Can Dogs Eat Pepperoni?
Not sure about you but pizza is one of Nessies favourite foods, and whenever we have pizza she really wants it. We do cave and give her some of the crust from time to time, but what about pepperoni? Can dogs eat Pepperoni?
No, dogs should never eat pepperoni. Pepperoni is way too high in sodium and fat to be healthy for a dog. Plus, many flavors of pepperoni come with seasonings that are also unsafe for dogs.
Is Pepperoni Safe for dogs if they get some?
Once in a blue moon, a dog can eat a single slice of pepperoni. They probably won’t get sick from a single slice. But still, you should never let your dog pig out on pepperoni. You shouldn’t even give them a single slice more than a couple times a year.
Pepperoni can actually give your dog digestive problems, too much can induce salt poisoning, their kidneys can be damaged, and they can experience vomiting and diarrhea.
The same goes for every kind of pepperoni. Hot pepperoni will definitely upset your dog’s stomach. They can get dehydrated and lethargic. Pepperoni jerky is bad for dogs because it sometimes contains garlic and onion powder, which is toxic for your canine friend.
Even pepperoni sticks are bad for dogs! Pepperoni sticks, just like pepperoni slices, contain too much sodium and fat to be healthy – for you and your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Salami?
Salami falls into the same category as pepperoni when it comes to your dog. Salami is not toxic for canines. However, salami does contain dangerous levels of sodium and fat. The consumption of salami can put your dog at risk of salt poisoning, pancreatitis, and kidney damage.
And just like with pepperoni, many types of salami come with seasonings or have been covered in garlic powder, with garlic powder of course being very toxic to dogs.
Can I Give My Dog a Slice of Pizza?
It doesn’t matter what kind of pizza it is, you should never give your dog an entire slice. Even if it’s just ordinary pepperoni pizza, it can prove unhealthy and dangerous for your dog. The pizza crust is an awful thing for your dog to eat, mostly because it contains garlic and onion.
Pizza is also filled with sugar, fat, and sodium. A full slice of pizza will definitely give your dog a stomachache. Even the pizza sauce usually contains added sugar that your dog’s body won’t take kindly to.
Does Pepperoni Give Dogs Diarrhea?
Pepperoni can definitely give your dog diarrhea. In fact, if your dog accidentally ate too much pepperoni, diarrhea is one of the serious symptoms. Your dog may also vomit, they will probably experience abdominal pain, you might notice increased urination and increased thirst, and if any of these symptoms persist, you must seek help from your local veterinarian.
The only good news is that pepperoni is not going to kill your dog. Too much will make them sick – but even too much pepperoni isn’t going to be fatal. Your dog will just become ill and maybe puke on your couch.
Why is Pepperoni Bad for Dogs?
Pepperoni is bad for dogs mainly because it is high in fat, calories, and sodium. In a single slice of pepperoni, you’ll find at least 10 calories, 35 milligrams of sodium, and 1 gram of fat. And this is only in a single piece. To understand how these numbers affect your dog, let’s break it down a little further.
A dog that weighs 30 pounds needs about 900 calories a day depending on how active they are. They also need a total of about 100 milligrams of sodium. This means that a single slice of pepperoni equals 35% of a dog’s daily sodium intake. Three slices of pepperoni would push them to their maximum sodium intake for the day.
Considering three slices of pepperoni are not going to fill up your dog, all the other food your dog eats throughout the day will add to those numbers. Your dog will end up by the end of the day tripling or even quadrupling its sodium intake – and this is exactly how salt poisoning occurs.
Besides the fact that pepperoni can literally poison your dog with salt, you have to also remember that every brand of pepperoni is made differently. Many pieces of pepperoni will come with red pepper on them, paprika, garlic, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and so much more. Any one of these ingredients will upset your dog’s stomach, while some can even be toxic.
The most toxic of all is going to be the spices. Red pepper and paprika will irritate your dog’s stomach just like how spicy peppers will irritate your throat. This will lead to diarrhea and even vomiting.
What Food Can Kill a Dog?
Pepperoni may not kill your dog, but there are some foods that definitely will. One of the biggest dog killers is the avocado. Avocados contain a special toxin that is safe for humans to eat but wildly poisonous to dogs. If dogs eat avocados, they can get fluid buildup in their lungs and chest, leading to death.
Caffeine is also dangerous for dogs. Within just two hours of drinking any kind of caffeine, your dog will probably experience vomiting and diarrhea, and the caffeine may lead to an abnormal heart rate and lung failure.
Grapes and raisins can kill dogs because they’re toxic and can cause kidney failure. Yeast, if eaten by your dog, can actually expand inside of your dog’s stomach and stop it from breathing. Alcohol should obviously never be consumed by dogs, and neither should chocolate.
But the biggest killer of dogs by far is salt. This is why pepperoni is so dangerous. Too much salt will almost always result in salt poisoning, which in severe cases can be fatal.
Final Thoughts
Every once in a while, you can get away with feeding your dog a slice or two of pepperoni. A single slice is not going to kill your pet. That said, you should only feed your dog a slice of pepperoni a few times a year at most. Too much pepperoni can give your dog salt poisoning!
And yes, this goes for every type of pepperoni out there. Even though your dog might beg for a bite of your pepperoni pizza, do the right thing and avoid feeding your dog dangerous pepperoni.