Yes, dogs can eat vanilla, but only in its pure form. Still, this offers no health benefits, so you might often reconsider your decision to give your dog vanilla. Although the response to the question ‘Can dogs eat vanilla?’ is yes, you should know that vanilla provides only minimal nutrient content for your dog with high risks of intoxication. So, it is not advisable to willfully add vanilla to your dog’s diet.
If you are a pet owner wondering whether your dogs eat vanilla, this article will give you all the answers. Sometimes, dog owners like to introduce some variety in the food items they give their dogs, but is it work the health risk? Is vanilla safe for dogs? Should smaller dogs eat too much vanilla? Find all the answers here.
What Is Vanilla?
Vanilla comes from a vine-like plant known as a vanilla orchid. The vanilla plant part people use is called the pod/ the bean. Vanilla has various forms and uses with different flavors.
Vanilla Powder
The vanilla powder comes from dried vanilla beans and is a natural sweetener.
Vanilla Beans
Each vanilla pod has many tiny seeds within the shell, known as vanilla beans. You need to scrape the seeds out of the pod to work as a natural flavoring.
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract is an amber-colored liquid from vanilla beans placed in ethyl alcohol and water. You need 100 grams of vanilla beans and 35% alcohol for a pure vanilla extract.
Soaking vanilla pods in alcohol and water for two months makes this a concentrated liquid.
Vanilla extracts are less expensive and most often used in baked goods.
Imitation Vanilla
Vanilla flavoring, also known as imitation vanilla, resembles real vanilla taste. It comes from synthetic vanillin and some other ingredients. However, it is not recommended for dogs since it contains the same amount of alcohol as natural vanilla essence.
Vanilla Bean Paste
Vanilla bean paste is a mixture of concentrated vanilla extract and vanilla powder.
Can Your Dog Eat Vanilla?
The short answer is yes; you should not be too worried if your dog eats vanilla from time to time in tiny quantities. It all depends on the form the vanilla takes. It will not cause any serious problems other than an upset stomach.
But, if your dog eats vanilla extract, you should be worried. The vanilla extract canine consumption could be a serious health risk for your dog. Even if it is a small bottle of vanilla extract, you should call your veterinarian and ask for further advice to avoid alcohol toxicity.
The high alcohol content in the vanilla extract can lead to an upset tummy and alcohol poisoning. Even if consumed in small doses, vanilla extracts can cause alcohol toxicity.
You should avoid giving your dog artificial sweeteners (xylitol) that are part of many foods. Too much sugar or the artificial sweetener xylitol can be toxic to your dog and the dog’s teeth, even in very small quantities.
Should You Give Your Dog Alcohol-Free Vanilla Extract?
Since many forms of vanilla extracts are alcohol-free, dogs can eat these extracts without taking the high risk of poisoning and toxicity. For the extraction process, the extracts use vegetable glycerin instead of ethanol. Vegetable glycerin is colorless, without any smell, and most importantly, it is safe for dogs since it is not toxic. Despite the sweet taste, dogs will not notice the vanilla flavor because it comes in small quantities in commercial dog foods.
Because dogs love the smell of vanilla extract, you can let them consume it based on vegetable glycerin.
Xylitol Toxicity
Any tiny amount of xylitol can be toxic to dogs, so you should keep it out of the dog’s reach. This artificial sweetener can cause seizures, low blood sugar, and even liver failure. In addition, the dog’s liver cannot process alcohol, so you should not give your dog anything when alcohol remains in it.
Although the vanilla part of the prepared foods, such as vanilla yogurt for dogs, might not cause severe damage, the xylitol part can be dangerous. Do not let dogs eat processed foods because of the artificial ingredients.
Should Dogs Eat Vanilla Ice Cream?
Dogs could eat vanilla ice cream only if it consists of plain vanilla.
Although ice cream contains minerals such as calcium, there are not many benefits to giving your dog ice cream. In addition, ice creams and yogurts contain lots of sugars, leading to weight gain and other behavioral issues.
Plus, some dogs might be lactose intolerant and should never eat ice cream to avoid diarrhea and upset stomach.
Foods Your Dog Should Not Eat
These are some of the foods your dog should not eat:
- chocolate and candy
- avocado
- macadamia nuts
- onions (the onion family is incredibly toxic to dogs and can lead to gastrointestinal irritation)
- cooked bones
- alcohol
- garlic
- caffeine
- grapes
- raisins
- apple seeds
- cherry pits
- tomatoes
Symptoms Of Vanilla Extract Poisoning
These are the vanilla poisoning symptoms you can trace in dogs:
- dehydration
- diarrhea
- slow heath rate
- loss of consciousness
- seizures
- vomiting
- disorientation
- hypersalivation
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*photo by inside-studio – depositphotos