Discover delicious food your dog deserves
Salt isn’t the only dodgy ingredient in these delicious doughy meals though. Pizza usually contains someonion and garlic in the sauce or as a topping, and both of these are considered toxic to dogs.
If your dog has a dietary allergy or intolerance to wheat or gluten, then they shouldn’t eat pizza because the base is essentially bread and contains both. If you own a gluten-sensitive breed like aBorder Terrier, they shouldn’t munch on a margarita. Plus, any dog that has been told to follow a hypoallergenic diet should also avoid pizza because of the wheat and dairy content.
Pepperoni might seem like a tasty meaty treat, but it isn’t great for dogs, much less when it’s atop a cheesy, greasy pizza. As you know, dog’s shouldn’t eat pizza but even if you pick the pepperoni off to toss just the piece of meat to your dog, it’s pretty unhealthy. This is because pepperoni is highly processed, fatty, and salty.
Although a piece or two might be perfectly fine for your dog, you should only offer them pepperoni in small amounts and on rare occasions to prevent any potential illness or weight gain. After all, just six pieces of pepperoni has almost as much fat as a whole slice of pizza!
A lot of us leave behind pizza crust, and it can seem a shame to waste it. Especially when there’s a hungry hound giving you their best puppy eyes to convince you to let them have a nibble. A small piece of plain pizza crust should be safe for your dog to eat, but don’t let them eat a lot and never give them more than one piece of crust. (Less if they’re super small, like aChihuahua!)
Pizza crust can still contain some of the “bad” things from pizza, like fatty cheese and trace amounts of onion or garlic, but not in the same amounts as a full slice of pizza. Because there isn’t as much cheese or salt in it, it’s not quite as unhealthy as a whole slice of pizza.
However, it’s still far from good for your pup. There’s next to no nutrition in a crust, and it’s essentially nothing but empty carbohydrates which your dog doesn’t strictly need.
Your dog shouldn’t be licking pizza sauce out of a pot, and eating lots of this rich spread can upset their stomach and make them sick. Pizza sauce is rich and often has a lot of sugar and salt in it, as well as toxic onion and garlic.
Licking up a drop of marinara off the floor shouldn’t be dangerous though, and if your dog only has a little bit of sauce, then they should be perfectly fine. But they shouldn’t eat smotherings of pizza sauce, and it’s far from a healthy treat for your furry friend.
Dogs can not eat pizza dough, and if your dog has managed to eat some pizza dough you must take them to the vet urgently. Pizza and bread dough are full of yeast and when it reaches your dog’s stomach the dough begins to rise and expand inside them, distending their stomach and causing painful and life-threateningbloat. Rising yeast also releases alcohol into your dog’s bloodstream which will intoxicate them and can be fatal.
If your dog eats pizza dough or bread dough, it should be considered a veterinary emergency because it can cause life-threatening illness.
Pizza is a junk food without a doubt, and it is considered “bad” for dogs because it can contain toxic ingredients that can harm your precious pup, as well as the potential to cause illness and obesity if eaten in large amounts.
Firstly, most pizzas contain garlic or onion either in powder, puree, or fresh forms. These tangy ingredients might help to make a rich and flavourful sauce, but they are considered toxic to dogs. And if your dog eats a lot of rich pizza sauce, it can upset their stomach and causevomiting anddiarrhoea.
The main problem with pizza is that it is stuffed with fat thanks to all that delicious, oozy cheese. If your dog scoffs too much fat regularly they will start to gain weight, which can lead to an increased risk ofcancer anddiabetes.
However, munching fatty food can also put a strain on their digestive system and cause gastrointestinal illness, or trigger a condition calledpancreatitis. If your pup has had pancreatitis before, they’re more prone to another flare-up and will need to eat low-fat food for the rest of their life.
Salt on the other hand is safe for dogs in small amounts but considered toxic in large doses. A single serving of a frozen margarita or pepperoni pizza usually has about 1.3-1.5g of salt, which is several times more than what your dog should eat in a day.
To put that into perspective, most medium-sized dogs shouldn’t eat more than 0.1g of salt a day, or 0.2g of salt per 1000 calories eaten. (Remember, most dogs need much less than 1000 calories!)
Meanwhile, sugar is non-toxic but it’s another food that can lead to your pup piling on the pounds if they eat a lot of it. Eating lots of sugary foods can also contribute to tooth decay and otheroral health issues, just like with people. Too much of the sweet stuff in your dog’s diet can also lead to them developing diabetes.
Will pizza make a dog sick?
Eating a tiny bit of pizza as a one-off treat should be reasonably safe for your dog. But your dog shouldn’t be allowed to eat a whole slice, and certainly not a whole pizza.
If they somehow manage to snuffle a slice or two, the likelihood is that they will get a stomach ache, accompanied by bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea. In serious cases, they might develop acute pancreatitis, which can be life-threatening and requires urgent treatment from your vet.
So if your pup has eaten a lot of pizza, the safest thing to do is to contact your vet for advice.
Generally, eating a tiny piece of pizza should be fine for Fido. But this luxurious treat should never be fed to them regularly, and definitely not in the place of dog food. But your dog shouldn’t eat pizza regularly, and definitely shouldn’t eat it by the slice.
Is pizza bad for dogs?
Pizza can be particularly problematic for dogs with digestive issues and food sensitivities.
“That can cause problems in dogs who have sensitivities to wheat flour, sensitivity to dairy [or] sensitivity to spices,” Dr. Schwartz said. “Some dogs just dont tolerate spice.”
Pizza can have a ton of fat, so even if your dog doesn’t have any dietary restrictions, it can still cause him issues.
“Theres high [amounts of] fat just from the cheese,” Dr. Schwartz said. “Even if they dont have dairy or gluten issues or wheat sensitivities … theres still high fat in that cheese, and so dogs can get pancreatitis.”
Can Dogs Eat Pizza?
Can dogs eat pizza? You may be asking this because you don’t want your pup to feel left out on pizza night. Humans can eat pizza, so is it also safe for dogs to eat?
The short answer is no, pizza is not good for dogs to eat. Pizza isn’t toxic for dogs, but it isn’t healthy for your pup and can cause gastrointestinal upset. No matter how much they beg, you should keep pizza out of your dog’s reach.
If your dog has eaten pizza, you may consider contacting your veterinarian for guidance. Here’s why pizza isn’t good for your dog.