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Whether part of a delicious breakfast sandwich or a complement to a full dinner, biscuits are a versatile food that’s found in many American dishes. They may be heavy, light and fluffy, sweet, savory, or paired with gravy and other foods.
Can dogs eat biscuits? Biscuits are generally safe for dogs, but it depends on the ingredients and additions. They’re not exactly healthy, though.
What Are Biscuits?
Biscuits are a type of baked bread with a firm exterior and a soft, crumbly interior. They are often served with butter or condiments or combined with other foods, such as meat and eggs for breakfast sandwiches. They are also known as savory American scones.
There are many variations on biscuits. Some bakers add grated cheese to the recipe to make cheesy biscuits, while others may use sweet layers or fruit to turn them into a dessert. They may be combined with decadent foods like chocolate, icing, jam, or cinnamon. Buttermilk biscuits are also popular.
Outside of North America, biscuits can refer to a lot of foods that differ from American biscuits. In the UK, biscuits may describe cookies or crackers that could be savory or sweet. In some parts of the US and Canada, a biscuit is more like a British scone.
Are Biscuits Safe for Dogs to Eat?
With so many preparations and differences between biscuits, there’s no clear answer. Generally, the biscuits with a hard outer shell and fluffy interior, without any additional ingredients like cheese, spices, seasonings, or excess fat, are safe for dogs in small amounts.
The problem is with what may be added to a biscuit that could be harmful to dogs. For example, biscuits that are made with buttermilk or cheese have a lot of fat, which can cause digestive upset in your dog.
In some cases, it could even lead to pancreatitis, a severe inflammation of the pancreas that can cause serious symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, as well as possible damage to internal organs.
Biscuits may also be paired with toxic ingredients, such as chocolate. Theobromine, an ingredient found in chocolate, is toxic to dogs because they can’t metabolize it. Though they typically need larger quantities of chocolate, than would be found in a single biscuit. Serious complications can arise, such as vomiting, diarrhea, excessive urination, and racing heart rate. In severe cases, it may cause seizures, tremors, and heart failure.
There are plenty of other ingredients that can be added to or paired with biscuits that may be toxic to dogs, such as onions or garlic, grapes in fruit jams or preserves, and xylitol, an artificial sweetener that’s highly poisonous to dogs.
Precautions for Feeding Biscuits
If you want to feed your dog biscuits, it’s important to feed only homemade biscuits that you made yourself—free from other potentially dangerous ingredients—and only in small quantities. If you’re using ready-made biscuits, read the ingredient list for ingredients like xylitol or chocolate (cacao) that could present a problem.
With the risks, it’s better to stick with biscuits made specifically for dogs from commercial dog food brands. You could also look up recipes for dog biscuits and make your own! Your dog will think it’s getting taboo table food but without the possible hazards.
If you have any concerns about foods that are safe for your dogs, be sure to speak with your vet.
Conclusion
Biscuits are a common baked good that’s generally safe for dogs in small quantities, but the versatility of recipes and ingredients can make them potentially dangerous. If you want to feed biscuits to your dog, it’s important to monitor the ingredients or rely only on dog biscuits.
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Featured Image Credit: HandmadePictures, Shutterstock
