Baking Soda Ingestion in Dogs
Baking soda has a somewhat salty taste with a bitter, soap-like quality. While most dogs wont find the taste particularly appealing, the saltiness may be enough to make a dog enjoy the flavor and therefore eat too much.
Baking soda can have toxic effects if a dog eats 10-20 grams per kilogram (22-44 grams per pound of body weight). One teaspoon of baking soda equals about four grams. A small box of baking soda is typically eight ounces or 227 grams. A ten-pound dog (4.5 kg) can experience toxicity after eating 45-90 teaspoons (180-360 grams) of baking soda. This means a ten-pound dog could become sick after eating as little as three-quarters of a small box of baking soda. A 50-pound dog would need to eat about four boxes. This is quite a large amount for a dog to eat, but it is possible.
Baking soda in baked goods is not a problem for dogs because the amount used is so small. If a dog becomes sick from eating baked goods, the culprit is likely the fat content or a toxic food ingredient (one that is more toxic than baking soda).
The first sign of baking soda toxicity is typically vomiting. Additional signs include diarrhea, lethargy, depression, seizures and/or tremors, disorientation, and shortness of breath.
Because baking soda is a salt, ingestion of large amounts can easily cause a serious electrolyte imbalance. It can also lead to congestive heart failure. These conditions can be fatal, especially if left untreated.
What Happens When Dogs Ingest It?
Baking soda is not something you’ll find in your local pet store. It has a somewhat salty taste with a bitter quality akin to soap. Dogs generally do not find the taste too appealing, but particularly precocious animals might enjoy the flavor a little too much.
The limit of baking soda a dog can consume is anywhere from 10 to 20 grams per kilogram or 5 to 11 tsp per pound of body weight. Typically, a small box of baking soda contains 277 small grams, which is enough for a ten-pound dog to experience toxicity. Smaller dogs are particularly susceptible, as larger dogs might need to eat much more for the ingredient to be dangerous. For example, a 50-pound dog would need to eat four of these small boxes.
The first sign of baking soda toxicity is vomiting. A dog might also experience diarrhea, lethargy, depression, seizures and tremors, disorientation, and shortness of breath. Untreated, this might lead to massive electrolyte imbalances, congestive heart failure, and even death.
There’s Baking Soda in My Dog’s Food, Should I Be Worried?
The small amount of baking soda used in homemade dog biscuits or cakes isn’t anything to worry about. In addition to being a small amount, the baking soda will have already reacted and created all the bubbles it’s going to. In other words, the cooking process makes the baking soda safe.
Is Baking Soda Bad For Dogs? Know How Good It Is For Your Dog
Some dogs are incredibly fussy and won’t eat anything except their chosen biscuit brand. Others will eat everything from garbage to roadkill. Some are a weird combination of the two; they turn their nose up at kibble but steal bread rolls when you aren’t looking. Either way, it’s not uncommon for a dog to get hold of things they shouldn’t, and it’s important to know what to do if they do.