Admittedly, it is hard to resist a freshly baked croissant and all of the wonderful smells that come along with it. Interestingly enough, your dog may be facing the same problem, and you may have discovered one or two of your croissants mysteriously missing from the table.
Now that your dog has succumbed to those mouth-watering croissants, what do you do? Is your dog in any danger?
Continue reading this article to learn about the potential health risks that croissants may present.
So, Can Dogs Eat Croissants?
No, dogs should not eat croissants. It’s not at all surprising that croissants are not on the list of the best healthy foods to give your dog.
Moreover, the main ingredients in a croissant are water, butter, flour, yeast, and sugar. These are also the typical ingredients found in most bread.
While none of these ingredients are particularly healthy for your dog, they are not toxic if your dog just so happens to eat one or two of them. But your dog should not eat croissants because there are other ingredients that can negatively affect their health. So while delicious, the answer is no.
The ingredients that are most prevalent in croissants are butter and flour.
So let’s begin with these ingredients first.
Is Flour a Toxic Ingredient for Dogs?
The majority of flour that we eat is wheat flour; this flour is not toxic to your dog unless they have a wheat allergy specifically.
Moreover, it’s unlikely that the flour from a croissant causes your dog any harm. However, at its worst, it may cause a little distress, such as an upset stomach, and even this is unlikely. So can dogs eat croissants? Technically, yes, but they should stay away from them.
Will Butter Make My Dog Sick?
On the other hand, butter is a slightly different story because of its fat content. Butter is more likely to make your dog’s stomach upset, but it shouldn’t cause much more discomfort than that. However, if your dog were to eat a block of butter, then you may have to be concerned about the possibility of pancreatitis.
At any rate, the amount of butter in a bite or two of a croissant should not put your dog at risk of any health issues.
In the more luxurious versions of croissants, you may find almonds.
Are Almonds Bad for Dogs?
Although almonds won’t poison your dog, they aren’t good to feed your dog either.
The greatest hazard that almonds present to your dog have to do with the fact that they are flaked and therefore a potential choking hazard.
Of course, this all depends on the size of your dog and the size of their throat. It also depends on how few bites your dog takes to scarf the croissant down.
Related Article:
Two Croissant Ingredients That are Harmful to Dogs
If you are fond of croissants and you like to share them with your beloved companion, two ingredients are potentially lethal to your dog that may be found in your croissant or any other baked goods. Those ingredients are raisins and xylitol.
Are Raisins Toxic for Dogs?
As of now, scientists don’t know exactly why raisins are toxic for dogs; however, they do know that it only takes just a few raisins to kill a small dog potentially.
Symptoms to be aware of include:
- Tremors
- Lethargy
- Abdominal pain
Is Xylitol Toxic?
In products that are supposed to be sugar-free, you can usually find the artificial sweetener, Xylitol.
It’s common to find this ingredient in grocery items like peanut butter and other baked goods like donuts.
Though you may not find Xylitol in croissants that you get from the store, homemade croissants recipes online will list it as an ingredient.
When a dog eats food items with Xylitol, it causes a jump in the insulin that they produce. That results in dangerously low blood sugar levels for your dog.
Symptoms include:
- Weakness
- Vomiting
- Coma
- Seizures
How Can I Make My Dog Stop Eating Croissants?
One of the best ways to solve this problem is to find out the source of the croissants.
Where are they getting them from?
Did your dog steal the croissants from the table? Did your child leave half-finished croissants in their room on the desk? Maybe you were rushing out of the house on your way to work and you left it on the table. We get it, these events are unintentional.
To expect yourself or everyone in your family to never accidentally leave croissants out is far-fetched. However, it’s important to make sure that you aren’t purposely sharing your croissants with your dog. Table scraps seem harmless, but they add up.
As easy as it is to give in to your dog when they give you the puppy eyes and beg you for that last little morsel, don’t do it! Your dog’s health depends on your resilience. Feed them scraps of some of your vegetables instead.
It’s better to not give them any bread at all, but if you absolutely want to give them bread, make sure it’s only small amounts with no peanut butter, jelly, or butter on it.
Ingredients in Bread Dough Can Be Fatal to Your Dog
One of the main ingredients in croissants is yeast. Uncooked bread that has active yeast in it has the potential to be lethal for your dog. The expansion that happens to bread will also happen to your dog, in their stomachs.
Always make sure that your croissant mix or the yeast is always up higher than your dog can reach.
Final Thoughts
Croissants are delicious, true enough, but remember that it’s not good for your dogs in any capacity. So can dogs eat croissants?
Yes, but it’s not recommended. It’s not worth the risk to share your food with your pet. Even though we care for our dogs and treat them like our best friends, they simply can’t handle the same foods that we eat. Accidents happen, but try to keep them to a minimum.
Stick to the recommended diet that your veterinarian has provided and familiarize yourself with the ingredients that dogs cannot ingest. Always speak with your primary veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about what your dog can and cannot include in their diets.
