Can dogs eat bread with yeast
Can Dogs Eat Bread?
NOTE: Always check with your veterinarian first before giving your dog any new foods, especially people foods. What might be OK for one dog might not be good for your dog, depending on multiple factors, such as their age, health history, health conditions, and diet. Dogs on prescription diets should not be fed any food or treats outside the diet.
Have you ever wondered, Can dogs eat bread as a treat? Are some breads safe for dogs, while others arent? Maybe your counter-surfing dog swiped a package of buns when you werent lookingwill she be OK?
Although most breads arent toxic to dogs, some breads contain ingredients that are toxic and can cause dogs serious harm. And raw, yeast-based bread dough is actually very dangerous and should never be fed to a dog. Heres what to know before giving your pup any bread.
Is Bread Bad for Dogs?
Humans love bread. We use it for all sorts of meals at home, and sometimes our pups get a taste of it.A typical piece of white or wheat bread isnt toxic to dogs, and eating a little here and there wont hurt them.
But bread doesnt give our pups much nutrition, either. And because bread is filled with carbs, theres really no reason to feed your dog bread. In fact, eating bread regularly over time can cause obesity or even diabetes in your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Bread Dough?
While a slice of bread is fine, yeast-based bread dough is dangerous for dogs and can cause bread dough toxicosis.
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, the dogs stomach promotes expansion of the dough mass and production of ethanol by the yeast. In effect, the warm, moist environment of a dogs stomach causes the yeast to rise. This causes bloat, which can lead to gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), a life-threatening condition. Alcohol intoxication can also occur because of the doughs fermentation process.
If your dog eats any yeast-based bread dough, you should call your veterinarian and take your dog to an emergency vet immediately.
Symptoms of bread dough toxicosis include:
Dry heaving
Abdominal distention (bloat)
Decreased activity
Impaired gait and reflexes
Incoordination
Disorientation
Weakness
Leaning, resting, or reclining
Hypothermia
Seizures
Coma
Death
What Types of Bread Can Dogs Eat?
While some breads are completely fine and safe for dogs to eat in moderation, there are others that contain ingredients that are toxic to dogs. Keep your dog away from breads that contain any of the following:
There are also ingredients that, while not toxic, arent very good for our four-legged friends. Avoid feeding your dog anything that contains large amounts of:
Can Dogs Eat Wheat Bread?
Yes. Unless your dog has a wheat allergy, plain wheat bread is safe in small amounts.
Can Dogs Eat Sourdough Bread?
Yes. As long as the sourdough is completely cooked, a small piece should not harm your dog. But if the sourdough is raw, it can cause serious health problems.
Can Dogs Eat Garlic Bread?
No. Garlic is toxic to dogs, and many recipes contain onionanother toxic ingredient.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Bread?
No. While bananas are safe for dogs, many banana breads contain not-so-nice ingredients like sugar, raisins, macadamia nuts, or nutmeg. All of these can cause problems for your pup.
Can Dogs Eat White Bread?
Yes. Unless your dog has a wheat allergy, plain white bread is safe in small amounts.
Can Dogs Eat Rye Bread?
Yes. Unless your dog has a wheat or grain allergy, plain rye bread is safe in small amounts.
Can Dogs Eat Pumpkin Bread?
No. Pumpkin is a dog-safe snack but, just like banana bread, pumpkin bread commonly contains toxic ingredients such as nutmeg.
Can Dogs Eat Pita Bread?
Yes. As long as the pita bread is completely plain, does not contain any toxic ingredients, and your dog doesnt have a wheat or grain allergy, its safe in small amounts.
Can Dogs Eat Gingerbread?
No. Not only does gingerbread contain a large amount of sugar, but it also often contains nutmeg.
What To Do if Your Dog Ate Bread or Bread Dough
If your dog eats any amount of yeast-based dough, call your veterinarian right away. You should also contact your vet if your dog eats a piece of bread that contains any toxic ingredients.
But if your dog snatches up a slice of sandwich bread, a piece of pita, or any other bread thats fully cooked and free of toxic ingredients, she should be completely fine. That said, if she got into an entire package of hamburger buns, she might experience some mild stomach upset. Always call your vet if your dog gets into anything she shouldnt.
Featured Image: iStock/Aleksandr Zotov
Can Dogs Eat Bread? (And When Yeast is Super Dangerous)
This page contains affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post through our independently chosen links, which earn us a commission. Learn More
The short answer is yes, dogs can eat bread, either plain white or wheat bread, and it wont cause any allergies or stomach illness. Be advised that time to time feeding your dog bread isnt an issue, but with that said, we must not ignore the fact that dogs need a complete diet.
