Donuts are considered a tasty treat for many people. They are available in different flavors, shapes, sizes, toppings, and fillings. Since they are commonly found in many households, and they have an amazing taste, dogs are naturally attracted to them.
Dogs love the sweet taste of donuts. If you share with them even one bite, they will keep asking for more. So, are donuts really good for dogs to consume?
No, you should avoid feeding donuts to your dog. Donuts are neither healthy snacks for humans nor are for dogs. This is because donuts have very high calories with minimal nutritional benefits and high health risks. If your dog has consumed donuts regularly, the chances are that it will experience issues with its health.
Excessive or regular eating of donuts could cause obesity as well as other side effects such as organ damage, diabetes, heart disease, and joint disease. If your dog just ate donuts, this article will answer all your questions. We’ll help you understand all the dangers of eating donuts and what you can do if your dog eats a donut.
Can Dogs Eat Donuts?
As already mentioned, no, dogs shouldn’t eat donuts. A basic donut has ingredients like wheat flour, salt, sugar, eggs, yeast, water, and milk. While all these ingredients may be non-toxic to dogs, problems may occur based on the toppings, fillings, or flavors.
Donuts come with sweeteners or flavors that may be toxic to dogs. Unlike humans, dogs find it hard to process the sugary ingredients in a donut, making it dangerous for their health.
Although a little bite might not hurt, donuts are really high in fats and sugars, which can cause a bunch of health issues, especially for dogs with underlying medical conditions.
Can Dogs Eat Donut Holes?
No, dogs should never eat donut holes. Every danger that applies to donuts also applies to donut holes. Just like donuts, donut holes are high in fats and sugars because they have the same ingredients. They can be very dangerous to dogs, even in small amounts.
Donut holes will also come in a variety of flavors that can be harmful. Some are glazed, while others are powdered. Some also come in chocolate flavors. No matter the ingredients or flavors used on donut holes, you should never share them with your canine friend.
Can Dogs Eat Dunkin Donuts?
No! Dogs should neither have plain nor flavored donuts from Dunkin. Instead, the only other thing you can buy at this restaurant is the puppy latte, which is basically whipped cream in a cup and still not the healthiest option.
Can Dogs Eat Krispy Kreme Donuts?
No, you should never share Krispy Kreme donuts with your dog. This is because they are very high in sugar and fats. In one glazed donut from Krispy Kreme, there are 190 calories, 100 of which are fat and 0.35 oz of sugar.
What Are The Dangers Of Donuts In Dogs?
While donuts may seemingly feel harmless to dogs, there are many dangers associated with them. The major problem is brought about by the ingredients.
Although most of the basic ingredients may feel relatively safe for dogs to consume, many donuts have other ingredients that may put your dog’s health in danger. Here are some of the common dangers of donuts in dogs.
Raw Dough
Raw wheat and raw dough are dangerous to dogs. Raw donut has active yeast that is responsible for making the donuts rise and become fluffy and light. Yeast in raw dough can be very harmful to dogs.
When a dog consumes yeast in raw dough, the warm environment in the dog’s stomach encourages the yeast to rise. This leads to a stomach which may otherwise cause damage to the stomach and also affect the dog’s breathing.
Furthermore, the yeast may ferment in the stomach to produce ethanol that is later absorbed in the bloodstream causing the dogs to become intoxicated. Therefore, keep any raw donut away from the dog’s reach.
Fatty Foods
Donuts are high in fat since they are cooked by frying them in oil. If a dog consumes a fried donut, chances are, the high-fat content will cause a gastrointestinal upset in the form of diarrhea and vomiting.
Furthermore, the fatty donut may lead to pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). This condition may cause other symptoms, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and decreased appetite. Pancreatitis can be deadly in severe cases, so avoid sharing that donut with your dog.
Frosting
There are several frosting types used in donuts, and here are the common ones.
Chocolate
Chocolate, one of the commonly used ingredients in donuts, can be very dangerous to dogs. It doesn’t take much for it to become toxic to dogs, especially on small dogs.
Unlike dark chocolate, milk chocolate, commonly used for frost donuts, is not a huge threat to dogs. Making a chocolate donut then adding a dark chocolate frosting could be highly dangerous to dogs and sometimes deadly.
Some of the popular symptoms of chocolate poisoning include diarrhea, increased thirst, vomiting, excessive urination, and trouble breathing. If your dog ate lots of chocolate donuts and notices the above symptoms, be sure to call or visit your vet immediately.
Powdered Sugar
Dogs should never be given powdered donuts, especially when they are coated with powdered sugar. This will only make their blood sugar level increase and could also cause excessive weight gain. In addition, if the sugar sticks in your dog’s teeth, tooth decay may also occur.
Glazed
Glazed donuts are also not the best for dogs to consume. This is because they have too many fats, too many sugars, and only a little nutritional value.
Basically, these are empty calories that could be harmful to your dog’s health. Although they are a tasty treat for humans, glazed donuts should never be given to dogs.
Toppings
A tiny bit of toppings or sprinkles would probably not make your dog sick, but plenty of it would be a danger to your dog’s health. Some common toppings are raisins and nuts.
Although peanuts are generally safe for dogs, other nut toppings used in donuts, including macadamia nuts and walnuts, are deemed to be very unsafe. In addition, raisins are also very dangerous for dogs.
Flavors
Donuts are made with different flavors. While you might think that a tiny amount of flavor might not harm them, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Here is a list of donut flavors you should avoid;
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners might be added to donuts to make them even tastier. Notably, xylitol, which may show up in some of the recipes, is quite deadly for dogs. As humans are keen to have tasty treats, xylitol is becoming quite popular in donut recipes.
Fillings
Fillings for donuts will contain ingredients that are dangerous to dogs. For example, grape-based preserves and chocolate ganache, which are common types of donut filling, are considered to be unsafe for dogs.
What Happens When A Dog Eats Donuts?
The reaction that happens after a dog consumes donuts depends on how healthy they are, what ingredients were used in the donut, and how many donuts they have eaten that day.
Fried donuts may cause diarrhea or indigestion since the fats are difficult for dogs to digest. If your dog has eaten lots of donuts, look out for these signs and symptoms;
- Diarrhea
- Seizures
- Lethargy
- Hyperactivity
- Vomiting
- Lack of coordination
Sometimes, when dogs consume donuts that are high in sugar, they are at risk of getting pancreatitis, which can be painful and deadly.
What Do You Do If Your Dog Eats Donuts?
Generally, when your dog has consumed something toxic, you want to immediately call or visit your vet. The same applies to donuts. The vet will assess the danger your dog is in and advise you on how you should go about it.
Sometimes, your vet will just tell you to watch your dog and keep an eye on the symptoms listed above. If such symptoms start to show, chances are your dog is experiencing a health issue and may need help.
Will Eating A Donut Kill My Dog?
No, and yes. Depending on the toxicity of the ingredients in the donut and the number of donuts your dogs have eaten, eating a donut may or may not kill your dog. However, some symptoms may start to show up once a dog consumes donuts and may lead to death if left untreated.
Although there is nothing inherently bad about donuts, the ingredients used to make them aren’t safe for your dog. Therefore, keep the donuts away from your dog and go for healthier treats that will better suit your dog.
