Dogs tend to love the same foods we do, but that doesn’t always mean they are good for them. Pizza may seem harmless, but there are some health concerns if your pooch eats pizza.
What happens if my dog eats pizza?
There are a few problems with pizza. They contain a lot of ingredients, and some of these are not good for your dog.
Pancreatitis
Pizza is typically a high fat food. It contains cheese and oil, both of which are high in calories. Toppings, particularly meat toppings, can also contain lots of fat.
Pancreatitis occurs when a dog consumes too much sugar, fat, or both. The pancreas releases digestive enzymes. When these are released, they should activate when they reach the intestines.
Pancreatitis causes the enzymes to activate when they are released. This leads them to damage the pancreas and surrounding organs.
Pancreatitis causes intense pain. Other symptoms include nausea, fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. Because of the pain, your dog may adopt a praying position. They will lay the front half of their body on the ground, while raising their back half into the air.
Obesity
If your dog frequently eats pizza or other high calorie foods, they may become obese. Over half of all dogs in the U.S. are overweight or obese.
This leads to an increased risk of arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. It also shortens your dog’s lifespan.
Spices and Toppings
Garlic and onions are a concern with pizza as well. These are common toppings or seasonings applied to pizza. They are great for humans, but they are toxic to dogs.
Garlic, onions, and related plants contain thiosulfate. Thiosulfate causes oxidative damage to red blood cells in dogs, causing hemolytic anemia.
The symptoms of garlic toxicity include pale gums, rapid breathing, lethargy, jaundice, and weakness. It can also cause stomach upset, including vomiting and diarrhea.
The good news is that it takes a lot of garlic to be toxic to a dog. However, some dogs are more sensitive to it than others, so it’s wise to avoid any foods with garlic or onions for your pooch.
Stomach Upset
Dogs have a sensitive digestive system. If they eat something they aren’t accustomed to, it can cause stomach upset. This can occur even if the food is actually healthy for them. This is why you should change dog foods slowly, instead of all at once.
The high fat and carbohydrate content of pizza makes it more likely to cause stomach upset. This can include vomiting, diarrhea, and gas.
What happens if my dog eats pizza dough?
Most dogs will show no ill effects from an occasional pizza snack. However, pizza dough is another matter. Cooked pizza dough is high in carbs and fat, which isn’t healthy for your pooch.
However, uncooked pizza dough poses a serious threat to your dog’s health.
Bloat
Raw dough rises and expands when heated in the oven. The problem is, your dog’s stomach has a similar effect. If they ingest raw dough, it can expand in their stomach. As it expands, it also releases gases, which can create even more pressure.
Bloat occurs when your dog’s stomach begins expanding due to pressure. This can be caused by dough, or a build up of gas. If the pressure continues to increase, the stomach can twist.
Bloat is life threatening, and can be fatal within hours.
The signs of bloat include retching without vomiting, stomach swelling, and the inability to pee or poop.
Alcohol Toxicity
Pizza dough contains yeast, which is what causes it to rise. Yeast is also used in anking beer and wine, because it ferments, creating alcohol. When raw dough enters the stomach, it ferments, creating alcohol.
As the alcohol enters your dog’s bloodstream, it can be life threatening. It can cause low blood sugar, a lowered body temperature, seizures, trouble breathing, and even death if they don’t get treatment.
What happens if my dog eats a pizza slice?
A slice of cooked pizza is unlikely to cause any serious harm to your dog. However, there are some possible negative consequences.
Stomach Upset
Stomach upset is the most common side affect of a dog eating a slice of pizza. This can include vomiting and diarrhea. It generally resolves within a day or two.
Pancreatitis
One slice of pizza could cause pancreatitis if your dog is very sensitive to it. If you notice severe vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and lethargy, they may have pancreatitis.
What happens if my dog eats pizza rolls?
Pizza rolls have the same ingredients as regular pizza. This means they also cause the same concerns. Like pizza, they are high in carbohydrates in fat, which can lead to stomach upset, pancreatitis, and obesity. They also commonly contain garlic or onions, which are toxic to dogs.
Like pizza, a small amount of pizza rolls is unlikely to have any serious effects. Your dog may experience simple stomach upset, including vomiting and diarrhea after eating pizza rolls.
However, serious symptoms, including fever and severe pain from pancreatitis are possible, and should be evaluated by your vet.
What to do if my dog eats pizza?
If your dog eats pizza, there are some things you should do. How you should react will depend on the size of your dog, the size of the pizza they ate, and the ingredients on the pizza.
Raw Dough
If your pooch eats raw dough, you’ll need to get emergency veterinary care. You can choose to call your vet for advice, or bring them in immediately.
If Dog Seems Fine After Eating Pizza
If your dog ate some pizza and seems fine, there’s no cause for concern. It’s best not to give them pizza in the future, but they should be fine.
You should monitor them for symptoms over the next day or so. If they begin vomiting, having diarrhea, have lethargy, or fever, you’ll need to contact your vet.
Simple Stomach Upset
If your dog is experiencing stomach upset after eating pizza, you can usually manage this at home.
Famotide can be given to help calm their stomach. You can give them .5 mg per pound of body weight. So a 20 pound dog could have a 10 mg tablet. You can repeat the dosage every 12 hours.
Pepto can also calm vomiting and diarrhea due to eating pizza. Give them 1 teaspoon per every 10 pounds of body weight.
Lastly, a bland diet can help settle your dog’s stomach. To do this, you’ll give them 2 parts rice to 1 part chicken. If you feed them 1 cup of food, you’ll give them 2/3 a cup of rice and 1/3 cup boiled chicken.
Continue this diet until their stomach symptoms have stopped. Then, slowly transition them back to their regular diet. Start by giving them 1/4 regular food and 3/4 bland food. Each day, increase the regular food by 1/4, until they are back to eating only regular food.
When to Call the Vet
You should call the vet if your pooch is having severe stomach symptoms. These include intense pain, repeated vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy, and fever. If your dog’s stomach is swollen, contact the vet immediately.