What happens if my dog eats yeast
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.
Dough & Dogs: Why Its Bad and What You Can Do
There are two main types of dough that can cause serious issues for dogs: Playdough homemade and store-bought and unbaked bread dough. While the symptoms of toxicity are different for each type of dough, it is best to make sure your pet has no contact with either. And if they do, prompt veterinary attention is needed.
Why is Playdough Dangerous for Dogs?
Homemade playdough recipes contain flour, cornstarch, sometimes oatmeal, and often moderate to large quantities of salt and cream of tartar. Both the salt and cream of tartar can cause serious issues for your pet.
Symptoms of salt poisoning are neurologic problems, but the most common side effect of toxic doses of salt ingested from play dough is on the heart. The heart must work much harder when there is too much salt in the bloodstream. Dogs with pre-existing heart conditions are at the highest risk for severe side effects.
Cream of tartar (also known as potassium bitartrate) is the powdered form of tartaric acid. Tartaric acid is a known toxin for dogs, and consumption can lead to acute kidney damage.
Signs Your Dog May Have Eaten Playdough
- Seizures
- Coma
- Lack of coordination
- Weakness
- Coughing
- Pale gums
- Ascites: When the abdomen fills with fluid because the heart cannot pump efficiently
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Excessive thirst
Homemade salt dough ornaments are also an item to keep away from your pet, as they can also cause salt toxicity and tartaric acid toxicity. While these are a popular and fun DIY craft for kids around the holidays, it's important that salt dough ornaments are kept well out of reach of your pets consider gifting them to family or friends who don't have pets in their home instead of keeping them. Or use this pet-safe dough ornament recipe instead!
What Happens if a Dog Eats Bread Dough?
Unbaked Dough Can Cause Bloat
When raw bread dough is ingested, it expands in the warm and wet environment of a dogs stomach just as it would do in an oven. This can cause the stomach to bloat and even lead to twisting of the stomach, also called gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV).
Yeast is Toxic to Dogs
Raw bread dough is also dangerous because the yeast and sugar in the raw dough ferments in the stomach. This means that alcohol is produced and causes toxicity when absorbed into your dogs bloodstream. This causes low blood sugar, low body temperature, seizures, breathing difficulty, and ultimately death if not treated as soon as possible.
Raw pizza dough causes the same symptoms as the ingestion of bread dough and should also be treated as an emergency.
Cookie dough does not cause this issue because it does not contain yeast but it can cause stomach upset if eaten.
Signs Your Dog May Have Eaten Dough
Symptoms of dough ingestion include:
- Retching: trying to vomit with nothing coming up
- Swollen and distended stomach
- Weakness and even collapse
How Much Bread Dough is Toxic to Dogs?
Since any amount of raw bread dough is considered toxic, its always best to contact your veterinarian, emergency clinic, or pet poison hotline if your pup may have ingested some. Of course, the size of the dog does make a difference. If a Great Dane has eaten a tablespoon of dough, it is likely to be of less emergent concern than if a three-pound chihuahua has eaten the same amount. But in either scenario, you should still contact your veterinarian, emergency clinic, or pet poison hotline immediately.
Click here for Pet Poison Control Hotline contact information.
What You Should Do if Your Dog Has Eaten Dough
If you suspect your pet ingested bread dough or playdough, contact your veterinarian or 24-hour emergency clinic immediately.
Time is of the essence since the dough will start to expand once it's in the stomach. If prompt veterinary care is available, your dog may just need an injection to induce vomiting. However, it depends on how much dough was ingested and the length of time between ingestion and treatment.
Never attempt to induce vomiting at home unless directed to do so by your veterinarian. You can give your dog some cold water to drink if you know they have gotten into raw dough, as this can slow the fermentation process.
Treatment for Dough Ingestion
As noted above, sometimes vomiting can be induced to remove the dough from the stomach. But this is rarely the case, and usually, more intensive treatment is needed. Your dogs stomach may need to be "lavaged," meaning that liquid is moved into the gastrointestinal cavity through a tube sometimes, this can help with the removal of the mass of dough. If vomiting and lavage are unsuccessful, then surgical removal may be necessary.
If the yeast has fermented long enough to also cause alcohol toxicity, your pup will need to go on intravenous (IV) fluids to manage blood pressure and electrolyte abnormalities, as well as help with their heart function. Various medications will also be used to stabilize any issues caused by the alcohol that was absorbed.
If playdough or salt ornaments are ingested, your pet will need to go on IV fluids to restore electrolytes back to normal and medications to correct any heart arrhythmias.
Prevention of Dough Toxicity
Prevention is always preferred (and cheaper) than treatment. Since time is of the essence with dough ingestion, it is critical to make sure that everyone in your home is aware of the dangers that dough can cause for your pup. The key to preventing your dog from ever experiencing bread or playdough toxicity is not to let them ever ingest it, which of course, is easier said than done. With some careful planning, hopefully, you will never need to experience this emergency.
Playdough Toxicity Prevention
- When using playdough, keep your dog in their crate or in a separate room.
- Make sure your children know that playdough is dangerous for dogs, and dont let your kids run around with the playdough.
- Store playdough in pet-proof containers that are out of reach of your dogs curious nose.
- Make your own pet-safe salt-free playdough.
- The Play-Doh brand of playdough contains a smaller amount of salt than most homemade doughs but should still be used with caution around pets.
Raw Bread Dough and Pizza Dough Prevention
- Never leave raw dough on a counter to rise. Instead, keep it in the oven or microwave.
- Never dispose of unused or old bread dough in a trash can inside your home.
- Make sure that your pup is in a different room or crated while preparing bread dough to make sure counter-surfing dogs cannot snatch the dough when you're distracted.
If treated quickly, most dogs will recover from dough poisoning with no long-term side effects. However, every minute that treatment is delayed allows for more serious issues to develop. Usually, dogs that dont recover from eating dough are the ones that do not receive care quickly. This can lead to the alcohol poisoning noted above, which can lead to death. So never take a wait and see approach if your pooch has ingested dough so that they can be one of the many who recover without any serious issues.
