Bread contributes to being one of the most popular household food items across the United States. Many times, dogs are seen consuming bread, sandwiches and bread slices on different occasions. But can is it safe for the dogs to eat bread? Read on to find out!
Can dogs eat bread?
Bread is safe to feed to your dog. However, it should only be fed to your dog occasionally as it has very little nutritional value and is high in carbohydrates. Plain white bread, whole-wheat, and whole-grain breads are generally safe. Breads such as rye and pumpernickel are also safe unless your dog is sensitive to certain grains.
Bread with added ingredients requires extra caution. Some ingredients, such as garlic, onion, macadamia nuts, chocolate, and raisins, can be toxic to dogs and any bread containing these ingredients needs to be avoided.
Bread dough is also toxic to dogs as it will continue to rise in a dog’s stomach if it is eaten. The expanding dough can cause bloat and the fermenting yeast releases ethanol which can cause alcohol poisoning.
Health benefits of bread for dogs
Whole wheat or whole grain bread have lower sugar content. In addition to this, certain types of bread may contain omega-three fatty acids, magnesium, iron, and protein in higher amounts.
Bread can be a beneficial choice to the furry friend if the dog is suffering from a mildly troubled tummy. It acts like a sponge and can aid in offsetting irritation in the stomach. If your little one has ingested anything with sharp points and edges, you should make sure to feed bread to the dog.
Why can bread be bad for dogs?
There are certain drawbacks of feeding bread to the dog. For example, bread dough can prove to be hazardous to the dog and can lead to stomach bloating.
Moreover, it discharges the toxic ethanol levels present in the bloodstream. The pressure, which rises from the rising dough, result in alcohol toxicosis.
You should refrain from feeding bread to the dog if it comprises of chocolate, tomato, garlic, nuts, seeds, raisins, onion, xylitol, to name a few. Carbohydrate is present in bread which can lead to obesity and different kinds of digestive issues.
What foods can you give to your dog instead of bread?
Apple, carrots, plain and cooked white rice are recognized to be some of the most popular food items you can give to the dog instead of bread.
Conclusion
Bread is regarded as the occasional treat for the dog, however, it offers very little in the health benefits department.
You might consider giving a tiny bit of sandwich to the dog, however, excessive consumption of bread can make the dog overweight.
