Butter is one of the most common foods and ingredients in our diet. Some say it is good while others claim it is bad for humans. What about dogs? Is butter good for dogs or not? Well, this is something we will have to answer today. We will reveal all the main facts about this topic and also include less-known and more interesting facts. Within 10 minutes you will know all about feeding butter to your pet.
Is Butter Good For Dogs or Bad?
The simplest answer is that your dog can eat butter. It is not toxic to dogs and there are no severe health-related complications or issues. But, dogs should not eat butter. This is not one of the foods they will benefit from and it can be dangerous. You may have heard that butter offers health benefits to dogs.
This is because of the presence of vitamins B12 and A. But, these are present in small amounts and they are present in other foods that are much safer. In general, butter doesn’t have any health benefits to dogs. It doesn’t have any for humans either, just to be clear.
There are some risks though. First of all, butter is loaded with fat. Dogs can easily gain weight if they eat a lot of butter. In small amounts, it is not dangerous but if you feed your pet all the time, obesity is an issue. Then we have the fact that there are no minerals or needed nutrients in butter so a dog will get fat only. This is not something you want from the food your dog eats.
Some if not most dogs are lactose intolerant. This means that their body is unable to process milk properly. Gas, diarrhea, and even bloating are common things when dogs eat butter. If your pet ate a lot of butter while you were away, look at the symptoms. If you notice any issues, contact your vet. Once again, these are not life-threatening conditions or issues but they are problematic and they will be a huge problem for a dog.
Dogs Can Eat Small Amount of Butter
If you are one of those who believe that dogs should eat butter, keep in mind that a specific amount is mandatory. One tablespoon of butter will contain 12 grams of fat. This is a lot. A dog of 30 pounds will need this amount of fat per day. In other words, a medium sized dog can eat one tablespoon of butter per day.
Considering that he will also eat his own food and so much more, this means he will ingest more fat than he actually needs. A smaller dog can eat butter as well but in a smaller amount. A larger dog can eat a bit more but it is still a dangerous issue.
If you really want to feed dogs with butter, always do this in moderation or extremely small amounts. Make sure that your pet doesn’t find butter in a fridge and eat it. Don’t use it as a treat. You will feed your pet too much butter which can be problematic. Once again, butter doesn’t have any real benefits to dogs hence using it as a part of their diet is a mistake.
Salted and Unsalted Butter
There are all kinds of butter in a grocery store. Some are ordinary while others are special and come with specific ingredients. In a nutshell, all of these are the same thing and all of them are bad for dogs when consumed in massive amounts. However, the two most common types are salted and unsalted butter. Salted ones are even worse.
These contain a lot of salt which is present as a preservative and also as seasoning. Due to the fact, a lot of sodium is used, this type of butter is an even worse option for a dog. Your dog will ingest too much sodium which is not ideal. Always keep in mind that dogs need different ingredients in different amounts than humans. They are very sensitive and you can easily use a diet that is bad in one way or another!
Additional Facts About Butter
By now you know the truth and you know all there is when it comes to butter and dogs. Here are a few fun facts you may want to know. Butter is a milk product. It is in a solid state when at room temperature. Butter contains 80% butterfat which is a lot. A while back it was a fermented product.
Mixing milk for a long period of time would make butter, in the simplest explanation of course. Today, butter is a commercial product that uses pasteurization in order to remove microbes and also pathogenic bacteria. This is the time when manufacturers will add salt (for seasoning and also for preservation reasons).
If we look at the nutritional value of butter, we don’t have a lot to see. 99% of it is fat. Only 1% is protein which is far from much. This means that if you use 100 grams of butter, 50% of it will be saturated fats. Yes, 50 grams of 100 grams butter are fats.
Butter can even be bad for people when consumed too much. Sadly, this is a common problem today. Many people eat too much butter and use it when cooking, making meals, and more. Try to avoid this if possible. You can always find a healthier option. If you want to gain weight, butter can be a secret method.
The Final Word
Is butter good for dogs or bad? In small amounts it is neutral. Your dog can eat a small amount of butter every now and then. In high amounts, it is bad because it will cause obesity and can add too much salt to the diet. Don’t forget that some dogs are lactose intolerant hence they must not consume milk or butter. All of these are issues to dogs hence butter is not something they should eat.
Recommended Readings:
- How Old Is My Dog In Human Years.
- How Long Does It Take For Giardia To Show Up In Puppies.
- Can Dogs Eat Beef?
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