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Can Dogs Eat Icing?

by Lucy

As you watch your fur baby grow, your heart is sure to be filled with joy, but you probably realized from the get-go that your pup would be a treasured member of your family. So, it makes sense that you want to make your doggo’s birthday special. Naturally, you can’t have a birthday party for your furry friend without cake. 

Now, there are plenty of foods out there that your pup may eat. Dogs don’t have very discerning tastes. But, that doesn’t mean that everything your puppy consumes is good for it.

Can dogs eat icing? A small amount of icing won’t hurt your dog, but a large chunk of icing or cake may cause diarrhea, vomiting, retching, and a very upset stomach. Of course, the amount of icing that will cause this reaction depends on how big your dog is and how sensitive their digestive system is.

If your dog has licked a tiny bit of icing from the floor, you shouldn’t worry, but if they’ve wolfed down a whole birthday cake while your back was turned, it will be cause for concern. This is especially true if there was any chocolate involved.

It’s always important to consult your veterinarian if your dog has eaten too much of something they shouldn’t have. In the mean time, we’ll discuss the reasons why icing and dogs just don’t mix and what you can feed your dog for a special treat instead.

Why Is Icing So Bad For Your Dog?

Several elements go into making icing. Even when you take the simplest form of icing, it will have at least three key components – icing sugar, butter, and vanilla.

Now let’s examine these ingredients individually to understand whether they have any ill effects on your dog’s health.

Icing Sugar – Sugar in any form is bad for dogs. In the wild, dogs and wolves don’t come across processed sugar. So, their bodies just aren’t equipped to digest it well. Just as sugar is bad for humans, causing all kinds of health concerns, it’s not any healthier for your precious pooch. Sugar can cause dental decay, diabetes, and obesity. Moreover, if your dog is into eating sugar all the time, it may even develop heart conditions.

Sugar-Free Icing – It may be hard to believe, but sugar-free icing is far more dangerous for dogs than the original version. Sugar-free does not mean dog safe. The sweetness in sugar-free icing comes from products known as artificial sweeteners. Xylitol is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners out there, and it is highly toxic for dogs!

Butter – Dogs don’t do well with dairy. Most breeds of dogs are lactose intolerant. The digestive system in a dog’s body cannot break down enzymes present in milk-based products, including butter or cheese. Therefore, if your dog is gobbling away lots of icing, then it will end up with intestinal distress.

Vanilla or Chocolate – Vanilla is harmless for dogs, but not everyone uses vanilla essence for icing all the time. If you happen to go for the most popular flavor of icing, chocolate, then you will be harming your dog by letting them ingest it. Chocolate is toxic for dogs, as are macadamia nuts, raisins, nutmeg, or cinnamon. Not to mention, many other flavorings such as orange, lemon, and avocado are also harmful to your dog.

Taking a closer look at each of these ingredients individually, it’s no wonder cupcakes and donuts aren’t sold in the pet aisle at your local grocery store. But icing isn’t the only culprit in dessert-related distress. Often, owners mistakenly feed their dogs cake along with it.

Can Dogs Eat Cake?

Unfortunately, cake is far worse than icing alone for your canine companion. Cakes are made with flour, sugar, baking soda, or baking powder (sometimes both), and various flavorings. 

As mentioned above, sugar is bad for your dog. But, leavening agents that make cakes go fluffy and moist such as baking soda or baking powder aren’t going to do any wonders for your fluffy friend either.

Small amounts are okay, but these ingredients require a relatively long amount of time to digest. Not to mention, there is always the possibility that they may clog up your fur baby’s intestines with components they can’t digest.

Furthermore, there are plenty of canines out there that can’t even digest wheat, as they have wheat allergies. Now, dogs with allergies to grain respond the same way as humans do. They can develop itchy skin, hives, tummy troubles, swollen faces, and chronic ear or paw infections. 

So, that means that your attempt to make your doggy’s birthday extraordinary can become disastrous if it involves cake or icing. Your doggo could end up with all kinds of pains and aches, lying miserably in a corner all because of a piece of cake given with all the best intentions.

