Yes, dogs can eat pizza crust, but it is unsafe for them to consume it excessively. Pizza crusts are not inherently toxic to dogs, but they don’t have any nutritional value in them. Hence pizza crusts are not recommended for dogs to eat.
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What Is Pizza Crust?
A pizza crust and the pizza base are made up of the same ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, water, eggs, and olive oil. All these ingredients, when put together, may taste great in flavor for your dog but would have zero benefits for their system.
Is Pizza Crust Safe for Dogs?
If you feed your dog pizza crusts continuously, it will either become obese or experience digestive problems right after consuming. The amount of salt and oil used in making a pizza can be toxic for your dog. The whole dough comprises empty calories that have no beneficial factor for your dog’s health.
Keep in mind that uncooked pizza dough can be dangerous. In addition, avoid feeding pizza toppings as there could be onions, garlic, or other toxic ingredients that are harmful to your dog’s health.
Why Is Pizza Crust Bad for Dogs?
Although pizza dough is low in calories and fat content, it isn’t a nutritious food source.
Some pizza crusts contain lots of added salt, which can lead to dehydration in your pet dog.
Note that excessive amounts of salt can lead to salt toxicity in your dog and result in ‘hypernatremia’. Of course, eating a few pieces of pizza crusts isn’t likely to cause such problems, but it’s something to keep in mind. Instead, you can opt for healthy and beneficial treats that are specifically designed for canines.
Why Should Dogs Only Consume Pizza Crust in a Pizza?
Although it is not recommended that you feed your dog pizza crusts, the crust is also the only part of pizza dogs can consume safely. This is because the other ingredients in a pizza – the sauce, spices, and toppings can be quite toxic to their system.
List of Harmful ingredients in a Pizza
Pizza Sauce
Most dogs love the zingy tomato taste of the tomato-based sauce, but it’s not good for them to consume. Pizza sauce usually contains canned tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, with some olive oil, which can be difficult for your dog to digest.
Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic are aromatic ingredients that give pizza it’s luscious flavor along with a fragrant smell. Yet, these ingredients are highly toxic to canines. The symptoms of garlic and onion toxicity are:
Damages red blood cell
Lack of oxygen supply
Organ failure
Gastrointestinal issues
Vomiting
Bloody diarrhea
Abdominal pain
Drooling
Mouth irritation
Seizures
Tremors
Disorientation
Increased heart rate
Respiratory issues
Anemia
Kidney damage
Collapse
Death
Cheese
A freshly baked pizza with melted cheese – your dog would love to taste too. However, dogs should only consume small amounts of cheese as they may be lactose intolerant. This means that consuming dairy products may lead to diarrhea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal issues.
Salt
Pizza contains a lot of sodium. So if your dog eats a lot of salty foods, it leads to salt poisoning and even death when left untreated. Symptoms of salt poisoning in your dog are:
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite
Lethargy
Disorientation
Excessive thirst
Frequent urination
Tremors
Seizures
Coma
Processed Meat
Meat toppings like bacon, ham, or pepperoni on pizzas are something that we humans love. However, these processed meats are fatty and high in sodium, making them too much for your dog’s stomach to handle. In addition, it results in inflammation of the pancreas causing Pancreatitis. Symptoms include:
Besides this, if the meat is contaminated, it contains roundworms and results in Trichinosis. Trichinosis affects the gut health of the dog and causes gastrointestinal issues.
Spices
Pizzas with a lot of spices are highly toxic to your dog. It is unsafe and may lead your pet dog to experience a burning sensation in the mouth along with excessive thirst, stomach pain, and gas.
Oil
Pizzas usually contain a lot of grease, which is terrible. In addition, oil is excess fat, and it would be pretty difficult for a dog’s system to digest it along with the other meals.
Feeding your pet pizza crusts causes:
Bloating
Obesity
Diabetes
Hypertension
Arthritis
How Much Should Pizza Crust be Fed to Dogs?
Pizza crusts are not a recommended treat for your dog and shouldn’t be included in a dog’s diet. On the other hand, your dog might feel happy due to the texture and flavor. Still, that would last only a few seconds. The consequences would remain much longer, creating a myriad of health issues.
Keep pizza crusts away from your small dogs. Please do not feed them the food, even occasionally. Watch for any signs your dog is experiencing discomfort after eating up the pizza crusts – if it shows signs of trouble, rush your dog to the vet.
Types of bread your dog cannot eat
Here is a list of other similar bread items that your canine should be kept away from:
Cinnamon Rolls with frosting (can lead to diabetes over time)
Raisin Bread (highly toxic ingredient)
Chocolate bread or Chocolate Cake (highly toxic ingredient)
Sourdough bread (can lead to alcohol poisoning)
What If My Dog Ate Pizza Crust?
Look out for the following symptoms if your dog consumed pizza crust and take him to the vet immediately:
Stomach ache
Gas
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Loss of appetite
Alternatives to Pizza crust
It is usual for every pet parent to be concerned about their dog’s meal plan. Here are some healthier alternatives which provide sustenance and good immunity to your adorable pup. These include:
Non-fat yogurt
Eggs
Sardines
Carrots
Apples
Peanut butter
Chicken breast
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Dogs Eat Bread Crusts?
Yes, dogs can consume bread crusts but only in moderation. Go for either white or whole wheat bread unless your dog is allergic in any case.
Can Dogs Eat Pizza Rolls?
No, dogs should not eat pizza rolls as they contain a lot of spices, preservatives, additives and processed meat that are unhealthy for your dog’s health.
Final Thoughts
Often owners tend to give their leftover crusts to their pet dogs when they sniff around and beg for it. This leads to your pet craving more pizza crusts constantly and not having proper meals. Pizza crusts mainly consist of carbohydrates and sodium. Consuming a lot of pizza crust would lead your dog to experience an upset stomach, gas, vomiting, or diarrhea. So it’s a must to give attention to what and how much your dog is eating.
