No, dogs should not eat pepperoni. Although pepperoni contains a decent amount of protein, which is healthy for dogs, pepperoni contains excessive fat and sodium that causes digestive issues, sodium poisoning, pancreatitis, and kidney damage. Pepperoni is high in calories, fat, and sodium which altogether negatively impacts your dog’s health. Pepperoni can also have toxic ingredients such as onion or garlic powder.
Table of Contents
What is Pepperoni?
Pepperoni is highly processed and made of beef and pork trimmings blended with paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, white pepper, allspice, garlic powder, onion powder and anise seed, served through chopping, grinding and mixing. It is a kind of salami that is red and soft. Its thinly cut slices are used as pizza toppings.
Every 100g of Pepperoni contains the following nutrients:
- Calories: 494
- Fat: 44 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
- Sodium: 1761 mg
- Potassium: 279 mg
- Carbohydrate: 0g
- Protein: 23g
Is Pepperoni Safe For Dogs?
No, pepperoni is not safe for dogs. It contains unhealthy ingredients that lead to harmful consequences for your dog’s health. Pepperoni slices, turkey pepperoni, pepperoni pizzas, and pepperoni sticks are also not safe for your dogs.
Why is Pepperoni Bad for Dogs?
Pepperoni is bad for dogs because it contains the following:
Sodium: Pepperoni has a lot of sodium content in it. Therefore, it poses health risks to your dog. Consuming excessive amounts of sodium can lead to salt poisoning in dogs.
The following are the symptoms of salt poisoning in dogs:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Excessive Thirst
- Depression
- Tremors
- High temperature
- Seizures
Fat: Pepperoni contains a lot of calories, mostly empty calories. It contains a lot of fat. Excessive fat can lead to ailments like diabetes, obesity, acid reflux and kidney disease in your dogs. This results in inflammation of the pancreas in your dog leading to pancreatitis.
Following are the symptoms of pancreatitis in dogs:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Decreased Appetite
Toxic Ingredients: Frequently pepperoni has garlic as an ingredient. Depending on its flavor, it has onion as well. Both the ingredients are toxic to dogs. Garlic and onions damage your dog’s red blood cells. This can lead to hemolytic anemia in your dog. Following are the symptoms of garlic and onion poisoning in your dog:
- Abdominal tenderness and cramping
- Anemia
- Anorexia
- Bad breath
- Blood in the urine (hematuria)
- Collapse
- Dehydration
- Lack of muscle coordination (ataxia)
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Drooling
- Elevated heart and respiratory rate
- Exercise intolerance
- Generalized weakness
- Lethargy
- Liver and spleen inflammation (hepatosplenomegaly)
- Nausea
- Pale gums
- Red or brown urine
- Seizures
- Trouble breathing (dyspnea)
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Yellow skin and eyes (jaundice)
Spices: Pepperoni also contains a lot of spices like paprika and cayenne powder. Your dog’s digestive tract is not made for spices. It can lead to stomach upset, indigestion and diarrhea in your dog.
What if my Dog ate Pepperoni?
Watch out for the following symptoms if your dog ate pepperoni:
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Acid reflux
If your dog shows any of these symptoms, take him to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
How much of Pepperoni can be fed to your Dog?
A tiny bit of pepperoni will not harm your dog. But, it is recommended that pepperoni is not given to your dog.
Alternatives to Pepperoni
Your dog can be fed different types of meat such as:
- Chicken
- Beef
- Turkey
- Lamb
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, your dog should not be fed pepperoni. It contains a lot of fat, salt, and spices that are not suitable for dogs. It also contains toxic ingredients like onion and garlic. In its defense, it does contain protein. But, the cons of eating pepperoni outweigh the pros by a considerable margin.
