Dogs love butter as much as we do, but butter is high in fat and not easily digested by dogs. Although butter is not toxic to dogs, it can make them sick if they ingest large amounts. Repeatedly offering your dog butter can lead to obesity, chronic pancreatitis, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Although we like to spoil our pups, take butter off the treats list, and there are far better ways to help him gain weight, if needed.
Symptoms in Dogs Who Ate Butter
Dogs who ate a small amount of butter may not have any symptoms. However, dogs who ingested larger amounts may experience vomiting and diarrhea. Your dog may have a decreased appetite, a painful belly, and a lethargic demeanor. If the butter was salted, many dogs will drink and urinate more often. Symptoms of pancreatitis include loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and abdominal pain.
What Will a Veterinarian Do If My Dog Ate Butter?
Depending on the size of your dog and how much butter he ate, your veterinarian may advise you to bring your dog in immediately for treatment or may recommend you monitor him at home for signs of gastrointestinal upset.
If he has to go into the clinic, a physical exam and bloodwork will be performed first. Depending on how sick he is, he may receive intravenous fluids, pain relief, and antinausea medications while hospitalized. These treatments will be continued until he is feeling better.
Maybe we’ve been blessed or lucky…but ever since my pup went on a pain med they thought she should have with food a few months ago, She has been having brunch of a scrambled egg, lightly kissed with few grains of salt, and a slice of toast with either jelly or jam (not grape!) or her favorite, a light glaze of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. SHE LOVES IT, no harm is evident and to top it off, a couple years back we had a close encounter of the flea kind. During which she did bite some her hair/fur off and it was yet to fully return, but seems to have begun to, just since this change in diet. Clearly too much fat and sodium is as bad for them as us, but in moderation…so far, so good at least for us. Still remember my beloved Sparkle who was a counter surfer…who jumped up and licked her way through a stick of something:-) and lived to tell the tale. She also at one time when no one was home managed to pull down a 9×13 pyrex pan of duncan hines brownies…the dish smashed and she demolished the entire pan…the brownie part that is. Cut her tongue in the process but apparently worth it. I WAS a kid and of course would never leave that out, my mom had though…I guess everything in moderation? My vet once told me she knew a pup who at an oreo a day:-)
My dog has high liver enzymes. She take a pill and also an Ester-C vitamin every day. I put a small dab of butter on her pills. I guess that small amount won’t hurt her. I make her food using recipe from the vet and suppliment with high quality kibble so she doesn’t have much fat in her diet.