Can Dogs Eat Pizza Crust? Nutrition Facts & FAQ

Dogs have special dietary needs appropriate for their species; however, it’s common for our furry friends to get excited and become tempted by human foods. While it’s occasionally okay to give certain human foods to your pet, not all foods suitable for humans are also safe for dogs.

Pizza crust is undeniably tempting, and if you’re eating pizza, there’s a big chance that your furry companion will be around begging for a taste. Most dog parents will reach for the crust and give it to their canines, but this may not be the wisest thing to do.

In theory, dogs can eat pizza crust in that it’s not toxic to them, but that doesn’t mean they should. Pizza crusts are tasty but not nutritious for dogs, and they can contain various ingredients unsuitable for our canine friends.

In this article, we talk more about why dogs shouldn’t eat pizza crusts, what a healthy dog diet looks like, the ingredients of pizza crust, and the potential problems that your dog may experience after eating pizza crust.

 

A Healthy Dog’s Diet

Feeding a dog a proper diet is essential for their development, health, and well-being. You need to ensure that your dog gets a well-balanced, nutritious diet that will help them be happy, fit, and active.

Dogs are generally considered to be omnivores and meet their nutritional requirements through eating a combination of meat and plant materials.

Dogs usually get most of their  protein from meat in their diet. They also need the other essential nutrients fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and of course water.

 

Potential Dangers of Dogs Eating Pizza Crusts

Although eating a bit of pizza crust won’t kill your dog, there are still various problems that your dog may experience after consuming it.

Pizza crust is high in carbs and, just like with us humans, if eaten in excess can lead to weight gain. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of many health problems for dogs such as joint and heart disease and an increased risk of diabetes.

Let’s have a look at some of the other ingredients in pizza crusts that may cause problems for our pups.

1. Salt

Salt is one of the most frequently used spices in the world, as people put it in almost every dish they make. It’s also one of the ingredients of pizza crust dough.

Salt is an electrolyte that is essential to a dog’s health- balancing bodily fluids and playing a role in muscle and nerve function. However, too much is dangerous and can lead to salt toxicosis (hypernatremia).

The amount of salt in a few bits of pizza crust are unlikely to contain toxic levels of salt for a healthy dog, and the most common side effect is your dog being more thirsty after eating them. However extra salty treats for your dog, including pizza crusts, are best avoided.

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2. Cheese

Cheese is a human delicacy that’s absolutely necessary when making a pizza. Although there’s typically no cheese on the pizza crust, some pizzerias make pizzas with cheese-filled crusts, or some cheese may simply end up on the pizza crust.

Consuming a bit of cheese from the leftover crust may be okay for your canine, but if the pizza crust is filled with cheese, your pup may experience problems due to the milk content.

Milk contains lactose, and many pets, including dogs, are lactose intolerant, meaning their bodies are unable to process lactose in dairy products, including cheese.

Lactose-intolerant dogs may experience gastrointestinal upset after eating dairy products or too many pizza crusts containing cheese, showing signs such as:

Since these health problems can be uncomfortable and cause further health damage, it’s best to avoid giving your dog foods like pizza crust.

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3. Onion/Garlic

Pizza crusts can contain various spices that can be harmful to dogs, including those from the allium genus, such as onion and garlic.

Although these herbs are commonly used in human cuisine, garlic and onion are toxic to dogs and can lead to poisoning, so you should avoid giving them foods that could contain those spices, including pizza and pizza crust.

All parts of these plants are toxic to canines, and onion and garlic consumption can lead to several health issues when eaten excessively, including:

 

Can Dogs Eat Pizza Crust? Is It Good for Them?

Dogs can eat pizza crust, but since this human treat has no nutritional benefits for canines and may put their health at risk, it’s best to avoid giving pizza crusts to your dog.

Eating a piece of a crust won’t necessarily harm your dog, but consuming large amounts could have a negative effect on their health and cause other problems. The severity of your dog’s reaction will depend on the number of crusts eaten and the ingredients included.

What Should You Do If Your Dog Ate Pizza Crusts?

If your dog accidentally consumes a pizza crust, there’s usually no need to worry. A small piece of ingested pizza crust shouldn’t affect your dog in any way. However, ingesting multiple crusts could potentially harm your dog.

So, if such a situation occurs, be sure to monitor your dog, and contact your vet for advice if you have any concerns.

If you notice any signs of sickness, such as weakness, lethargy, diarrhea, or vomiting, take your furry friend to the vet.

 

Final Thoughts

Dogs are naturally curious and love to taste human foods, so theoretically, they can eat pizza crust. But that doesn’t mean this is a good idea. Pizza crust could potentially cause harm to your dog’s health and multiple health problems, which is why it’s best to keep it away from your pet.

See also:

• 10 Best Dog Ramps & Stairs for Large Dogs
• 10 Best Soft Dog Crates

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Featured Image Credit: Jiri Hera, Shutterstock