It can be tough to resist those sweet little furry faces when you’re eating breakfast or pizza. Does giving your dog table scraps put them at risk? The short answer is yes, it can. Bread products contain yeast and that’s not good for dogs.
Yeast is a type of single-celled fungus commonly used in bread baking that helps the bread rise. Yeast is extremely toxic to dogs. You should never allow your furry friend to eat bread and especially raw dough.
Dangers of Eating Yeast
Many human foods can be toxic for dogs. Most people know not to feed pets chocolate, but garlic, grapes, raisins and onions also belong on the list. This includes spices such as paprika, but also certain fruits and veggies, such as passion fruit.
Bloat
Yeast causes dough to rise. This is because it grows rapidly in moist and warm environments, so a dog’s digestive tract is the perfect place for yeast to live. When a canine eats yeast, the fungus will grow, causing their stomach and guts to expand. This can cause pressure on dog’s intestines, resulting in bloat.
Gastric dilatation-volvulus, also known as bloat, is a condition that can cause illness and even death in rare cases.
Some signs of bloat include:
- Pacing
- Shallow breathing
- Panting
- Bloated abdomen
- Behaving restlessly and anxiously
- Drooling
- Attempting to vomit
Take your dog to the vet as soon as possible!
Alcohol Poisoning
Another danger is alcohol poisoning. When yeast is going through the fermentation process, which will happen inside your dog’s stomach, it produces ethanol.
Some signs you need to look for include:
- Panting
- Weakness
- Hyperactivity
- Slow reflexes
- Staggering
- Drooling
- Attempting to vomit.
If you’ve noticed your pooch has taken a bite out of your bread dough, don’t panic. It doesn’t necessarily mean your pooch will suffer from complications. However, it is important to keep a close eye on him.
Can Dogs Eat Bread?
Now that you know can dogs eat yeast, you’re probably wondering, can dogs eat bread, especially the one made with yeast?
The answer is: It depends.
Standard white bread should be fine for your dog, though. However, it doesn’t have any benefits, and eating too much bread can lead to obesity. While bread is safe, there is no reason why it should become a part of your dog’s diet.