Can Dogs Eat Peanut Butter?
Dogs have a sweeter tooth than you might expect, and peanut butter is a very delicious treat for them. Peanut butter is healthy and nutritious for dogs as it’s full of protein, vitamins and minerals. Peanut butter is healthy and nutritious for dogs as it’s full of protein, vitamins and minerals. It’s also low in fat- only 3 per cent or less fat- which makes it a great alternative to fattier foods.
There’s nothing dangerous in peanut butter for dogs, and it can actually be healthy as long as you don’t go overboard with it or feed your dog the wrong kind of peanut butter. It is possible for dogs to eat peanut butter and enjoy its taste without worrying about their health- providing you avoid these three common mistakes.
A common mistake is giving dogs peanut butter which contains xylitol, a sweetener known to be dangerous for human consumption. Xylitol can cause liver failure in dogs eating just a small amount of it. A second danger is the potential risk that your dog might choke on large chunks of nut present in some kinds. Commercial brands are more likely to contain these chunks, while processed peanut butter contains finely ground nuts.
A third risk is that dogs can become addicted to the taste of nut-based products, which might lead to obesity if you don’t provide it in moderation. To prevent your dog from choking on chunks of nut or being overfed by the temptation of having another spoonful, you can either buy peanut butter prepared especially for dogs or make your own.
Can Dogs Eat Peanut Butter?
Dogs can also have too much of a good thing- including nut products. This overload slows down digestion and causes gastrointestinal upset, so don’t give your pets these goodies every day. You should also avoid salted peanut butter as it could cause hypernatremia in dogs which already have elevated sodium levels from heart disease, kidney failure or other reasons.
You can give your dog as much as one tablespoon of peanut butter a day if it is free from xylitol and other ingredients that could cause problems for dogs. Don’t include any additional extras such as honey or salt, and don’t be tempted to give it more than this amount which is usually about 1/4 of the spoon.
Is peanut butter bad for dogs?
Not at all- as long as you avoid salted varieties and keep the amount sensible for your dog’s size, then peanut butter can be a healthy treat that will help boost your pet’s energy levels. You can even use it to encourage good behavior in some cases!
But if you’re just looking for a special treat from the store without worrying about your dog’s diet, then there are some good alternatives available. Sugarless peanut butter is very common and safe for dogs to eat- it doesn’t contain xylitol so they can enjoy licking out the jar.
Read More: What Fruits Can Dogs Eat
