No, dogs should not eat donuts with the ingredients added to them. Donuts cannot even be given as occasional treats. It contains some ingredients like sugar, xylitol, chocolates, and other harmful elements for dogs. Since donuts are in no way rich in nutrients, it is not a healthy option for a dog’s diet.
Table of Contents
What Is a Donut?
A donut or doughnut is a yummy sweet treat made of fluffy flour dough into a ring shape or disc shape and deep-fried in oil. They come with different toppings like maple, sugar, and chocolate glazing. In addition, they are coated with grated coconut, sugar sprinkles, and chopped nuts.
The roots of doughnut preparation date back to the 1700s when the Dutch settlers first named these “oily cakes.” In the early 19th century, these donuts were found in American recipe books. The ingredients include – flour, eggs, yeast, salt, sugar, water, and oil.
Nutritional Values of Donut: 1 medium size donut – 190 Calories
Total Fat
10.51g
Cholesterol
10g
Sodium
204g
Carbohydrate
21.62g
Dietary Fiber
0.6g
Sugar
10.63g
Protein
2.6g
Calcium
20mg
Iron
0.92mg
Potassium
54mg
Vitamin A
10mcg
Vitamin C
0.1mg
Is Donut Safe for Dogs?
Donuts are not safe for dogs. Deep-fried donuts may cause indigestion or diarrhea in dogs due to their high-fat content. Also, the flour in which donuts are made is not easily digestible by dogs. Donuts being sugary can cause diabetes and pancreatitis in your pet. This can lead to either constipation or stomach upset. Added to this, yeast is highly toxic for dogs. Hence donuts are better to be avoided.
Why Is Donut Bad for Dogs?
A typical donut contains flour, sugar, eggs, butter, yeast, oil, salt, milk, and other flavors. Unfortunately, all the above ingredients except a few are bad for dogs.
Yeast: Yeast, added to make the dough soft and fluffy, is highly toxic for dogs. In addition, yeast can upset your dog’s digestive system.
Milk: Dairy products like milk, butter are hard on a dog’s stomach. In addition, some dogs are allergic to animals’ milk, and they may suffer from lactose intolerance.
Sugar: One of the main ingredients harmful to dogs is sugar, not only in donuts but also in other recipes. In addition, regularly adding sugar to your dog’s diet can cause diabetes, gallstones, and obesity.
Butter: Adding butter to a dog’s diet can cause a lot of health issues. The most vital among them are heart problems and high cholesterol. In addition, butter can lead to weight gain. High-fat foods can cause pancreatitis.
Chocolate: Anything that involves chocolate can be hazardous to your canines. They don’t do any good to your dog’s health. So, it is best to avoid chocolates in any of the dog’s diets. They contain two toxins, namely theobromine, and caffeine. These two toxins can make your dog restless, have abnormal heart rate, and cause seizures.
Xylitol: They can cause low blood sugar in your fidos. The symptoms of ingesting xylitol are loss of coordination, lethargy, and vomiting. In addition, consuming even a tiny amount of Xylitol can cause liver damage in your pet children.
Sodium Nitrate: Sodium Nitrates are used as preservatives in some foods and can be present in store-bought donuts. The addition of sodium nitrate to diet can damage blood vessels and cause heart problems. Combined with the sugar levels in the body, this can also cause diabetes in dogs.
Hops: Hops are generally bitter and can be an added ingredient in store-bought donuts. In most dogs, this can cause stomach upset and diarrhea while lethargy in some dogs.
Fillings: Fillings usually contain artificial sweeteners. Some bakers also include grape-based fillings, which are harmful to your pets.
Sprinkles: Sprinkles are nothing but the toppings added on donuts. They have no nutritional content. Sprinkles may contain sugar, and some can have different kinds of nuts like peanuts, walnuts, and macadamia nuts that are very harmful to your dogs.
Meat Fat-Trimmings: Some store-bought donuts may contain fat trimming as flavoring agents in donuts. So, it may be harmful to your canines if they eat them. In addition, these fat contents cannot be digested by dogs and can cause pancreatitis.
Other ingredients include vegetable shortening, non-fat milk, soy flour, whey, salt, amylase, and so on.
The above list of ingredients can be toxic and may lead to health issues like –
Indigestion: The ingredients included in making donuts are hard on a dog’s stomach. This can lead to stomach upset when it is not digested and causes diarrhea or vomiting in dogs.
Obesity: Many ingredients can cause obesity in dogs. Specifically, ingredients like butter and oil are high in fat, and flours that are gluten in nature can make dogs obese if donuts are fed regularly.
Zero-Nutritional Value: Except for a few ingredients in donuts, for example, eggs, other elements are less good when seen from the nutrition point of view. However, eggs are good for dogs, and they can be added to a dog’s diet in other ways.
Diabetes: The sugar content in donuts can cause diabetes in dogs. Obesity can also cause diabetes in dogs as it is in humans.
Pancreatitis: Pancreatitis is caused by high-fat content in the body leading to an inflammatory pancreas. Dogs with pancreatitis may suffer from decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Dental Issues: If dogs eat sugary treats, they will be unable to brush and remove the sugar foodstuffs stuck between their teeth. This can cause their teeth to decay.
