Can Dogs Eat Pizza? Is Pizza Good Or Bad For Dogs?

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can dogs eat pizza

Today’s question: can dogs eat pizza? Is pizza bad for dogs? Scroll down for detailed answers.

Pizza has such a good reputation as being a food that brings people together.  Very few people will ever turn down pizza.  No matter the time, day, or location, most all people love their pizza. Pizza can be made many different ways and with many different toppings-tailored to the particular person who will be eating the pizza.  One can make the pizza a healthier option by choosing no cheese, or only a small amount, along with veggies as toppings. One may also go all out and get high fat cheese, all the meats and toppings possible to make the pizza perfect.

Everybody loves pizza and your dog surely makes no exception. Still, can dogs eat pizza for a fact? Is it good for them? Your furry pet may patiently wait until you give him/her a slice; but pizza should not be included in your dog’s diet. The ingredients from the toppings especially are not beneficial in any way for your dog’s health.  Some of the toppings may even being utterly harmful. While you may love pizza, and your dog may be begging for a bite, the pizza itself will not agree with your dog the second the first bite is swallowed.  Like any other dog owner you want your best pal to be healthy. Here we will discuss about why pizza should not be a regular treat in your dog’s diet.

Can Dogs Eat Pizza – No

can dogs eat pizza

The short answer is no. Pizza is not recommended to feed to your dog.

There is no doubt that your dog might greatly enjoy eating a delicious slice of pizza. However, you should cross it off the list of foods to feed your dog because nearly every ingredient in pizza presents detrimental properties and effects to your dog’s overall health. Pizza does not offer any nutritional value that your dog requires, therefore offering the pizza really only benefits you in the knowledge that you fed your dog pizza.  Your dog receives his/her nutrition from dog food and any supplements recommended by your vet.  Offering pizza to your dog as a way to introduce veggies or because you think your dog should have more grain and dairy in their diet is not a good decision to make on behalf of your pet.

Firstly, there is a wide variety of pizza assortments – different toppings and ingredients. Some pizza toppings might be more harmful to your dog’s health than others. Pizza toppings often contain cheese, garlic, and onions. Cheese is part of the dairy family, deriving from milk.  Dogs should not eat products derived from milk because dogs are naturally lactose intolerant.  Dogs do not have the genetic disposition to digest milk and should not digest cheese that is greasy and high in fat either.  A small amount of cheese hiding a pill is ok on occasion, but a cheesy piece of pizza will only disrupt the digestive system of your dog and cause stomach pain.

Onions and garlic are known toxins to dogs.  Feeding your dog these foods, whether on purpose or on accident, can lead to extreme distress.  Since these foods are toxic, avoiding all food that may come into contact with onions and garlic is a good move as well.  Most pizzas have a bit of seasoning hidden somewhere within the pie.  The crust, the sauce, the meat, all may have onions or garlic within them ready to potentially poison your pet.

While other ingredients including mushrooms and tomatoes do not present harmful effects for your dog’s health that still does not make pizza a suitable treat for your canine buddy.  Removing the mushrooms and tomatoes and feeding them to your dog individually (and if the veggies are without seasoning) can be a more reasonable alternative than offering your dog a piece of pizza.  Your dog will still have a treat with the mushroom or other safe veggie, but without the risk of lactose intolerance or extreme sickness form onion and garlic.

One slice of pizza contains approximately 168 calories, 54 calories from fat and 6 grams of total fat.  Dogs do not need to add fat to their diet and surely do not need the calories.  Dogs that are overweight need to be kept away from pizza at all costs.  Dogs that are underweight may seem to ‘need’ the pizza to fatten up a bit, but dogs truly do not need to gain weight via pizza eating.  In the event you would like to plump up your dog, take the advice of a vet and use more natural dog foods, not by offering pizza.

In the event your dog has eaten pizza without your approval/has snatched the box from the counter or eaten off a lone plate, keep an eye on your dog and be aware of any sudden changes.  Your dog may have severe stomach upset form the cheese or a reaction from any toppings or seasonings.  The roof of your dog’s mouth and his/her tongue may also be burned a bit if the dog ate the pizza while still hot.  Dogs tend to not blow on their pizza the way the master’s do, so check for a burned mouth if needed.

