Can Dogs Eat Sugar Cookies? 7 Unexpected Harms
When you’re making a recipe with your family, you want it to be a success. But what if there was an easy way to ensure that all of your cookies were a perfect, round, soft-baked treat?
As you’re reading this article, I’d like to make an important point—but I want you to be really clear on what I mean. In order for me to get my point across, I need to make sure you understand the context of what I’m writing about. This means that if I’m going to tell you something, it’s going to have to be more than just a simple statement. Rather, I’m going to need to take you down a specific path, using words and phrases that help you visualize a scene, and helps you think about what’s going to happen. This is why I’ve chosen this title for this article.
We know that sugar is poisonous to dogs. But what about all those delicious sugar cookie recipes out there? If you ask any dog owner, you will learn that they’re not so good for dogs.
Nutmeg, chocolate, raisins, and macadamia nuts, all common components in human cookies, are poisonous to dogs. Keep cookies in an airtight container in between portions if your dog is particularly skilled at snatching food from a counter top or plate. A baby gate is also advised.
Unless your dog has eaten a sugar cookie or a dish heavy in sugar, butter and wheat that doesn’t contain the following elements, it is probably not poisonous, but it is still unhealthy for him. You should avoid giving your dog refined sugar, but they’ll probably be alright. For diabetic pets, contact your veterinarian to report any unexplained sugar consumption.
What Happens If My Dog Eats A Sugar Cookie?
Having a sugar cookie may not cause any harm to your dog. As long as the cookie doesn’t have any dangerous ingredients or you feed it to your dog over a lengthy time, you can expect to see health complications such as xylitol toxicity and type 2 diabetes.
Sugar cookies are among the worst treats for dogs. They offer a number of dangers to your dog’s health, which might lead to their death if they aren’t addressed in a timely manner.
If your dog consumes too many sugar cookies, these are some of the possible harmful consequences:
Obesity
Having a dog that’s overweight is a big concern. Weight gain in your dog that is unnaturally high is a sign of obesity. Typically, weight gain is a result of consuming too many calories. And you might be curious as to why this is so.
Glucose, for example, is a basic sugar that contains a lot of calories.
Starch and fiber are two examples of foods that contain complex carbohydrates that don’t have a high calorie content. Some of them need a series of digestive processes before they can be converted into glucose that can be absorbed.
It’s because of this that complex carbohydrates don’t have a dramatic impact on your dog’s caloric intake when they are ready to reach the bloodstream Added or simple sugars, on the other hand, don’t have the same effect on the body.
Glucose, the sugar that is generally used to produce cookies, is readily available for absorption by your dog’s bloodstream. Sugars, whether natural or artificial, are quickly absorbed by your dog’s body, resulting in weight gain.
Fat dogs are more likely to suffer from additional ailments, some of which are listed here.
Diabetes
Diabetes is becoming one of the most frequent health problems faced by dogs. When your dog’s body can’t maintain a stable blood sugar level, it might result in diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes In Dogs
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are the most common in dogs. The most prevalent kind of diabetes in dogs is Type 1, which occurs when your dog’s body is unable to produce enough insulin to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.
As a result of a dog’s body’s inability to manage its blood sugar, high sugar in the bloodstream might have a negative impact on your dog. As an example, if your dog has type 1 diabetes, a reoccurring infection might be devastating.
In most cases, this implies that if your dog has any wounds, they are at risk of infection and death. Imagine having to treat your dog’s wounds over and over again.
Type 2 Diabetes In Dogs
Type 2 diabetes happens when your dog’s body is unable to respond to insulin, which is the case here. You can’t just give yourself an additional shot of insulin to treat type 2 diabetes, which is why it’s so much worse than type 1.
Obesity, as previously stated, can lead to a greater number of health problems for your dog. As well as type 2 diabetes. Overeating causes the body to create hormones that render insulin ineffective.