Lactose Intolerance: Dogs, in general, may find it difficult to digest any dairy products. As an ingredient in donuts, milk can cause lactose intolerance. Symptoms include indigestion, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Gluten Allergies: Some flours like wheat flour contain gluten and can cause gluten allergies in dogs. Symptoms like skin rashes and irritation show up.
What other donuts should not be given to your dogs?
Donuts of any kind is not a healthy option for dogs. Here is a list of flavored donuts that your dogs should not eat.
Keep donuts away from your dog’s reach. It would help if you did not feed this sugary recipe to your pet.
What if my Dog ate Donuts?
It is always better to store hazardous foods on shelves where your canines cannot reach. However, if your dog happens to take a bite of a donut accidentally, your dog may get the following symptoms:
Stomach Upset
Seizure
Stroke
Hyperactivity
Vomiting
Lethargy
Nausea
Diarrhea
Lack of Coordination
If you find your dog eating donuts by chance, the first thing you do is give them some water to drink and check how many donuts they have eaten. It is best if you immediately contact your vet and take steps accordingly. Alternatively, if your dog has an upset stomach, you may offer your puppy a bland diet with unseasoned, boiled meat like chicken or ground beef to set their digestive system to normal.
Alternatives to Donuts For Dogs
You can feed your dog some fruits, vegetables, and dog treats that are low in salt, fat, high in fiber and protein like carrots, apples, bananas, green beans, and broccoli. You can also use lean cooked beef, turkey, and fish as they are low in calories and a healthy alternative for donuts. Here is a dog safe donut recipe that your dog can munch on:
Dog Safe Donuts:
Ingredients:
Gluten-free cake flour – 1 Cup
Baking powder – ¾ teaspoon
Baking soda – 1/8 teaspoon
Pinch of salt
Extra-virgin olive oil – 2 tablespoons
Large size Egg – 1
Sugarless Natural Apple Cider – ½ cup
Small Apple grated or finely diced – 1
Method:
Preheat the oven to 325-degree Fahrenheit. Grease a pan with some oil and keep it aside. Mix cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Combine egg yolk with white oil and apple cider. Stir all the mixture nicely until the batter thickens, add the diced or grated apples. Mix well till the ingredients are blended and pour it into the pan. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Please take out the pan from the oven, then allow it to cool. Serve your dog a tasty treat.
What Are Other Human Foods Safe to Feed Dogs?
Some homemade or natural foods you can share with your dogs are – blueberries, carrots, apples, broccoli, boiled chicken breast, green beans, boneless fish, and natural peanut butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Dogs Eat Krispy Kreme Glazed Donuts?
No, dogs should not eat Krispy Kreme Glazed Donuts as they are high in sugar.
Can Dogs Eat Dunkin Donuts?
No, dogs cannot eat Dunkin donuts since they contain caffeine, sugar, and dairy products.
Can Dogs Eat Donut Bread?
No, dogs cannot eat donut bread since they contain ingredients that are toxic for dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Timbits?
Timbits are a kind of donut. They cannot be given to dogs since they might cause indigestion and diarrhea.
Can Dogs Eat Donut Holes?
Yes, dogs can eat donut holes in a limited quantity. It is better to cut the hole in the donut before baking so that dogs will eat only the hole portion and not the dough.
Can Dogs Eat Donut Peaches?
No, peach donuts are not suitable for a dog’s digestive system. So, please do not feed donut peaches. However, peaches can be eaten by dogs.
Can a Donut Kill My Dog?
No, in most cases, donuts would not kill dogs unless your dog is severely allergic or is a small dog.
Can Dogs Eat Store-bought Donuts?
No, store-bought donuts are not to be fed to dogs since they may contain ingredients toxic to your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Glazed Donuts If They Are Small?
No, dogs should not be given donuts be it big or small, as they are harmful to dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Homemade Donuts?
Yes, dogs can eat homemade donuts since they may contain dog-safe ingredients. So, a homemade donut can be a dog treat for your pets, and they can enjoy this delicacy.
Can Dogs Eat Powdered Donuts?
No, dogs are not allowed to eat powdered donuts since they contain powdered sugar, increasing blood sugar levels and causing diabetes in dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Glazed Donuts?
No, dogs should not eat glazed donuts since they have no nutritional content. They are high in sugar and fats.
Can Dogs Eat Chocolate Donuts?
No, chocolate donuts are not healthy dog treats since it contains chocolate which is harmful to dogs and, if eaten, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, frequent thirst, panting, frequent urination, and high heart rate.
Can Dogs Eat Donuts with Different Flavor?
Whether it is a plain donut or any flavored donut, it is not recommended for dogs. So, it is best to choose other healthy treats for dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Donuts?
No, banana donuts are not an addition to a dog’s diet since they cannot be as natural as bananas. In addition, bananas contain fat, so too many bananas can cause weight gain in dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Cinnamon Donuts?
Yes, dogs can eat cinnamon donuts, but they are to be fed moderately.
Can Dogs Eat Peanut Butter Donuts?
Yes, peanut butter donuts, when prepared with dog-safe ingredients, are a good option for dog treats. But, first, check if your dog has no nut allergies.
Conclusion
Donut is one good treat that tempts pet lovers to serve it to dogs. But, considering the drawbacks of feeding your furry friends, it is not suggested to provide them with donuts of any kind. However, if you are tempted to give a donut treat, please refer to the dog-safe donut recipe posted in the Alternatives to Donuts section and serve your dog a sweet that is healthy and tasty.
