• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Puppy Foodie - is your number one fresh source for puppy dog breeds
  • Nutrition
  • Breeds
  • Doggie DIY
  • Grooming & Care
  • Accessories
You are here: Home / Nutrition / Can Dogs Safely Eat Butter?

Can Dogs Safely Eat Butter?

December 5, 2020 by Molly Weinfurter

Butter seems like a necessity for many human foods, which leaves people wondering if dogs can eat it too. While this dairy product is tasty for humans, it certainly isn’t the healthiest option. So, is the same true for dogs?

can dogs eat butter

Your dog might beg for any table scraps they can get, but it’s important for you to pick and choose which treats you share with your dog. Always do your research before serving a new food to your dog, especially if it’s a flavor enhancer like butter.

Can Dogs Eat Butter?

No, dogs cannot eat butter. In fact, people often refer to it as a human food that’s toxic for dogs. This is because butter is a fatty food with no real health benefits. For humans, it’s simply a flavor enhancer to put on other foods, but dogs don’t see it the same way. Dogs don’t enjoy butter, salt, and seasoning the way we do. In fact, it’s often more dangerous for them to consume those items too.

According to Pet Poison Helpline, butter doesn’t necessarily have a toxicity factor for dogs like many humans believe, but it’s still not safe. It has a similar effect to oil, grease, and xylitol (an artificial sweetener), all of which should be avoided for furry friends. If necessary, keep your dog in a separate room while you’re cooking or eating a dish with lots of butter.

Risks of Butter for Dogs

Any fatty foods like butter are likely to cause vomiting, which could begin 1 to 4 days after your dog ingested the food. Other common symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, a reduced appetite, and lethargy.

Many dogs are also lactose intolerant. So, since butter is a dairy product like milk, ice cream, and cottage cheese, your dog may have difficulties digesting it. Lactose intolerant dogs are the most likely to experience severe symptoms after eating butter. Butter can also lead to weight gain in dogs that eat large amounts.

Butter usually isn’t life-threatening like chocolate, but your dog will experience long periods of pain and discomfort. Luckily, if it was only a small amount of butter, the symptoms should pass after a few days. Of course, it’s always a good idea to check in with your vet if your dog has eaten a significant amount of butter though.

What Should You Do if Your Dog Eats Butter?

While butter isn’t the most appealing food for dogs, many canines are curious and hungry. Some will gnaw on anything that resembles food. So, even if you keep butter away from them, it’s still possible for them to find a way to grab a piece of buttery food or even a whole stick of butter if you’re not paying attention! If this happens, try to stay calm and take extra precautions.

The first thing you should do is contact your vet. Give them as much description about the situation as possible, including how much your dog consumed and if they’re showing any unusual behaviors. From there, your vet can help you decide how severe the situation is. They may simply recommend you stop feeding them for the time being or feed them less. In some cases, they may also suggest anti-nausea or anti-vomiting medications to help your dog feel more comfortable.

Extreme cases may cause in-hospital care. If your dog consumes a lot of butter but doesn’t throw it up, that could cause even more pain for them. The vet might need to take a look at IV fluids and monitor their blood chemistry panels as needed. Some cases may require specific drugs or antibiotics. It all sounds a little scary, but it will ensure that your dog stays healthy and safe. The more careful you are with your dog’s health, the better off they’ll be.

Butter might be a tasty addition to your own diet, but it’s best if you keep it out of your dog’s reach. Dogs don’t need flavor enhancers with their food, so keep them on a beneficial dog-friendly diet at all times. If you can’t resist sneaking a human snack to your furry friend, make sure you do your research first. Otherwise, you could accidentally serve your dog something harmful like butter without even knowing it. So, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Filed Under: Nutrition

Previous Post: « Can Dogs Safely Eat Cucumbers?
Next Post: Can Dogs Eat Figs? Are Figs Healthy for Dogs? »

Primary Sidebar

LET’S CONNECT

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard

Just so you know, this post may contain affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through links on this page, PuppyFoodie may collect a share of the sale or other compensation.

Recent Posts

  • How Long Do Border Collies Live? Tips on Helping Your Dog Live a Healthy Life
  • How to Make Your Dog Happy: 10 Tips and Tricks
  • How to Teach a Dog to Roll Over
  • Dog Stroke Symptoms: What to Look for and How to Handle it
  • Why Do Dogs Shake Off Randomly?

Copyright © 2021 Puppy Foodie - is your number one fresh source for puppy dog breeds on the Foodie Pro Theme

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.