Whether it is about having breakfast or making a beef steak, butter plays a great role in our everyday lives. Thanks to its luscious taste and nutrients that keep us active and healthy. As caring dog owners, we might think, Can dogs have butter?
Well, dogs can have butter, but they should not have butter. It contains fats and lactase, which are not good for mammals. However, a small quantity of butter will not harm a dog. You may consider adding a few amounts of butter to your dog’s meal if your vet approves it. Before that, we must know what risks butter can offer to our canine friends. This article will make you certain about this concept.
Can Dogs Have Butter?
Like us, dogs can also enjoy the taste of butter. However, they can’t have as much butter as we can. It contains 80% fat, which is too much for our paw friends.
For example, you are preparing bread and butter and accidentally drop some butter on the floor. Your dog may lick those few drops of butter, which is not going to be harmful to him. But if he eats one tablespoon of butter a day, this can be life-threatening for him. So it is inevitable that dogs can have butter but with some exceptions. Besides, the amount and way of feeding butter are going to be the deciding factors in whether it can be good for dogs or not.
Is Butter Good For Dogs?
Dogs can have butter, but that doesn’t mean that it is good for them. However, dogs can only escape the side effects of butter if they eat it in the right quantity.
We know butter is made from milk. If milk can offer us calcium, so can butter. Meanwhile, calcium helps make bones stronger.
Besides, we rely on butter for vitamin D. If your dog consumes it, he can somewhat benefit from the vitamin D content.
Adding a small amount of butter with vegetables and fruits can enhance the taste. If your dog needs nutrition from veggies, you can add butter to them to encourage his taste buds.
The fat present in butter offers energy. Hence, your dog can feel active and full for a long time. It is also rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which can promote your dog’s skin and coat health.
Risks Of Having Butter For Dogs
Butter offers more side effects than benefits to mammals. For instance, butter is loaded with saturated fats, which are already present in dog food. It means having butter will only increase the fat intake of dogs. Most vets deny offering too much fat to dogs, as it can inflame their pancreas. This can result in pancreatitis. Besides, eating too much fat can cause weight gain, obesity, and even diabetes.
As said earlier, butter is made from milk, which contains lactose. All dogs don’t have the enzyme to bear lactose, so they can be lactose intolerant. A lactose-intolerant dog can’t have milk or any dairy products. Surprisingly, some dogs can ingest dairy products with less lactose than butter. If your dog is extremely lactose-intolerant, butter can be harmful to him. The symptoms can be vomiting, upset stomachs, weakness, bloating, and so on.
Butter can also be harmful to your dog if you don’t provide him with the right one. For example, we get two options of butter in the market, i.e., salted butter and unsalted butter. Dogs must have unsalted butter. The salted butter is high in sodium, which can increase blood pressure in dogs. As a result, your dog may have to deal with dehydration.
Well, having the slightest amount of butter may not pose any health threats to our canine friends. It can be dangerous when they eat more than is required. Consuming too much butter means consuming too much fat and lactose. This can result in abdominal pain, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and so on.
How Much Butter Can Dogs Have?
The quantity of butter should always be small for dogs. We often use one tablespoon of butter in our breads, which contain 12 grammes of fat. 12 grams is the required amount of fat for a 30-pound dog. Hopefully, your dog’s other meals contain fat, which is almost 12 grams. So keep the portion of butter as small as possible. You may offer half a teaspoon of butter to your dog. If he is a small breed, it should be ¼ teaspoon.
How To Feed Butter To Dogs?
Hopefully, your dog won’t like to have butter alone on our spoon. So you may consider adding this delicious treat to his fruits and vegetables. If your dog likes having bread, you may add a small amount of butter to that as well. Butter can be a great addition to dog biscuits, too.
Note: Whether you are offering butter to your dog with veggies, biscuits, or bread, keep the quantity small every time.
When Can Dogs Have Butter?
Since butter is made from milk, all dogs can’t have it. Hence, it is important to ensure whether your dog is lactose-intolerant or not. Let’s say your dog is lactose-intolerant, but he can have butter and dairy products easily. But that doesn’t mean you can offer him without any consideration. That’s why we suggest asking your vet before introducing any food to dogs.
Butter is high in fat, which is not good for overweight or obese dogs. It can only be a good addition for dogs who need to put on some weight. Besides, butter aids in digestion and constipation. It means it will be a bad treat for dogs dealing with an upset stomach.
Frequently Asked Questions: Can Dogs Have Butter?
What is better for dogs: cheese or butter?
Cheese contains high amounts of lactase, whereas butter contains few amounts of lactase. Compared to cheese, butter can be a good addition to your dog’s diet in a very small amount.
Can dogs eat butter every day?
Butter is a human food with a high amount of saturated fat. You may consider adding it to your dog’s meals occasionally, but not frequently. Besides, the amount of butter should not be more than half a teaspoon.
What should you do if your dog eats butter too much?
Your dog may throw up after eating too much butter. In such a case, you have to observe his symptoms. If he is vomiting and having watery poop for a few hours, maybe the side effects are less. But if he is drooling, getting weak, and having pancreatitis, it means he needs urgent treatment.
Why do dogs like butter?
One of the main reasons for dogs heading over hills on butter is because of its texture. The creamy white texture can attract any mammals, as they look delicious. Besides, butter is digestible, which makes mammals lick it more and more.
Final Verdict
Butter offers more side effects than benefits. This can compel us to think again about whether can dogs have butter. Well, the answer is yes, if they can digest dairy products, have no allergies, and are not overweight. Most importantly, a dog can only have butter if his vet knows about it. Sometimes, the previous health condition of dogs restricts them from eating certain foods, even if they are not allergic to them.
If you ever see your dog eating more than required, don’t panic. He may vomit and have diarrhoea for a few hours. If the condition gets worse, he may develop lethargy or pancreatitis. Therefore, don’t delay in informing your vet when you see that your dog has too much butter.
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