The human-canine friendship is older and purer than many others in the big old volume of relationships! Dogs are the companions humans never deserved. Try to grasp this. Your dog trusts you so much that it would eat anything out of your hand without having any second thoughts. Adorable, but should that be allowed to happen? After all, the human and canine digestive systems are not one hundred percent identical. There are certain foods that your dog cannot eat. On the other hand, it won’t hurt to share some with your pet. To which tribe do the pancakes belong? A question that we answer in detail in this discussion. Pancakes are a popular breakfast item, and many of us are addicted to these fluffy cakes. But in this discussion, the focus would be on your dog. Let us find out if your dog can eat pancakes or not!
Typical ingredients of a pancake
But before we weigh the pros and cons of feeding pancakes to your dog, we thought it prudent to list the typical ingredients found in a pancake. It is important to know these ingredients since it would help you understand feeding pancakes to your dog in a better way. Hmm, let us put on our chef hat! Well, there is flour, of course. Then, you have the baking powder and baking soda mixed with milk. Oh, and eggs and salt as well. You need some oil for a smooth batter! Now, what do you think? DO any of these ingredients sound toxic to you? Well, they are not toxic, to be frank. However, that doesn’t mean they should regularly feature in your dog’s diet. Well, well! That is what we will talk about in this article anyway!
Pancakes: A nutritional recap
We know that this article is turning out to be a test of your patience. But don’t you want to know the nutritional value of that warm pancake you just had? We will keep it brief, we promise! Ok, so let us take the example of a pancake that weighs around 100 grams. The overall caloric value is what you will be interested in most. Well, it is around 200-220 calories, speaking generally. Pancakes are typically enriched with sodium; amounts can range between 400-450 mg for a 100 grams pancake. Potassium content is high as well, but lower cholesterol levels make pancakes a popular choice for breakfast. Please note that these numbers can vary greatly since it all depends on style and the batter you are baking. The quantity of individual ingredients matters a lot!
Can dogs eat pancakes?
Alright folks, time to answer the question around which this whole debate has been orchestrated. Can dogs eat pancakes or not? Drum rolls, please! The answer is yes; your dog can devour pancakes. However, that is an incomplete answer, and we are afraid that if you skip the rest of this article, you will miss out on some crucial information. While it is true that pancakes are not toxic for your puppy, there are important considerations that you must keep in your mind. Are flavored pancakes ok? Which pancake toppings are suitable for your dog? When do you drag away the plate and give a thumbs-down signal to your dog? These and many other considerations, which we elaborate on in the next sections, should be kept in mind while feeding pancakes to dogs!
Can dogs eat flavored pancakes?
While we have been lenient in low-key salty pancakes, we won’t extend the same feelings for flavored pancakes. The flavored pancakes come with several toppings, which are not fine for your dog’s digestive system. Take the example of chocolate pancakes. We all know that you should never feed chocolate to your canine friend if you care for its health. Wait, you DID know that. The excessive amount of sugar and fat makes flavored pancakes an avoidable choice for your dog. So, the next time you think of dropping down a piece of a pancake to the floor for your dog to devour, make sure that it isn’t a flavored one!
Banana or blueberries?
But there are some pancakes that are perfectly fine for your dog to eat. Take the example of banana pancakes. Better still, consider blueberry pancakes as well. Now, these are the pancakes you and your canine friend should be eating and enjoying. You must be wondering why we sound heavily biased in favor of these two varieties. We have our reasons. It is a well-known fact that blueberries are an excellent choice for pet parents who want something to improve their dog’s eyesight. These berries have been reported to slow down eyesight weakening as well. On the other hand, banana is a fruit enriched with potassium, an element that has an antitumor effect.
So, you see, there are choices for you to select from. You can opt for a banana or a blueberry pancake, but we say, why don’t you try to be a little more creative? For example, we strongly recommend pasting some peanut butter on your dog’s pancake since this is something that has been proven to be great for canine cardiovascular health.
Which pancake toppings are great for your dog?
This is the most important part of this discussion from our perspective, and we implore you to pay maximum attention to this section. Toppings add all the flavor to your pancakes, but we urge you to be a little more careful when it comes to doggo pancakes. There are some toppings that you must refrain from adding to your dog’s pancake. Let us talk about them right now.
The first on our list is butter. Butter can fatten up your baby in no time since the caloric and cholesterol content is quite high. The same prohibition applies to chocolate as well, but for different reasons. Chocolate is toxic and can mess up your dog’s digestive system in a most terrible way. Some folks love to drench their pancakes in syrups like maple syrup. These aren’t exactly toxic for your dog, but we won’t recommend honey as a topping because of its relatively higher caloric content. The same follows for some other toppings like nuts or ice cream. What is the takeaway from all of this? You shouldn’t force your decisions on your dog’s life! Rather, your topping taste must be by doggy guidelines.
How many pancakes can your dog eat?
Pet parents, your dog’s health is in your hands; be a little more responsible, please. If you feed your canine friend a little over too many pancakes, we are afraid that it will not do the trick. Instead, complications of gastrointestinal nature can emerge, which can make your head spin. The recommended protocol for introducing something new in your dog’s diet starts with smaller quantities and gauge the response. If your dog’s digestive system appears to be coping well with the fluffy cakes, you can slowly increase the quantity. But we must reiterate the fact that you still shouldn’t cross the threshold limits. This is an important point, considering the effect of pancakes on the human body. Tell us, how do you feel after having pancakes? Warm and sleepy, right? Yeah, that’s what your dog cannot afford. The soporific, lethargic effect of pancakes can be neutralized if you are careful about the quantity in which you feed these to your dog. Why don’t you introduce pancakes as an occasional treat in your dog’s life? The reward-incentive sort of thing?
What to do if your dog eats a flavored pancake by mistake?
We have already discussed in detail why flavored pancakes are not a great choice for your poodle or pup. Let us tell you what you should do if your dog does gobble up a flavored pancake by mistake. Accidents happen all the time, and the most extravagant nature assumes that your dog will not devour your morning breakfast the moment you leave the table. Well, your best course of action in such an emergency would be not doing anything. Yes, you read that right. Please don’t play the vet. Instead, be a responsible pet parent and get the vet. The vet can suggest a treatment after evaluating the toxicity level by conducting a few blood tests. Sometimes, not doing something is the best thing to do!
Conclusion
Well, folks, time to wrap up this discussion. We have talked about pancakes at such a length that we are craving for some as well now. But anyway, we do hope that this article will serve you as a reminder that not all food items can be shared with pets without prior inspection. Sounds dead adorable to breakfast together with your pet in the morning, but precautions must be observed. The family shouldn’t eat something toxic to one member of the family, don’t you agree?