What treat do you like giving to your dog? Some prefer those specially made dog treats made by popular brands while others like cooking up some meat for their canine companion. Peanut butter can also be a good treat for dogs because they absolutely love that stuff.
Still, should you really give your pet dog peanut butter? Could giving your dog peanut butter possibly lead to them getting diarrhea? The answers to those questions are in this article so read on to find out what they are.
Does Peanut Butter Cause Diarrhea in Dogs?
If you leave a jar of peanut butter at room temperature, you may notice its consistency change after a while. To be more specific, you may notice some oil pool near the top of the jar.
It’s important to note that finding oil near the top of the peanut butter jar is not a bad thing. You can even consider that as a positive. The presence of oil means that no artificial additives were introduced to stabilize the peanut butter.
Although the presence of oil on top of the peanut butter is not a bad thing, it does serve as a reminder of what you’re actually consuming. Peanut butter contains a decent amount of fat and oil. To us, the fat and oil inside peanut butter may not be a big deal, but it’s different for dogs.
A dog’s tolerance for fat and oil is significantly lower than ours. We can put a good amount of peanut butter inside our sandwich and nothing unusual will happen to us. The same is not necessarily true for your pet.
The fat and oil found in peanut butter can prove too much for dogs. Because of how rich peanut butter is, it can cause your dog to suffer from some gastrointestinal issues. In turn, those issues can lead to a bout of diarrhea.
How Do You Treat Diarrhea Caused by Peanut Butter?
A bout of diarrhea can significantly weaken your dog. If it lasts long enough, a case of diarrhea may even cause your pet to become dehydrated. You must treat your dog’s diarrhea as soon as possible and save them from potential complications.
The same methods of treating diarrhea can be used no matter how your dog developed that ailment in the first place.
You can start by fasting your dog. Don’t feed your dog anything in the first 12 to 24 hours after they get diarrhea. For now, you should only give them water so their digestive system can be flushed out.
Certain types of food can also be used for treating diarrhea in dogs.
Canned pumpkin puree is a great choice if you want to help a dog struggling with diarrhea. Pumpkin excels at firming up dog feces. Just make sure you choose plain pumpkin because you don’t want any artificial ingredients messing with your pet’s body.
Serving a combo of steamed white rice and boiled chicken can also soothe your pet’s rumbling stomach. The white rice can help solidify your pet’s poop while the chicken satisfies their hunger. Avoid using any flavorings on the chicken and remove the skin as well so it’s easy for your dog to digest.
Plain yogurt can also be helpful if you need to settle down your dog’s stomach. The probiotics in yogurt will help regulate your pet’s digestion and that could put an end to their case of diarrhea.
How Much Peanut Butter Can Dogs Have?
Your dog may have already developed a fondness for peanut butter. Because of that, you don’t want to just remove peanut butter from their diet.
Eliminating peanut butter from your dog’s diet altogether will not be necessary. However, you should limit the amount you give to your dog so they don’t get diarrhea.
With all that said, how much peanut butter is considered safe for dogs? The recommended amount will differ based on the size of your pet.
If you have a small dog, you need to be very stingy with the peanut butter. Limit the amount of peanut butter they eat to no more than a teaspoon per day.
Medium-sized dogs can have a little more peanut butter. Giving them half a tablespoon of peanut butter per day should keep them healthy and happy.
You can be more generous with the peanut butter if you have a large-breed dog. They should be able to handle a whole tablespoon of peanut butter without developing an upset stomach.
If you aren’t completely comfortable with using those general guidelines, you can also consult with a veterinarian. Ask how much peanut butter you can give to your dog during a routine check-up. The veterinarian should be able to give you a more specific recommendation that suits your pet.
Avoid giving more than the recommended amount of peanut butter to your dog because that could lead to them getting diarrhea.
What Type of Peanut Butter Can Dogs Have?
Not all types of peanut butter are created equal. Some of them are suitable for dogs while others can be toxic.
Highlighted in this section of the article are the types of peanut butter that dogs can safely eat.
Peanut Butter Made Especially for Dogs
Some enterprising individuals have taken advantage of the love affair dogs have with peanut butter to create products that are specially made for them.
Doggie peanut butter is less oily than its more conventional counterparts. Your dog will be able to enjoy it with no issue.
Plain Peanut Butter
You can also give commercial peanut butter to your dog, but you should check its ingredients list first. Be on the lookout for any chocolate or xylitol. Those two ingredients are sometimes used in commercial peanut butter and they are toxic to dogs.
Stick to plain peanut butter that also uses natural ingredients. That should be good enough for your precious pet.
Homemade Peanut Butter
Homemade peanut butter is the best option for your pet dog because you have full control of its ingredients. Producing your own batch of homemade peanut butter is also very easy. You will just need two cups of unsalted, roasted peanuts, an airtight container, a spatula, and a food processor.
Start by putting all of the roasted peanuts inside the food processor. Next, turn the food processor on and let it work for about two minutes.
Open up the food processor after those two minutes and use your spatula to scrape down the sides of the container. At this point, the texture of the peanut butter will likely still be a bit rough. You can stop now or keep going until it smoothens out.
Keep processing the peanut butter until it reaches the texture your dog likes. After achieving that desired texture, you can scoop the peanut butter into the airtight container for storage.
Homemade peanut butter can last for up to a month if it’s stored inside the refrigerator. Seal the container tightly whenever you get some for your dog so the peanut butter doesn’t spoil.