I know that when I got my first dog, I had no idea which human foods she could safely eat, which is why Ive put this article together for you, so you can learn from what Ive discovered.
Contents & Quick Navigation
Whats Safe, and Whats Not?
You see, certain foods are toxic for dogs, and among those foods are grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, and artificial sweeteners. Now, if you were wondering, what about bread? Is bread bad for dogs?
Can dogs eat bread?
The short and straightforward answer is YES.
Dogs can eat breadwell, sometimes.
It really does depend on its type. So youll want to make sure to keep your cinnamon-raisin bread, garlic knots, and onion bagels out of your dogs reach. If your dog accidentally ingests bread with onions or onion powder, it can lead to anemia, but according to this video from Veterinary Secrets, once you take the onions away, your dog should heal pretty quickly.
When it comes to grapes and raisins, however, there is no known treatment, so under absolutely no circumstances should your dog have easy access to these!
Yeast and Your Dog: They Dont Get Along
While plain white bread is usually fine for many dogs, if youre in the habit of making fresh pizza or your own bread, its easy to forget and just leave kneaded dough on the counter to rise. But even if you have to set a reminder for yourself on your phone, make sure you always keep raw dough out of your dogs reach, as it is extremely harmful to our furry friends!
The last thing you need is your dog jumping or climbing up onto the counter and chowing down, because, according to ASPCA, if a dog consumes raw dough, the yeast will cause the dough to rise within the dogs stomach. The rising of the yeast would cause the abdomen to stretch.
If youve ever been bloated, you know just how painful that is! As yeast ferments and prompts the dough to rise, ethanol or alcohol is produced. This same alcohol can actually give your dog ethanol toxicosis, which can trigger a cardiac arrest and prove fatal for dogs!
Just in case, if you ever have any doubts that your dog has ingested raw dough, keep an eye out for:
- a bloated abdomen
- vomiting
- loss of coordination
- loss of bladder control
- any behavior changes or depression.
All of these are symptoms of ethanol toxicosis, and they begin to present from half an hour to two hours after the consumption of raw dough. If you see any of these symptoms at all, dont hesitate and head to the vet! If untreated, your dogs health will rapidly deteriorate, even to the point of death.
What You Need to Know
First, make sure that your dog doesnt have a wheat allergy. If it turns out that your dog is allergic to wheat and youd still like to feed her some bread, opt for bread made with rice or rye flour. Homemade bread would also be ideal since you can easily control the ingredients.
Second, even if your dog does go absolutely gaga for bread, make sure not to feed her too much, as bread is high in calories and you dont want your canine companion to become overweight. For this same reason, you should also avoid bread that is high in sugar.
The best thing you can do in this case is to reserve it as a treat for special occasions and stick to small pieces that can easily be digested. And, of course, make sure your dog gets plenty of exercises!
Anything Else?
So, lets recap. Can dogs eat bread?
Sure, if you feed your dog small portions of:
- Bread made from rice flour
- Rye Bread
- White or Whole Wheat (if your dog isnt allergic)
And you should avoid these altogether:
- Raw dough
- Cinnamon-raisin bread or bagels
- Onion bread or bagels
- Garlic bread and knots
That is pretty much all you need to know! Of course, our dogs cant communicate the way we do, but with a little bit of vigilance and care from you, your dog will always be happy and healthy.
Just keep a light hand with the bread, and maybe reach for some yummy chews or a bit of peanut butter the next time your furry friend is looking for a snack!
Do you have any other concerns about what your dog should be eating? Let me know in the comments!
What Happens When a Dog Eats Yeast
What Happens When a Dog Eats Yeast
Last updated on By Puppy Leaks 6 Comments
We used to joke all the time about my previous dog Carter and his love of carbs. He was obsessed with bread. If you gave him a choice between a slab of meat or a dinner roll hed choose the roll every single time. And its that love of bread that got him into a whole lot of trouble 5 years ago.
It was late at night and he came over to me with something in his mouthit was pizza dough. Hed somehow managed to get it off the counter in the next room, all without making a damn noise. That dough was in a 5 pound glass bowl behind the coffee maker, and Im still not quite sure how he managed to get it down so quietly.
By the time I saw it hed already eaten a lump of dough the size of a few softballs. So off to the emergency vet we went..luckily everything turned out fine, though I still cant figure out how he managed to get that stupid ball of dough without my knowledge.