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes are similar to those of type 1 diabetes, including excessive thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss. You should avoid feeding your dog sugar cookies if it has either form of diabetes as a result of a poor diet, as this will only exacerbate the problem.
Dental Cavities
Canine dental caries is a major health issue. The most common cause of dental issues in dogs is their penchant for chowing down on crunchy treats. As a result, if your dog is unable to chew properly due to a problem with their teeth (dentition), other issues may occur.
Generally speaking, dental cavities are a sort of tooth decay that progresses. Cavities are more likely to form in your canine’s teeth when the enamel weakens.
Dogs’ teeth are weakened by a very acidic environment in their mouths. Sugar, on the other hand, has a tendency to induce both tooth decay and excessive acidity.
Inflammation
Dogs that are overweight or diabetic are more likely to suffer from inflammation. Detecting inflammation in its early stages is difficult, especially if your dog is fat, but the discomfort your dog feels as a result of the inflammation is obvious.
The abnormal enlargement of tissues in your pup’s body is an indication of inflammation. Leg swelling is almost always a sign that your dog has diabetes.
Steatitis (inflammation of fatty tissue) or skin inflammation are the most common causes of the edema. And both types of inflammation can be deadly if left unchecked. Another problem with these circumstances is that they’re long-lasting.
Acute inflammations, on the other hand, come on unexpectedly and take just a few treatments to go away. It is unfortunate because these inflammations begin slowly and gradually expand the afflicted area until they spread to other sections of the dog’s body and are fatal.
Inflammation has the potential to paralyze the afflicted area, which would be a far worse outcome. Your dog’s typical routine would be disrupted as a result.
For those of us who have a sweet tooth, I’m confident the following list of reasons will convince you not to give your dog sugar cookies.
Diarrhea
In this case, you may be shocked to notice a common symptom in animals: diarrhea. It’s very uncommon for dogs to suffer from diarrhea due to a poor diet. When dogs alter their food, the same thing happens. And when it comes to sugar cookies, the problem is exacerbated.
Poop is easier to digest if your dog eats a diet that is rich in fiber. As a result, excrement is normally hard pellets that have been emptied of extra moisture. However, if you feed your dog a diet low in fiber on a regular basis, the opposite happens.
There is no fiber in handmade sugar cookies, but there is in pre-made, pre-packaged sugar cookies. Your dog will not be able to effectively utilize the water in its food if it eats cookies that are poor in fiber.
Because of this, when your dog defecates, you’ll be greeted by a liquid or almost solid waste. Having a dog isn’t always a terrible thing, if you learn how to properly clean up after him.
However, dehydration might occur as a result of the watery excrement being ingested. Even worse is when your dog starts vomiting, which is frequent in dogs with diarrhea. Because of the volume of fluid lost in these discharges, your dog’s health might be at risk.
Now that you’ve read this, are you aware of the harmful consequences of feeding your dog cookies?
What Kind of Sugar Cookies Are Bad For My Dog?
Dogs have been known to become ill after ingesting sugar biscuits. However, there are some sugar cookies that are more harmful to your dog than others. As a result, it’s understandable that you’d want to know which ones are the most dangerous for your dog.
Dogs are not a fan of the following sugar cookies:
- Sugar cookies with no added flavorings
- Cookies with chocolate chips
- Cookies with lemon curd
Plain Sugar Cookies
The humble sugar cookie has become a common sight in homes and workplaces throughout the country. Cookies and milk are almost always served at least once a week in most households. Sugar cookies are generally safe for people to eat in moderation, but they can pose a serious threat to dogs’ health.
Xylitol is a common ingredient in many sugar cookies nowadays. A chemical known as xylitol is used by numerous firms to substitute glucose in the production of sugar cookies. While xylitol does not put people at risk, it may be lethal to dogs in a matter of minutes.
Xylitol, which is found in sugar cookies, causes the pancreas to produce insulin as soon as it enters the dog’s circulation. Hypoglycemia is generally caused by a quick increase in insulin levels, which leads in a reduction in blood sugar levels.
