Picture this. You just made a fresh batch of blueberry muffins after spending hours doing research and freaking out about your proportions and how they will turn out.
Your dog has been there this entire time, keeping you company and silently cheering you on. The blueberry muffins eventually turn out glorious, and your dog comes to help you do a taste test. Should you let them?
It is not a good idea to let dogs eat blueberry muffins, especially those that are made for human consumption. Despite blueberries being generally safe for dogs and having a lot of nutritional benefits to offer, blueberry muffins for humans contain additional ingredients that can be toxic to dogs.
In the upcoming sections, you will learn exactly why blueberry muffins do not have a place in your dog’s diet. You will also get to learn about a few situations where allowing your do to enjoy a bite of your blueberry muffin could end up putting their health at risk.
Can Dogs Eat Blueberry Muffins?
Technically speaking, dogs can eat blueberry muffins. Most of the ingredients used to make this treat are safe for dogs.
Furthermore, the blueberries that are the star of the show actually have a lot to offer your dog. Their nutritional profile includes heavy-hitters like vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin K. These play a variety of roles in your dog’s health, from promoting digestion and immunity to reducing the risk of health issues like cancer.
So what is it that makes feeding your dog blueberry muffins such a bad idea?
The first reason is the fact that blueberries have way too many calories and not enough nutrients to justify the indulgence. This is especially problematic with dogs that are at risk of developing obesity or those that are already overweight.
In addition to the calories, some blueberry muffins prepared commercially for human consumption may include ingredients that are harmful to your dog’s health. These include artificial sweeteners like xylitol that are incredibly toxic to dogs.
Are Blueberry Muffins Safe For Dogs?
Blueberry muffins are safe for dogs in that they typically do not have ingredients that are immediately toxic to dogs. However, this does not mean that allowing your dog to consume blueberry muffins is entire without consequence.
For some perspective on just how badly blueberry muffins can affect your dog’s health, here are some of the issues that could arise from allowing your dog to enjoy the treat.
Obesity
There are about 467 calories in a single blueberry muffin. Wheat, eggs, and sugar account for most of these calories and will definitely increase your dog’s chances of becoming obese.
These muffins should be completely avoided, especially in dogs that are already obese and in the process of losing weight, as they will negate all the progress.
Diabetes
Blueberry muffins typically have a lot of sugar. A single muffin can have about 1.2 oz of sugar, which is a little over two tablespoons worth. This excludes the sugar content found in the blueberries.
If your dog is diabetic or at risk of developing the disease, blueberry muffins might end up causing lasting trouble due to their high sugar content.
Allergies
There is a lot that your dog could be allergic to in a blueberry muffin. The most common triggers in the ingredient list are the eggs and the gluten in the wheat flour. The dog may also be allergic to the blueberries themselves.
For the most part, these allergies manifest as gastrointestinal disturbances with diarrhea and/or vomiting as well as abdominal pain. Your dog may also get itchy and scratch excessively.
How Many Blueberry Muffins Can My Dogs Have?
If at all you must give your dog a taste of your blueberry muffins, ensure that you keep it to less than ¼ of the muffin. This might just end up being one or two average bites. This is a good enough portion for your dog to enjoy the treat without overloading them with sugar and calories.
This is only applicable if you are sure that the muffins are free from ingredients that are toxic to dogs. You also have to be sure that your dog is not allergic to any of the ingredients used.
