CAN DOGS EAT CARROT CAKE

Can Dogs Eat Carrot Cake? – Everything You Need To Know

Dogs bring loads of happiness and companion to their owners that most people won’t mind sharing a plate with their pup. However, dogs’ digestive system is rather different from that of humans which means some foods that are considered safe for human consumption could be harmful or toxic to your furry friend.

But can dogs eat carrot cake? The simple answer is yes, and they’ll gobble it down with lots of enthusiasm. After all, your canine friend is classified as omnivorous although technically, they’re commonly listed as carnivores.   

However, how healthy or how often your dog should enjoy such a treat is a different story altogether. Generally, cakes aren’t the best options as far as dogs’ treats go. Of course, a bite or two on an occasional basis is unlikely to harm your fuzzy but regardless, you don’t want to make it a habit.

Can Dogs Eat Carrot Cake?

Normally, the ingredients used to make carrot cakes aren’t toxic to dogs but the high content of sugar and milk may upset your dog’s tummy and in some cases cause vomiting and diarrhea (please note that this is only likely to happen if your pup eats a significant portion of carrot cake). 

The greatest concern about feeding your dog a carrot cake would definitely be pancreatitis from the ingestion of too much sugar and fat both of which your dog’s digestive system isn’t accustomed to digest.

If that sounds like too much risk to take, why not let your pup enjoy the carrot part as you take the cake?

Here is a simple breakdown to help understand the pros and cons of feeding your dog a carrot cake.

can dogs eat carrot cake

Health Benefits of Feeding Carrots to Your Dog

Carrots are high on fiber and vitamins but low on calories which make them a perfect healthy treat for your doggy.

This simply means that the carrot part in a carrot cake is very safe and beneficial for your dog. Carrots (especially raw) are antioxidants and they greatly help in reducing risks of different types of cancer which is pretty common in dogs.

In short, carrots are a healthy supplement to offer your dog. Here are a few more benefits of carrots;

  • Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A – in addition to promoting eye health and improving the pet’s vision, vitamins boost the immune system of your dog plus the health of its skin and coat.
  • Carrots are high on fiber and low on calories – carrots make a healthy, sweet snack that won’t make your dog fat. They have low calories with very little fat and high in fiber (which keeps your dog full longer) which is fantastic for your pup’s digestive system.
  • Carrots are great for your dog’s dental health – offering a raw/steamed carrot to your dog is an easy natural way to maintain their dental hygiene.  Offering your dog a piece of carrot to chomp on is the best way to get rid or prevent plaque and tartar buildup as the carrot gently scraps on your pup’s teeth leaving them strong and clean.

Potential Side Effects of Feeding Cake to Your Dog

It’s so tempting to offer your dog a bite of cake to merry along during celebrations. Unsurprisingly, feeding cakes to your dog regularly might result in serious health issues in the future.

Some cakes may also contain harmful or toxic ingredients that can potentially bring about life-threatening consequences.

Some of the potential side effects of carrot cakes in dogs include;

  • Weight gain and obesity – Excess sugar in cakes can bring about unhealthy weight again which can result in obesity. If you offer cakes on a regular basis weight gain and obesity can be unavoidable. Just like humans, the amount of sugar in cakes is unhealthy for your dog. Excess weight and obesity can lead to other health complications such as diabetes, heart diseases as well as arthritis.

Sugar-free cakes aren’t a healthy alternative either especially if you use Xylitol (a common sweetener) to replace sugar.

Xylitol is pretty common in sugar-free and low-calorie foods but this ingredient is toxic to your pet and will cause grave danger to your pup – it takes a little to cause serious health problems.

  • Adverse impact on your dog’s dental health – regular consumption of sugar-heavy foods, like cakes will greatly impact the oral health of your fuzzy. Gingivitis, cavities, tooth decay, or bacterial infections are not only painful teeth issues that can cause discomfort to your dog but they can also advance to more serious diseases.

Bacterial infections in particular, if it goes untreated can get into the bloodstream, spread throughout the body, and this can cause significant damage to delicate organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys.

  • Some cake ingredients can be toxic for dogs – dogs have different sensitivities and no dog is exactly like the other. While some ingredients will cause little to no effect on some dogs, the same ingredient may have deadly effects on another.

But generally, here are some common cake ingredients and toppings that you should steer clear of for the sake of your pup’s health;

  1. Vanilla extract
  2. Nutmeg
  3. Raisins
  4. Chocolate
  5. Grapes
  6. Macadamia nuts

If your dog ate too much of carrot cake they’re likely to experience some stomach upsets or pancreatitis.

While the former can get better in a few days, pancreatitis is rather painful, will cause great discomfort to your dog and you may need to make a visit to the vet, do a blood test to rule it out.

Before you head to the vet, you can do a simple test just to be sure if your dog is suffering from pancreatitis;

  • Locate your dog’s right rib cage and try to press the area right under the cage deeply
  • If the pancreas is inflamed, your dog should react painfully on palpation

Conclusion

An occasional bite of carrot cake from time to time will definitely cause no harm to your dog but instead of sharing what’s meant for humans, it’s always better to bake your furry friend a dog-friendly cake that has safe appropriate ingredients.

Bonus Delicious Recipe for Dog Carrot Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil
  • 1/3 cup honey (optional)
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup whole wheat or white flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 6 cup ring mold.
  2. Combine the egg, peanut butter, oil, and honey, if desired, in a large bowl; blend well. Stir in the carrots and mix thoroughly. Sift together the flour and baking soda and fold into the carrot mixture. Spoon cake batter into prepared pan.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in pan for 10 minutes; then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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