Going to a pizzeria in the company of our pet, or ordering pizzas at home is always an uninterrupted almsgiving to which it is often difficult to say no: but can dogs eat pizza?
Regardless of how much each master manages not to give in to pleading eyes of your dog, Dog pizza is bad
Let’s find out why, which ingredients to avoid, if there are pizza flavors that can be less harmful for Fido and what to do in case of accidental ingestion.
Can dogs eat pizza?
Our four-legged friends love to eat and, not having a sense of satiety, they could eat our entire pizza: a tasty and rich food like that is a very strong temptation for them.
Unfortunately dogs can’t eat pizza because their own gastrointestinal tract is not equipped to digest anything of the kind, starting with the dough, ending with the most banal ingredient. In addition dogs have an organism with much lower caloric needs to human ones therefore even a single slice of pizza could be excessive and determine the onset of pathologies such as obesity.
But let’s find out together what are the flavors of pizza, and the related ingredients, that the animal must avoid and why.
Can Dogs Eat Margherita Pizza?
The margherita, a pizza born in Naples in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy, counts among its few and simple ingredients, already at least a couple of foods not recommended for dogs:
- Mozzarella: particularly fatty dairy product with a large quantity of lactose, a sugar to which most dogs are intolerant.
- Tomato: although we often tend to think that fruit and vegetables are suitable for our Fido, tomatoes are not among the vegetables that are good for him, due to its intrinsic acidity, which can damage the animal’s gastric walls.
- Basil: although it is a plant that does not bring contraindications for dog intake, it may happen that the animal develops an allergic reaction against it.
Can dogs eat pizza marinara?
However, marinara, a simple pizza that has very few healthy ingredients, cannot be given to our dog. What should be avoided in this case is:
- Garlic: particularly indigestible food for the canine gastrointestinal tract, it can cause vomiting, anemia, and diarrhea.
- Sale, olio: basic ingredients that are present in every type of pizza and are both to be avoided in the dog’s diet. The toxicity of salt is widely known, while the massive lipid intake of olive oil can induce obesity and pancreatitis.
Can dogs eat quattroformaggi pizza?
The luscious quattroformaggi that many human beings adore, is strongly discouraged for our Fido, precisely because of the presence of a large quantity and variety of cheese which can be harmful to his body.
The simultaneous presence of mozzarella, parmesan, gorgonzola and provola (the fourth cheese is generally variable) are quite harmful for our furry friend.
Cheese tends not to be harmful to dogs, but the one used on pizza, and in particular the association of several dairy varieties, significantly increases the risk of obesity and can damage the stomach.
… and the woodcutter, the capricious and the four seasons?
Also to be avoided. They contain a multitude of ingredients that cannot be separated and some of these are particularly indigestible and harmful to our four-legged friends:
- Onion: the onion is very dangerous for Fido as it contains N-propyl disulfide which tends to degrade the animal’s red blood cells.
- Mushrooms: certain types contain mycotoxins which are harmful to the dog, and which cause vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Is pizza crust bad for dogs?
Again the answer is no. In fact, it is thought that, to prevent him from ingesting the aforementioned ingredients, we can only give the dog pizza crustbut it’s not possible.
Paradoxically, although it is easy to think that a piece of crust could be less harmful because it is made only of farinawater, yeast e salethat is precisely the most toxic part for the four-legged.
The dog ate the pizza dough: what’s wrong?
Having reviewed all the ingredients contained in the various types of pizza and their effects on the dog’s health, let’s now talk about the most dangerous aspect of eating pizza: its dough.
- Brewer’s yeast: element to be absolutely avoided in the dog’s diet as it favors fungal infections (such as malassezia), gastrointestinal problems, allergies, dermatitis.
- Farina: basically refined, the flour used to prepare the pizza should be avoided in Fido’s diet. Rich in sugars, and in particular in starch, the latter can cause the dog to develop dermatitis and atopy (predisposition to allergic reactions).
What to do if your dog eats pizza?
If your dog is the sneaky one who climbs onto the table and goes to steal the last slice of pizza left in the package, don’t worry: the first thing to do is notify the vet. Depending on the quantity ingested, he will be able to advise you on the appropriate lactic ferments to help the animal’s body metabolize and better absorb the heavy meal.
It can also be useful skip the next scheduled meal for the dayso as not to overload the dog’s gastrointestinal system, and be careful diarrhea and altered feces.
In any case, a small piece of ledge every now and then will certainly not be a tragedy, but if we can, best to avoid concessions from the table.
PS. Sorry for the pizza in the picture, but the dog was too cute!