Sadly, hypoglycemia can lead to liver failure, tremors, seizures, and a lack of energy, among other things. And if you don’t get your dog to the vet in a timely manner, there’s a good chance you’ll lose him or her.
Plain sugar cookies, on the other hand, pose a serious hazard to your dog’s health if you overfeed them.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
This cookie is chock-full of chopped chunks of chocolate and is excellent. Unfortunately for dogs, chocolate is harmful and they can’t have their favorite cookie: chocolate chip.
Chocolate is the most harmful element in chocolate chip cookies for your pet. Theobromine, which is found in chocolate, is also responsible for its toxicity to dogs.
Dogs can consume little amounts of chocolate. Unfortunately, even a few milligrams of theobromine in your dog’s blood beyond the tolerated level might induce chocolate poisoning in your dog.
Chocolate poisoning can include vomiting, diarrhea, elevated heart rates, and even convulsions. If your pet doesn’t receive immediate medical assistance, this might be fatal.
Thus, chocolate poisoning makes chocolate chip cookies the worst sugar cookies you can offer your dog.
Lemon Cookies
Cookies made with lemon juice are another sort of sugar cookie that should be avoided by pets. They also include citric acid and psoralens, two additional compounds, in addition to their high sugar content.
Lemons are a good source of citric acid and psoralens in moderate amounts. Lemons are poisonous to dogs, so avoid giving them any. In most cases, dogs get poisoned when they consume more lemon cookies than they are able to digest.
This poisoning has a wide range of symptoms, including diarrhea, lethargy, tremors, and death. Combined with excessive sugar or xylitol, these effects make lemon cookies toxic for your four-legged companion.
Can I Give My Dog Sugar Cookies?
However, you can still offer your dog sugar cookies, although it would be best if you didn’t because of the long list of health hazards associated with their ingestion.
How Many Cookies Can My Dog Eat?
Cookies prepared with whole grain nuts are healthier and have less of an impact on dogs than sugar cookies. As a result, you’ll be able to feed your dog more whole-grain cookies than sugar cookies.
One of the reasons it’s recommended to offer your dog little amounts of sugar cookies each day is because of the high sugar content. More than 90% of the issues linked with your dog eating sugar cookies may be attributed to too much sugar alone. Sugar is toxic to dogs.
Furthermore, the fat content of packaged cookies is often shockingly high. A whopping 0.67 ounces of fat make up the majority of a 3.5-ounce serving of sugar cookies. If your dog eats a lot of sugar cookies, it’s going to be unhealthy for him.
Consequently, you should limit the quantity of cookies you feed your dog, especially sugar cookies, to an absolute minimum.
What Kind Of Cookies Can My Dog Eat?
Considering the bad repercussions of feeding your dog cookies, you may decide to stop doing so in the future. However, if your dog is dependent on cookies, you have a problem right away.
As a result, you may be wondering what sort of cookies you may feed your dog. Dogs can enjoy the following types of cookies:
Whole-Grain Cookies
Most cookies are deficient in fiber, which is a big drawback. When it comes to sugar, a 3.5 oz sugar cookie has just 900 mg of sugar—less than 1% of its overall weight! A lack of fiber in cookies can cause gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea, as I have previously stated.
In contrast, a high-fiber multigrain cookie has roughly 0.4oz of fiber, or more than 10% of its total mass, in the same amount of cookie. What a huge difference there is! When you feed your dog these cookies, you’ll lessen the chance of diarrhea.
Whole-grain cookies, in addition to their nutritious benefits, also limit the absorption of sugar into your dog’s system. A constant supply of fiber slows the rate at which glucose is digested.
The fiber in your dog’s intestines assists digestion and a healthy microbial ecology, as well.
