In order to enhance the taste of our burgers and pizza, we often use pepperoni as a topping. As we care about our dogs’ taste buds, we may wonder, Can dogs have pepperoni?
Unfortunately, pepperoni is not the right treat for dogs. It contains processed meat, whereas dogs can only have plain meat. Also, pepperoni has onions, garlic, spices, and preservatives that pose health threats to mammals.
For your dog’s well-being, we suggest not offering him pepperoni, even if he makes a puppy face. It can be harsh to hear, but once you learn about its side effects, you will understand. This article can relate to this concept.
All About Pepperoni
Pepperoni is a kind of spicy salami that is made from processed meat, i.e., beef and pork. It looks bright red, smoky, and slightly soft. We mostly use pepperoni as a topping on pizza. Its main job is to enhance the taste of treats, as it includes several ingredients. Such as peppers, salt, garlic, onions, and so on.
Can Dogs Have Pepperoni?
We find pepperoni tasty because of its processed meat. Besides, it includes spices, paprika, cayenne, salt, white pepper, red pepper, black pepper, and many more ingredients. Those ingredients are completely unhealthy for dogs. You may see your dog fighting kidney disease, pancreatitis, salt poisoning, etc. after ingesting those ingredients. Since pepperoni has all of them, this delicious treat is a no-no for dogs.
The fats, calories, sodium, and preservatives are also reasons why pepperoni is not safe for dogs. Well, we will dig deeper into it later.
Why Can’t Dogs Have Pepperoni?
Dogs cannot have pepperoni because of the stuff it has. Let’s check them out.
Pepperoni Is High In Fat
One of the main reasons why dogs can’t have pepperoni is because of its high-fat content. One slice of pepperoni has 0.9 grams of fat, which is not required for our canine friends. Hence, your dog can gain too much weight from eating pepperoni and even become obese. He can even be the victim of osteoarthritis and hypertension that occur from obesity.
Sometimes, eating excessive fat makes dogs’ hearts unhealthy. Since pepperoni is high in fat, it can lead to many heart diseases and inflame the pancreas. The symptoms could be bloating, stomach pain, and diarrhoea.
Pepperoni Is High In Sodium
Pepperoni also has a high amount of salt, which is always a bad substitute to add to dogs’ diets. The meat in pepperoni absorbs the salt due to osmosis and dries out. This usually keeps microorganisms at bay but also means that the amount of salt is high here.
Most commonly, dogs face dehydration and hypertension due to their high sodium content. This can even lead to salt poisoning and renal failure. Well, too much dehydration can also be the cause of hypernatremia. The symptoms can be pale gums, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, and so on.
It Contains Harmful Ingredients
Like fats and salt, spices are also harmful to dogs. The key ingredients in pepperoni include fennel seeds, cayenne pepper, red pepper, black pepper, paprika, etc. They mainly enhance the spiciness of the meat in pepperoni, which can be hazardous for your dog’s intestine.
People also add garlic and onion to pepperoni as toppings, which are other toxic ingredients for dogs. However, one small bite of onion and garlic from pepperoni may not have adverse effects. Yet, it is better to keep your dog away from these ingredients.
Pepperoni Is High In Calories
As said earlier, pepperoni is high in fat, so it is inevitably going to be high in calories too. In a single slice, it has 26 calories. If you don’t want your dog to gain an unhealthy weight, keep him away from the calories of pepperoni.
What Happens When Dogs Have Pepperoni?
Pepperoni has almost everything that dogs need to avoid. Hence, eating it can pose many health risks to them.
The most visible symptoms that dogs give after eating pepperoni are vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, excessive thirst, and loss of appetite. If he ate pepperoni in a moderate quantity or more, his pancreas could swell and have increased blood pressure. Well, he can also get obese if he has taken slices of pepperoni frequently.
If your dog is already obese, pepperoni can lead to heart disease and pancreatitis.
What To Do When Dogs Have Pepperoni?
Whenever you see your dog eating pepperoni, take it away from him. Don’t panic right after the moment; just watch for his symptoms. If he ate a small amount of pepperoni, the effects wouldn’t be adverse. He may just vomit and have watery poop for a few hours. Then you can let him rest and offer him some white rice once he feels well.
If your dog ate a big slice or a moderate or large amount of pepperoni, he will have severe abdominal pain. He may vomit continuously, and his pancreas can get inflamed. If he is reacting badly, it means he needs urgent treatment. So call your vet immediately at that time and inform him about the situation. Then offer your dog the medications prescribed by him.
Can Dogs Have Pepperoni Sometimes?
Surprisingly, pepperoni contains some health benefits that dogs can rarely get. It has protein, magnesium, calcium, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Protein can help with your dog’s skeletal growth, magnesium can ensure proper metabolism, and calcium can strengthen bones. Meanwhile, vitamin B6 improves the nervous system, vitamin B12 develops body cells, and vitamin C removes free radicals.
Despite having so many health benefits from pepperoni, dogs are going to be the first victims of its side effects. Let’s say you gave one small bite of pepperoni or a small amount of pepperoni to your dog. Well, that may not pose any health risk to him. But that doesn’t mean you can offer him the slightest amount every day. If you can offer him a small piece of pepperoni every two or three months, maybe he can escape the side effects.
Frequently Asked Questions: Can Dogs Have Pepperoni?
Is chicken pepperoni safe for dogs?
Like any pepperoni, chicken pepperoni is also unsafe for dogs. They contain all the ingredients that beef pepperoni and pork pepperoni have. Therefore, chicken pepperoni is also a harmful meat for dogs.
Can pepperoni kill dogs?
Pepperoni can cause adverse effects in dogs and sometimes be fatal for them. For instance, if a dog is dealing with high blood pressure, the high sodium content in pepperoni can worsen his condition and even lead to death.
Is a small slice of pepperoni good for dogs?
No vet will recommend eating pepperoni to dogs, even in the slightest amount. Hopefully, one bite of pepperoni won’t cause them trouble, but it can be hazardous for them in moderate quantities.
Can you feed pepperoni pizza to dogs?
If pepperoni is an unsafe substitute for dogs, so is pepperoni pizza. This processed meat will eventually increase the sodium and fat content of pizza, which is indirectly harmful to dogs. Besides, pizza has many other toppings, all with pepperoni, which brings other threats to canines.
Final Thoughts
Since pepperoni offers trace amounts of benefits, you may think, Can dogs have pepperoni? The answer is no. Dogs should not eat pepperoni, as it contains salt and spices that can pose health threats to them.
Instead of pepperoni, you may serve dog food to your dog. Or if he wants a meaty treat, you can offer him some chicken or fish that are cooked with no ingredients.
If your dog ever eats pepperoni, make sure he doesn’t eat it further and let your vet know about it. Sometimes, food intake can leave an impact on health even if there is no reaction.