Before that night I had no idea how bad yeast was for dogs. Lesson learned indeed. Heres a look at what happens when a dog eats yeast, and why its so dangerous.
Eating Yeast or Bread Dough Can be Life Threatening to Dogs
If you spend a lot of time baking youve probably got some packets of dry yeast in the kitchen. Its used when baking most breads, and its extremely dangerous for our pets.
Can dogs eat yeast? The answer is no. Yeast is highly toxic to dogs, and the ingestion of it can lead to life threatening complications.
When a dog eats years theres two major health concerns you need to worry about bloat & alcohol poisoning.
Yeast rises in warm & moist environments, so when a dog ingests yeast it causes their stomach to expand. That increase in size & pressure can lead to bloat (aka GDV), a rapidly progressive life threatening condition.
Dogs can get alcohol poisoning from eating yeast. During the fermentation process yeast produces ethanol which gets absorbed into their bloodstream.
Eating yeast can cause bloat & alcohol poisoning in dogs, both of which can be life threatening.
The Expansion of Yeast Can Cause Bloat in Dogs
If youve ever used a packet of yeast in baking you know how well it rises. If youre making dough and let it sit for a couple hours it can easily double in size.
And that growth is what makes yeast terribly dangerous to dogs. It will continue to grow well after theyve eaten it.
Yeast grows in warm & most environments, making the inside of your dog the perfect place for expansion. When a dog east yeast that growth makes them susceptible to developing bloat, a rapidly progressive life threatening condition.
Bloat in dogs, also known as Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV), is a medical emergency. If you think your dog has ingested yeast take them to the clinic immediately.
Even with treatment, as many as 25-33% of dogs with GDV die. Bloat (Gastric Dilatation Volvulus) in Dogs, Pet Education
When dogs get bloat their stomach becomes filled with gas that theyre unable to expel. As the pressure increases and the size of the stomach expands they can suffer from reduced blood flow, rupture of the stomach lining, damage to to cardiovascular system, and increased pressure on the diaphragm which makes breathing more difficult.
The Symptoms of Bloat in Dogs
Not all dogs will show all of these symptoms when they eat yeast, and some may be indistinguishable from general distress, but due to the serious nature of the condition you need to take your dog to the vet if you suspect they may have it. Common symptoms of bloat include:
- Bloated abdomen
- Drooling
- Acting anxious & restless
- Attempts to vomit
- Heavy or rapid panting
- Shallow breathing
- Pacing
There are no home remedies for bloat, dogs that develop GDV need to be seen by a veterinarian immediately. If the stomach becomes dilated enough to twist (volvulus) dogs can go into shock and death can occur within hours.
Immediate treatment is the most important factor in a favorable prognosis. A delay in treatment greater than six hours or the presence of peritonitis, sepsis, hypotension, or disseminated intravascular coagulation are negative prognostic indicators. Gastric Dilatation Volvulus, Wikipedia
Yeast Can Cause Alcohol Poisoning in Dogs
As if bloat wasnt horrible enough its not the only problem that can occur when a dog ingests yeast; when a dog eats yeast they can also get alcohol poisoning.
Yeast produces ethanol during fermentation in uncooked dough, and that ethanol can get absorbed quickly into the bloodstream of dogs.
Complications from alcohol poisoning in dogs include tremors, disorientation, hypothermia, hypoglycemia, and respiratory depression.
The Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning in Dogs
The symptoms of alcohol poisoning can vary greatly depending on the amount ingested compared to their weight, and whether or not your dogs stomach was full. If your dogs stomach was empty symptoms can occur in as little as a half hour, but on a full stomach it can take up to 3 hours.
The common symptoms of alcohol poisoning in dogs are:
- Attempting to vomit
- Drooling
- Staggering
- Hyperactivity
- Weakness
- Panting
- Decreased reflexes
Signs of advanced ethanol poisoning include depression, slowed breathing and heart rate, an increase in total body acid (metabolic acidosis), and heart attack. If left untreated, this can result in the dogs death. Ethanol Poisoning in Dogs, PetMD
Prevention
To keep your dog safe be mindful of where your dog is while youre cooking, especially if hes a counter surfer. If youre going to be letting raw dough sit out and rise make sure its out of your dogs reach at all times.
Dogs are natural scavengers; the best prevention is to not leave uncooked dough unattended.
And remember that ingesting yeast can be life threatening to dogs. If you suspect your dog has eaten yeast take them to the vet immediately.