Fruit-Embedded Cookies
Sugar cookies can also be replaced with fruit-embedded cookies. A cookie like this may simply be made at home. A low-sugar cookie dough can be combined with fruit shreds for added fiber and health benefits. It’s a great idea to use apples or raspberries or even coconut for this.
Fruit-embedded cookies have the added benefit of supplying fiber along with the complex carbohydrates they contain. Additionally, complex sugar contains fiber, which helps regulate the quantity of sugar in the circulation in addition to the several processes required to break down complex sugar.
As a bonus, complex sugar helps your dog get the vitamins he or she needs. When baked, low-sugar cookie dough containing just 0.7 oz of shredded apple provides roughly 0.9 mg of vitamin C.
Raspberries, on the other hand, are packed with antioxidants. Oxidized compounds are among the most toxic substances in your dog’s body, and these chemicals help remove them.
In addition, antioxidants reduce harmful reactive oxygen species from your dog’s diet. For your dog’s benefit, a handmade raspberry cookie is an excellent choice.
Potential Health Benefits Of Cookies
Cookies may or may not provide health advantages because of the wide variety of ingredients used. Some of the potential advantages are outlined in the following paragraphs.
- Dogs love cookies because they are a great source of minerals and vitamins that may boost your dog’s overall well-being.
- Cookie consumption should be limited to one cookie per week or fewer, since they do not provide any nutritional value to your pet. If you opt to provide cookies as snacks in moderation, make sure the cookies are nutritious ones, like peanut butter omega paw baked chews (without chocolate).
- The protein and carbohydrate content in cookies makes them a nutritious snack option. In addition, cookies are a good source of fiber; calcium; vitamin D; and B vitamins, including folate. However, cookies for dogs have a lesser quantity of fat and sugar than many other cookies since they have a smaller amount of butter or oil. Only give your dog tiny bits of cookies at one time.
- Flea itching is frequent in dogs with dietary allergies to beef, soybeans, and wheat gluten proteins, and cookies can help alleviate this discomfort. Sugar, on the other hand, might irritate your pet’s skin because of its delicate nature.
The Health Risks Of Giving Your Dog A Cookie
Cookies are often well-liked by dogs. Due to the lack of nutritional content in cookies, dogs may be ill-suited to eating them. It all depends on what kind of cookies you offer them, how many cookies they consume, and what other meals or drugs they’re consuming.
There are little chunks of cookie that might get caught in the dog’s throat when a dog eats a full cookie. The combination of raw eggs and cookie dough materials (such as flour) can lead to food poisoning in a pet if consumed.
It’s possible for dogs to overeat if they’re given too many goodies at once after they’ve eaten a huge cookie. Sugar overdose may lead to diabetes, weight gain, and tooth disease because of the sugar that accumulates around their teeth while you’re sweeping up crumbs.
Chocolate or raisins, which are harmful to dogs, might be in the cookies, making them unfit for a canine’s consumption. No matter how healthy they may seem, cookies are loaded with fat and sugar and should be avoided at all costs. You don’t want your dog to become sick by eating cookies designed for people, so keep them out of their reach!
Instead of frosted sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies for your dog, you could choose for wheat flour or oatmeal cookies, which are healthier options. If they consume too much of the icing and chips, it might irritate their tummies. Toss an ice cube to your dog every now and then if you want to make their day extra special. It will fulfill their hunger without causing any discomfort to their digestive system. Try offering your dog some fruit or veggies dipped in yogurt as a nutritious option instead.
- To make them sick, they’ll consume a lot of sugary cookies.
- Cookies with chocolate in them (chocolate cookies are toxic to dogs because it contains poisonous theobromine)
- Baked goods including raisins, currants, and various fruits and berries (the grapes and raisins in these cookies are toxic for pets)
- A cookie with the ingredient xylitol. Foods that employ xylitol include sweets, gum, mints, and toothpaste. Xylitol is a sugar alternative. For people, it’s perfectly harmless, but for animals, it can cause hypoglycemia, which can lead to seizures or liver failure. Within 24 hours of swallowing only one stick of chewing gum containing xylitol, a dog might be in a coma and die.