Downside to Pizza

The main reason you should steer clear of feeding pizza to your dog is its topping ingredients. Besides the high fat and calorie content, most pizzas contain onions and garlic. Whether you see the onion and garlic or not, they are probably there hidden in the pie or the seasoning were used in prep of other food and have cross contaminated the pizza.  In any event these ingredients are particularly harmful to dogs because they encompass certain compounds that can utterly damage your dog’s red blood cells. Additionally, garlic is more concentrated than onion. Thus, it is more harmful.

The damage caused by the consumption of garlic and onions is noticeable only after a couple of days when eaten these vegetables. Unfortunately, you will not see an effect right away and have cause for concern. You may not notice for a few days and by then you may have forgotten the ingestion of onion or garlic.  If your dog suffers from onion and garlic poisoning, he will appear weak, weary, lacking energy and enthusiasm. Moreover, the dog’s urine might be abnormal and red-colored. If you notice any of these symptoms in the dog’s behavior, take your canine buddy to the vet immediately. If the damage is severe, a blood transfusion might be required.

When it comes to cheese, the main pizza ingredient, it does not seem to be the best food for your dog’s health either. Cheese may be a great addition to pizza in your mind, but from the perception of a dog, not so much.  Cheese can be genuinely toxic for lactose intolerant dogs. While this mostly depends on your dog’s reaction to dairy products, some dogs react negatively to cheese, especially in large quantities. This ingredient can affect your dog’s digestion and lead to digestive problems, especially in smaller dog breeds that are more sensitive.

The tomato sauce is not harmful itself, as tomatoes are not detrimental vegetables for your dog’s health. On the contrary, tomatoes are occasional healthy treats which contain vitamin C and powerful antioxidants. However, what makes the tomato sauce destructive for your canine buddy’s health is its high content of salt, sugar, and other spices. If your furry pet has too much tomato sauce, he might suffer from hemolytic anemia. The symptoms associated with this condition are vomiting, weariness and weakness. However, in order for your dog to suffer from hemolytic anemia, he would have to eat large portions of tomato sauce. Still, you should be cautious and make sure your dog doesn’t have tomato sauce, or any other foods rich in salt and sugar.

Tomatoes themselves are not a bad addition to the diet of a dog, but a condensed tomato as in the tomato sauce or in a soup may cause discomfort in your pup.  Tomato sauce may also cause upset stomach and heartburn like feeling in your dog due to the acid content of the tomato.

Can Dogs Eat Pizza Crust?

The pizza crust is not harmful or beneficial either. The crust does not contain high nutritional value, embodying mostly carbohydrates and sodium. Obesity is quite a problematic situation when it comes to dogs, especially larger dog breeds. We are inclined to feed our favorite pets whatever we’re eating because of their constant begging habit. Those puppy-eye glares are certainly hard to resist, but you have to for your dog’s health sake!

If your dog suffers from obesity or has a tendency to overeat, there’s another reason you shouldn’t feed pizza to him. The crust does not present nutritive properties; it contains large amounts of calories with no health benefits. If you want your dog to be healthy, he/she has to be given nutritious treats. Your furry pet has distinct nutritional requirements. Even though your dog might eat next to everything, that doesn’t mean it’s good for him/her.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that you should resist your dog’s begging and not to feed him/her pizza. Instead, consider healthy, nutritious treats that provide your furry pet some nutritional benefits. Great occasional treats you can give to your dog are: pears, apples, cantaloupe, pineapple, blueberries, watermelon, green beans, asparagus, and sweet potatoes.

However, you shouldn’t worry if your furry pet had eaten a tiny slice of pizza without your knowledge. Only large amounts of pizza are genuinely harmful. Just make sure to pay attention to your dog’s behavior in order to spot possible side effects.

 

 

Related articles:

Can Dogs Eat Bread

Can Dogs Eat Olives

References:

http://canigivemydog.com/pizza

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/foods-are-hazardous-dogs

http://www.pet360.com/slideshow/dog/health/10-best-fruits-and-vegetables-for-dogs/1/ELDXyM0xxE6_h7OBoEe81w#/slideshow

http://www.caloriecount.com/calories-pizza-i21049

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/cardiovascular/c_dg_anemia_immune_mediated#

 

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