Can Dogs Eat Pancakes? Is It Safe?

A plain pancake doesn’t have anything toxic to dogs, however, pancakes are high in carbs and calories, which is not healthy for your dog. Plus, milk is usually involved in the making of pancakes and dogs are intolerant to lactose after their weaning stage. The short answer here is, yes, dogs can have pancakes, let’s talk about the long answer, though.

Pancake Ingredients And Their Risks To Dogs

The main ingredients in pancakes are;

• Flour
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Buttermilk or Milk
• Baking soda

None of these ingredients are toxic for dogs, but none of these ingredients are necessarily good for dogs either. Flour, for example, is used in some dog foods and treats but is unnecessary for your dog. According to rover.com, they may have allergies to flour and if not, there is no health benefit and shouldn’t be added to your dog’s diet.

Most all dogs are lactose intolerant to some degree, interestingly enough, they develop this shortly after their weaning stage. This means that milk is not something dogs should have after their infant stage. Lactose can lead to

• Bloating
• Bad gas
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Loose stool

Pretty standard to any creature that is lactose intolerant. A small amount of lactose once in a while won’t be harmful to your dog, but over time it could lead to pancreatitis, which is a serious condition for your pooch.

Sugar is not toxic for your dog, but it is not good for them either. Just like lactose, a little bit here and there won’t send your dog to the puppy hospital, however, in bigger quantities it can be a problem and especially over time will cause issues.

Your dog will suffer the same consequences as humans can such as; diabetes, obesity, dental problems among other things, and since their digestive systems are much smaller, those outcomes will happen faster.

Alternatives To Pancakes

You could create your own pancakes specifically for your dog if you wish to treat him to a yummy morning treat. Using a non dairy milk will be a better option than normal cow’s milk.

You could also swap chickpea flour or coconut flour in place of regular flour to make pancakes a bit healthier for your dog.

There is not much you can do with the sugar, however, because sugar substitutes are far more dangerous to dogs than normal sugar. Replacements such as xylitol are very toxic to dogs and can result in serious health complications and even death.

If Your Dog Stole Pancakes From The Table

If he just ate plain pancakes, he will be alright. If the pancakes had either chocolate or raisins in them, call the vet immediately as those are very much toxic for dogs and will result in serious health problems.

The only other concerning situation would be the syrup on the cakes. Since syrup is high in sugar, this could lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea and vomiting. There shouldn’t be anything else concerning, just take your dog outside and give him lots of water.

Conclusion

There is no health benefit for your dog eating pancakes. It is not recommended and you will end up harming him over time should you consistently serve it.

You should always remain cautious when introducing your dog to new foods and limit the amount of dog food you give him so that foods other than his only account for 10 percent of his daily calorie intake.