Avoid Letting Your Dog Eat Sugar Cookies
Because dogs don’t have a hard time digesting conventional sugar cookies, you should let your dog to eat them. Sugar cookies, in general, are not good for dogs because of their high sugar content. A person’s level of toxicity will be determined by the chemicals utilized.
Sugar, flour, butter, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla extract are some of the essential components of a sugar cookie. There is little nutritional benefit in any of these components. Sugar cookies, which are high in calories, may deter your dog from eating a nutritious diet.
In the long run, your dog’s health will suffer if they are fed too many sugar cookies. Avoid giving your dog these cookies if you can since they are heavy in fat and can cause major health problems including pancreatitis.
Dog owners should also be aware that certain sugar cookie products include additives that are hazardous to dogs. Xylitol, an artificial sweetener used as a sugar replacement in baked products such as cakes and biscuits, is the primary cause.
Sugar cookies might be dangerous for dogs. This doesn’t necessary indicate that you need to call the emergency veterinary service. An animal’s size and how many cookies it has eaten can influence how severe its symptoms are. As long as your dog didn’t eat anything dangerous to pets, it may just be a matter of keeping an eye on him for the next few days. However, your dog may just experience loose stools as the result of this treatment.
Host a Safe Cookie Exchange
Your pets may experience stress as a result of the hectic holiday schedule and the constant influx of relatives and friends into and out of the house. To avoid any uninvited food grabbing, feed them a little bit before guests arrive. I usually ask my guests to keep an eye on their dishes while I’m hosting them. If there is any human food left unguarded on the coffee table, our dogs jump at the chance to eat it.
I also take advantage of the possibility of potentially risky sweets to warn adults and children about components that are harmful to dogs. Sweets and dogs are two of the most popular pastimes for children. Natural for them to want to share their sweets or food with my adoring canine companions This is when I whip out the dog-safe cookies and inform the children that these snacks are for dogs and the desserts are for people.
Before letting our dogs back in, I’ll place them in a separate area where they won’t be able to get their paws on some chocolate cookies, for example.
Bake Cookies Your Dog Can Eat
Dog-safe cookies are an excellent alternative. So you and your guests may serve them throughout the night. Make sure to label them “Easy Homemade Pumpkin Spice Dog Treats”! They pass for a human cookie, which is saying something. (Even if it’s bland, it’s safe to consume.)
Take a peek at our Dog Recipe Center for more great dog cookie recipes. Dog birthday cakes aren’t only for humans, either.
What If My Dog Ate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Oatmeal cookies may appear healthier than other cookies at first glance, but that isn’t always the case. The poisonous effects of raisins on dogs are well-known. In dogs, even modest doses of raisins can cause renal damage and even failure.
It is not understood what causes dogs to become ill when they eat grapes or raisins. Regardless, dogs who consume raisins will display the following symptoms:
- Possibly rain-contaminated vomiting and diarrhea.
- Disinterest in eating or a reluctance to eat
- Fatigue, sluggishness, and a sluggish demeanor
- Discomfort or bloating in the abdomen
- Dehydration
- A condition known as oliguria (passing very small amounts of urine)
- Anuria is a genus (not urinating)
- a stench that goes beyond the typical doggy scent
- An ulcer on or around the mouth or tongue
- Tremors
- As a result of a seizure.
- Coma
The sooner you get in touch with your veterinarian, the better. If your dog isn’t suffering a seizure or respiratory difficulties, your veterinarian may advise you to induce vomiting. By the way, if your dog is tremoring or having trouble breathing, you should never induce vomiting.
Cookies for Santa should be kept away from your pet’s reach and raisins should be omitted if you live with a dog.
Can Dogs Eat Macadamia Nut Cookies?