Not to mention, you could end up having to clean up a whole lot of nasty mess. Indeed, there must be a way to avoid such a bleak scenario, right? Read on to find out.

What Alternatives Can I Use Instead of Icing?

There are several options available to pet parents to use as an alternative to icing and cake. You see, there are now pet stores that provide birthday cakes or cake mixes made especially for dogs!

However, if you’d rather make a cake for your dog yourself from scratch as a labor of love, then you can take care of making your doggo’s day memorable with ingredients that you know are safe for your pet. There are options such as grain-free flour or gluten-free flour to bake a cake for your dogs. 

Also, eggs aren’t harmful to your pet either. As for icing or frosting, you can use peanut butter or mashed ripe bananas too. Other fruits or vegetables can be used to make the cake yummier for your dog. 

Many parents even vow that their dogs love cauliflower and carrot dog cakes. And, as you are responsible for your loyal buddy’s well-being, it is wiser to go with choices that are going to be as wholesome as they are delicious.

We suggest this fantastic healthy dog birthday cake recipe from Danny Seo on The More You Know channel on YouTube.

Related Questions

Having a companion as great as a dog is such a blessing, but being a pet owner is a huge responsibility. You see, your bounding buddy will always rely on your discretion to make the best life choices for it. And that includes food. 

So, don’t feel sorry for your doggo if you’re having a slice of cake. Go ahead and bake a cake for your best pal too. You’ll just have to make sure that everything that goes down your dog’s gullet is going to be healthy and not in any way detrimental to their well-being.

Now, when it comes to new pet parents or old, many feel unsure about things concerning their canine’s diet. While the best course of action is always to consult your vet, we’ve got some helpful information below to satisfy your curiosity.

Can My Dog Eat Cream Cheese Frosting?

Yes, your dog can eat cream cheese frosting, as there are no toxic elements in cream cheese. It would serve as a great alternative to icing or regular frosting on your doggo’s birthday cake.

Many vets even argue that cream cheese has healthy properties such as calcium, protein, and vitamins A and B. But cream cheese can only work for your doggo if it isn’t lactose intolerant, and even then only in small quantities to avoid stomach upset.

If your dog is lactose intolerant, then your dog can suffer severe tummy upset even with a small amount of cream cheese. Furthermore, vets also claim that cream cheese is quite filling for dogs, so it should only be offered a little at a time. 

Can My Dog Eat Peanut Butter?

Peanut butter is full of nutrients and protein. But, the generic peanut butter is also full of salt and some sugar. And, too much sodium can cause dehydration in dogs or cats. On the other hand, sugar will cause digestive distress and tooth decay.

In short, your dogs can enjoy a spoonful of peanut butter as a treat from time to time. Peanut butter isn’t toxic for your faithful companion in any way. But, you need to make sure that it’s either sodium-free or just homemade so that you use only the healthy stuff and none of the sugar or salt to make it (personally, this is my favorite choice for my pup).

The only thing to remember when it comes to peanut butter is that your dog may be allergic to it. There’s no doubt that if you offer your doggos some peanut butter, the spoons are going to be licked clean in a few seconds. But, if your buddy is allergic, then there may be a terrible tummy ache in store for them.

So, before you start something new on your fur baby, ask your vet for advice. An overdose on peanut butter can surely lead to obesity or even pancreatitis. So, if your furball does not show any symptoms of allergic reactions, present only a spoonful of peanut butter per week as a treat.

Is Honey a Safe Option for My Dog?

Honey is perfectly safe for dogs. It contains many nutrients that are beneficial for your dog’s well-being. It contains no fibers, fat, or protein. But, honey does have epic proportions of bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants. 

Antioxidants can help reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, and minimize oxidative stress. Moreover, honey is a far healthier option than sugar. But, it does boost blood sugar levels. 

If your doggo has a sweet tooth and digs sweet treats, you can use honey as a sweetening agent. But, it’s wise to err on the side of caution and limit the number of sweet treats you offer to your buddy.

Up Next: 3 Best Popcorn Treats for Dogs

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