisonous to dogs. It can make your dog’s heart race, blood pressure skyrocket, and even cause seizures and death. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it can be for your dog because it contains even more of these substances. Smaller breeds can also be affected by a lesser amount of chocolate than larger breeds. This one is a definite problem and you should seek immediate vet advice.
Onions, garlic, and chives
All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions or garlic. Left-over pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial baby food containing onion, sometimes fed as a supplement to young pets, can cause illness. Many prepared foods (including takeaways), sauces and gravies contain onion or garlic powder. Signs of poisoning often only occur a few days after your dog has eaten the vegetable. Symptoms include stomach and gut irritation, red blood cell damage and anaemia.
Mouldy foods
Mouldy food, including nuts and dairy products, contain lots of toxins that could make your dog very ill. Make sure you dispose of leftovers carefully and be careful to keep your food waste bin well out of your dog’s reach. Find your nearest clinic for immediate treatment if the bin has been emptied by your furry family member.
Bread dough
The smell of unbaked yeasty dough could attract your dog’s attention. If eaten, the dough could expand dangerously in your dog’s stomach, and the fermented yeast could become toxic. The yeast should always be kept out of reach of dogs, particularly bigger dogs that love to counter-surf, and contact your vet if you think this is an issue.
Bones
Eating large quantities of bone can often cause constipation. Bone splinters can puncture your dog’s digestive tract. Dental chews are a great way to assist oral health of your dog. However, many owners like feeding their dogs raw food – which means raw chicken wings or smaller bones that are NOT cooked. This can sometimes aid digestion and overall dog health.
Other Dietary Issues
There is of course the general issue of feeding your dog well – so foods that are low in sugar is a good idea for dog health and dog teeth! Also a lower fat diet is a good idea. As dogs age they can get serious issues if they are overweight, and dogs hate dieting! If your dog is extremely overweight then there can be problems with tummy upset, and general digestion. Keep your dog off the cookies and onto the fruit – again though, keep that to a minimum. Human food can be great for a human but dogs have very different dietary requirements!
So, Back To Pastry…
Can dogs eat pastry? Yes, but only if it does not contain any harmful ingredients such as avocados, chocolate, or grapes.
But don’t give them to your pet all the time. Pastries have a high fat and sugar content, which over time can lead to weight gain or even obesity. That can lead to other serious health issues such as heart disease and diabetes.
But even if your dog has had a pastry, she’s probably fine and you don’t need to worry about her!
Also, while the sugar provides no nutritional benefits for dogs and can impact their dental health (causing tooth decay), it’s unlikely that one or two bits would pose any serious risk.
Is Puff Pastry Any Different?
If your dog accidentally eats a sheet of puff pastry, do not panic. Puff pastry is made from just butter and flour and it does not contain yeast. It is only dough with yeast that can be dangerous to your furry friend.
Yeast in dough causes the pastry to rise. Dogs who are sensitive to yeast should avoid consuming pastry, because alcohol poisoning can be a danger for them if they eat too much of it.
Dogs are usually ok when consuming pastry, but there is a chance that your dog can have diarrhea. This is not an indication of any serious issue.
However if they consume pastry with fillings, it may be harmful depending on the ingredients.
Puff pastry filled with chocolate, raisins, grapes, nuts and other human food can be toxic to dogs. When you have such pastries in your home it is best not to feed them to your dog and keep them out of reach!
Like all food, which the dog ate my homework is a fun excuse, for not meant for dogs can be dangerous and that can be a problem.
Lastly, Some Pastry-Related FAQs
Can dogs eat cooked pastry?
The answer is yes in moderation but check that there is nothing else in the pastry or the filling that is dangerous and may cause issues such as vomiting in which case you will need to seek immediate veterinary assistance for that risk, which may be fatal
Can dogs eat pastry sausage rolls?
Assuming these are cooked and have none of the ‘red light’ foods such as macadamia nuts (toxic), then as ever, small amounts are find, but they can still contain a lot of fat and sugar
Can dogs eat flaky pastry?
For this one, see above, the difference is more between cooked and uncooked pastry, although there are differences between the types of dough, amount of butter, if there are other ingredients (raisins are bad as are, say, macadamia nuts) etc. So any uncooked pastry is bad, and any baked pastry might be bad.
Article references: dogs/foods toxic to dogs/what to feed dogs/dog poisoning