Nuts, like sugar cookies, aren’t harmful to dogs unless consumed in large quantities. They can induce stomach issues or represent a choking hazard, however this is not always the case. They also contain a lot of fat, which is bad for dogs.
Dogs should avoid eating any nuts, including macadamia nuts. The exact toxin in macadamia nuts for dogs is unclear, as it is with raisins. It’s not life-threatening, but it’s a big deal.
Can Santa Eat Dog Cookies?
A thought-provoking question you may not have previously considered. Is it possible to give Santa some dog treats?
Make dog cookies for Santa if you don’t have any children! On Christmas morning, you may feed them to your dog and no one would know the difference.
If you’re looking for Christmas dog treat recipe inspiration, have a look at my related article on the subject. The more you create, the more others you may share it with who also have pets.
No. Chocolate, wheat flour, and sugar are some of the key elements in chocolate chip cookies that are harmful to dogs. Caffeine and theobromine, two methylxanthines that dogs cannot break down, are particularly dangerous in chocolate.
Can a dog die from eating sugar?
Xylitol is used as a sweetener in candy, gum, toothpaste, baked products, and some diet meals. If your dog’s blood sugar drops, it can lead to liver failure, which is extremely dangerous for your pet. Vomiting, drowsiness, and a loss of coordination are among the first signs of illness. There’s a chance that your dog will experience seizures at some point.
How long after a dog eats chocolate will symptoms show?
Chocolate poisoning symptoms normally manifest six to twelve hours after ingestion, although they might appear as soon as one hour later. If you suspect that your dog has eaten chocolate, don’t wait for the symptoms to show before taking action. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your pet’s health, you should always see a veterinarian.
How long does it take for a dog to die after eating chocolate?
Within six to 12 hours after your dog eats chocolate, the symptoms of chocolate poisoning begin to develop, and they can linger for up to 72 hours.
Other Cookies And Dogs
As a result, the dangers of chocolate to dogs are well-known. Other cookies you placed out for Santa may also be of interest. As far as I’m aware, Santa enjoys eating a wide variety of cookies from throughout the world.
When he laughs, his body shakes like a bowl of jelly, which helps keep his form in tip-top shape.
So, Can Dogs Eat Sugar Cookies
Despite the fact that sugar cookies aren’t good for dogs, they aren’t always hazardous to them either. It is difficult for dogs to break down sugar and other simple carbohydrates. There is no need for the fat that sugar cookies contain. However, all of the substances are safe for dogs.
If your dog consumes any of Santa’s sugar cookies, make sure he drinks a lot of water and eats regularly. Look for any symptoms of an allergic reaction or a significant stomach upset in your dog.
There is a good chance that you will be alright. Even if you want to be safe, you shouldn’t freak out. Just phone your vet and let them know what happened.
Running stools, stomach ache, and constipation are all possible symptoms in dogs. Be on the lookout for any changes in these conditions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this is a good time to remind you of some very basic things. First, we all want our dog to live a long happy and healthy life, that’s why we give them the best diet and nutrition. Second, when you feed your dog any type of human food, it has a high sugar content, which is why you should keep this in mind. And finally, most dogs can’t digest foods with high sugar contents, so they can’t eat a lot of treats. That said, you should always be cautious when you feed your dog with a treat, and keep in mind that every dog is different.
I have been working in animal shelter for the past six years and I have been raising the puppies of different breeds. I have had experience in training the puppies in obedience, agility, and other dog sports.
My main objective is to train the puppies to become good family pets. They should be well-behaved and trained to be loving, loyal, and obedient.
Contact me:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (912) 634-3631
Address: 102 Village Way Crk Saint Simons Island, Georgia(GA), 31522
- When Do Blue Heeler Puppies Stop Biting? 12 Ways To Stop It - February 22, 2023
- Do Yorkies Change Color? 14 Interesting Things To Know - February 21, 2023
- Why Does My Cockapoo Smell So Bad? 5 Reasons & Solutions - February 21, 2023
