Butter is a staple in most households, which means — like other foods — there’s a chance your curious dog could get into a stick and sneak a bite. Knowing that this ingredient is in many recipes or within your pet’s reach begs the question: is butter okay for dogs to eat? To help guide us, we turned to Dr. Aliya McCullough, DVM, Fetch’s on-staff veterinarian. She talked to us about the health risks of letting dogs eat butter and what to do if they have a negative reaction.
Butter isn’t toxic to dogs, so your pup will likely be okay if they eat a small amount. However, the high fat content can cause pets to experience upset stomachs, Dr. McCullough explains.
“If your pup accidentally eats a small amount of butter that fell to the floor or licks a bit up, they may not get sick,” she adds. “Dogs can have different reactions to eating the spread. For example, pets with a history of a sensitive stomach are more likely to have a negative reaction to eating the ingredient, even a small amount.”
If your dog manages to eat food that’s cooked in butter, they’ll probably be fine — but you should try to keep buttery dishes away from them if possible to avoid potential gastrointestinal issues. And if your dog grabs that rogue butter stick off the counter, monitor them for signs of an adverse reaction and contact your veterinarian if they start to get sick.
When a pup has an upset stomach — especially after eating large amounts of butter — they might vomit, have diarrhea or experience pancreatitis (which means their pancreas is inflamed).
“Pancreatitis causes vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, decreased appetite and sometimes gastrointestinal tract bleeding,” Dr. McCullough explains. “In severe cases, it can cause fever, collapse, severe lethargy or lead to hospitalization.”
The fat content in butter can also lead to obesity in dogs, and there’s no nutritional value. The same goes for olive oil, even though it’s an unsaturated fat. “The fat in olive oil can contribute to weight gain and doesn’t contain enough essential fatty acids to have significant health benefits for dogs,” Dr. McCullough says.
While regular butter is a no-no for your pup, nut butter is a different story: peanut butter and almond butter are both safe for dogs (in moderation, of course.)
The Dig, Fetch Pet Insurance's expert-backed editorial, answers all of the questions you forget to ask your vet or are too embarrassed to ask at the dog park. We help make sure you and your best friend have more good days, but we’re there on bad days, too.
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