Many owners wonder if bread is good or bad for dogs. Fortunately, as long as you aren’t loading it with butter, jam, or spreads, dogs can eat bread in moderation. In fact, even white bread is perfectly safe for most dogs to have, provided that they don’t have a problem digesting wheat-based products.
Similarly, it is OK for dogs to eat bread in many forms. For example, dogs can eat toast, rye bread, bagels, whole wheat bread, etc. But, just like with anything else, too much can be a bad thing. Here’s why giving your dog bread as a treat is fine!
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Is Bread Bad For Dogs?
Let’s start out by saying that bread is not necessarily bad for dogs. But, it doesn’t mean that you should regularly be feeding bread to your dogs either. In most cases, a bit of white or whole wheat bread is okay for most dogs to eat as long as they are not allergic to gluten or wheat products.
In most cases, bread will not cause an upset stomach, so it isn’t going to make your dogs feel sick, have diarrhea or constipation. But, there are some problems that can arise if you start giving your dogs too much bread.
Never Give Your Dogs Raw Bread Dough
While bread is not unhealthy for dogs, raw bread dough is, and it should never be given to your dogs under any circumstances. Dough has to rise, and it rises because of the activated yeast. Unfortunately, if you give raw dough to dogs, it is going to rise in their stomachs, which can lead to bloating.
Even worse, this can cause toxic levels of ethanol to be released into their bloodstreams, and they can end up with a condition known as alcohol toxicosis. If you think that your dog has eaten any raw bread dough, it is important that you contact your veterinarian right away. Symptoms of alcohol toxicosis include:
- Weakness and tiredness
- Depression
- Hypothermia
- Seizures
- Unsteady gait
- Coma
- Depressed nervous system
Ingredients and Toppings That Are Bad
Most dogs can easily eat bread, unless they are allergic to wheat. That being said, there are some ingredients in some breads that are not good for dogs, so you can’t feed all types of bread to your dogs. For instance, never give your dogs raisin bread, as raisins are extremely toxic to dogs. Other ingredients to watch out for include:
- Garlic
- Nuts and seeds (some are good for dogs, but others are not)
- Xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is extremely toxic to dogs
Yes, Dogs Can Eat Bread in Moderation
If you would like to give your dogs bread as an occasional treat, it is best to stick with homemade bread. If you don’t make bread yourself, there are plenty of bakeries that offer it, and the ingredients are pretty much always the same. If your dogs are allergic to wheat, they can eat bread that is made with rice or rye flour. Remember to avoid ingredients such as nuts, seeds, sugar, garlic, onion, and raisins.
