Gravy is a popular food condiment made from meat juices and flour. Many people like to serve gravy during social gatherings or festive celebrations. Supermarkets also sell several gravy varieties. With so many gravies available, it is not surprising they are part of our doggies’ diet. Yet, we must consider if doggies can have gravy, as most gravy doggies consume are only for humans. So let’s find out if dogs can eat gravy.
Yes, dogs can eat gravy, but it depends on the kind of gravy. Gravy containing minimal salt and fat content without onions is perfectly alright for dogs. Store-bought gravy condiments contain high salt and fat content, and seasonings, such as onion and garlic, are moderated for human consumption. These types of gravies are unsuitable for doggies to consume as they will likely suffer from health issues, particularly gastrointestinal problems.
Still, there are commercially available gravies doggies can eat. This article provides information about the best types of store-bought gravies that are safe for doggies. We also include homemade gravies you can make for your furry friend.
This article contains answers to popular questions about doggies eating gravy; for example, what happens if a dog eats gravy? What if dogs eat Bisto gravies? Before answering these questions, let’s see why doggies can only have certain gravies and why some are bad.
Can Dogs Eat Gravy?
Yes, dogs can eat gravy, especially homemade gravies. But doggies can’t eat most commercially available gravies.
Most store-bought gravies are only meant for human consumption, so they are not safe for doggies for the following reasons:
- They have high levels of salt and umami to make them tasty for human consumption. But for our canine companions, this salt quantity is too much.
- They contain high-fat content because oils are added to the ground meat during preparation. These oils are generally safe for people, but the amount is too high for doggies.
- They contain some ingredients that are safe for humans but not safe for doggies. For example, some gravies include onions, onion powder, and garlic granules that are not safe for doggies.
- Certain gravy products can contain wheat gluten, which leads to allergies for some doggies.
- And finally, some gravies contain flavorings and preservatives, like BHA, which is considered toxic to dogs.
Doggies can eat some store-bought gravies if they are pet graded and the ingredients are marked as safe for dogs. Later in the article, we will review some types of store-bought gravies safe for doggies.
Can I Put Gravy On Dog Food?
Yes, you can put pet-safe gravy on dog food. In fact, this is beneficial for doggies who lack an appetite. For instance, you can try this when your canine buddy is ill, recovering after surgery, or bored with eating the same dog food.
When you mix gravy with your pooch’s regular meal, this whets its appetite. Your dog will easily munch it together with their regular dog food.
What Kind Of Gravy Can I Give My Dog?
The best type of gravy to give your furry friend is homemade gravy. Your furry companion can still have store-bought gravy manufactured for dogs.
Below is a step-by-step procedure showing how to make homemade gravy for your furry friend. We have also included the list of the best store-bought gravies for doggies.
How To Make Homemade Gravy For Dogs?
Homemade gravy is best for dogs because you can minimize the salt and fat in the gravy. Also, with homemade gravy, you wouldn’t include ingredients unsafe for doggies, such as onions, garlic, or peppers.
Homemade Gravy Recipe
- Commercially sold (Solid Gold bone broth) or homemade bone broth (1 cup)
- Arrowroot (2 tablespoons)
- Cool water (2 tablespoons)
- Table salt (¼ tablespoon)
Procedures
- Gently warm the broth for 1 to 2 minutes using low heat.
- Dissolve the arrowroot in the cool water. The dissolved arrowroot and the cool water will ensure that the broth maintains a thick texture.
- Pour the dissolved arrowroot into the warm broth and whisk it until thoroughly blended.
- After 30 to 60 seconds, the broth mixture thickens.
- Turn off the heat and mix ¼ tablespoon of salt into the broth mixture.
Best Store-Bought Gravies For Dogs
You can also give your canine buddy shop-bought gravy that is pet-graded. But this depends on the gravy you buy at the store. Many condiments popularly sold in the supermarket have high salt and fat content. So you can’t give these to your furry friend.
Here are some of the best store-bought gravies for your pooch:
Gravy Train Beef Sticks
Gravy Train Beef Stick is a sweet and savory gravy stick for doggies. They are suitable for treats or snacks, but you should replace your dog’s healthy diet with them. You do not need to add water to Gravy Train Beef Sticks; instead, break down the sticks into pieces and serve them to your furry friend. One stick of gravy train beef is okay for your doggie.
Pedigree Gravy Puppy Chicken Chunks
Pedigree gravy is wet pet food you can mix with your regular pet food or homemade dog food. This gravy is manufactured with chicken and chicken by-products and does not contain beef. Other ingredients include gravy, wheat gluten, flavor, and coloring agents.
The drawback of pedigree gravy is that it contains wheat gluten, which can cause allergies in some doggies. Besides this, pedigree gravy is safe and healthy for your furry friend. It provides a complete and balanced diet for dogs.
Purina Dog Chow
Purina dog chow is a wet dog food available as beef or chicken gravy. Dog chow contains 40% protein and provides complete and balanced nutrition for adult doggies. One advantage of Purina dog chow over other gravy for dogs is that it has no preservatives or artificial flavors.
Note: Many of the pet-graded gravies have preservatives and artificial flavorings. You must read their product label well before purchasing.
When you feed your furry companion pet-graded gravies, monitor your dog closely for any adverse reactions. Also, it is best to give dogs pet-graded condiments once every four weeks. However, you can frequently add homemade condiments to their food without restrictions.
Can My Dog Eat Bisto Gravy?
No! Your dog can’t eat Bisto gravy, even though it contains less salt than most gravy sold in stores.
Bisto gravy is made for humans, not for our furry friends. Fat and salt levels in Bisto gravy are safe for humans, but for doggies, the levels are way too high. So canines should not have commercially sold gravy such as Bisto gravy, which is human-graded.
What Happens When A Dog Eats Gravy?
When dogs eat a healthy gravy, they experience no gastrointestinal or health problems. However, some shop-bought and human-grade gravies cause doggies to be prone to gastrointestinal health issues.
Doggies can experience gastrointestinal problems when eating gravies containing high fat, salt, onion, garlic, unsafe preservatives, and flavorings. Gastroenteritis, diarrhea, vomiting, and pancreatitis are some conditions that may occur.
