Pound cakes are extremely delicious, which is why were in trend long before we got acquainted with the term. Such an easy recipe. The first batch of pound cakes was invented in 16th century England.
Does your pet dog often give you those little pup eyes while you are enjoying some delicious pound cake? Do you have a habit of sharing generous amounts of pound cake with your doggo?
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of pound cakes for dogs. Moreover, you will also get acquainted to the risks involved in feeding this sweet delicacy to dogs.
Is Pound Cake Good For Dogs?
Not necessarily. It would not be lethal if your dog accidentally eats up slight amounts of pound cake. However, pound cake can never be considered a good or healthy option for your dog.
Like most sweet sugary desserts, pound cakes are not good for your pooch. They do not have any healthy nutrients and cause tummy troubles in dogs. Moreover, when it has toxic ingredients like chocolate chips or raisins, pound cake becomes a health hazard for dogs.
What Are The Risks Of Feeding Pound Cake To Your Dog?
As you might’ve gathered by now, pound cake is not good for dogs; we will now understand its risks. The following health hazards are observed in dogs after consuming moderate amounts of pound cake:
- A plain pound cake typically contains eggs, flour, sugar, and butter. If consumed in excessive amounts, your dog might have several adverse reactions (to be discussed later in this article)
- Many a time, pound cakes contain chocolate chips. It would be a inappropriate to give chocolate or chocolate-based food products to dogs due to their high toxicity levels.
- Sugar-free pound cakes contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener considered dangerous for dogs. Xylitol toxicosis can lead to the following symptoms in your dog:
- Shakiness
- Unsteadiness
- Seizures
- Rushed insulin release
- General weakness
- Low blood sugar
- Besides chocolate chips and xylitol, pound cakes often have raisins, considered poisonous for dogs.
- Regular consumption of large amounts of pound cake is a sure-shot road to gum problems, tooth decay, and cavities in dogs. Even feeding moderate doses of sugar-laden treats like pound cakes to dogs causes many dental issues. They are often followed by enamel removal and falling off of teeth.
- Even feeding moderate doses of sugar-laden treats like pound cakes to dogs causes many dental issues. Regular consumption of large amounts of pound cake is a sure-shot road to cavities, gum problems, and tooth decay in dogs. They are often followed by enamel removal and falling off of teeth.
- Excessive consumption of sweet treats like pound cakes is most likely to cause diabetes in dogs. It gives rise to many severe issues in dogs like rapid a spike in blood sugar levels, insulin imbalance, and obesity.
ADVICE: If your pooch gulps down an entire packet of pound cake, you must rush to the vet right away. There might be a critical chance of him surviving if left untreated.
How Do The Ingredients Of Pound Cake Affect Dogs?
There are certain ingredients that are considered harmful for the dogs and should be avoided. They are:
- Flour
Although wheat flour is not toxic to dogs, your dog might have certain grain allergies due to gluten and wheat content.
Excessive consumption of flour can cause the following issues in your dog:
- Excess salivating
- Nausea
- Pacing or restlessness
- Lethargy
- Pale gums
- Fever
- Difficulty breathing
- Bloated stomach
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Butter
Some dogs are lactose intolerant; you should get yours checked too. Feeding butter to lactose-intolerant canines leads to diarrhea, indigestion, and a bunch of other gastrointestinal issues.
Unlike some fatty oils, butter is mainly composed of saturated fat. Therefore, it does not provide any health benefits to your dog. You must consult your vet if your dog consumes butter and butter-based treats in large amounts.
- Sugar
Whether in the form of a cube or a pound cake, granulated sugar is a dangerous choice for your dog. Excessive sugar intake not only causes weight gain and blood sugar imbalance, but it also gives your dogs empty calories.
Due to the high sugar content, eating lots of pound cake can lead to the following health hazards in your dog:
- Osteoarthritis
- Heart failure
- Ligament ruptures
- Skin problems
- Cushing’s disease
- Intervertebral disk disease
- Some types of cancer
WARNING: Veterinary experts advise against sugar for pet dogs. Instead of sugar, dogs require carbs that get broken down into sugar/glucose in their metabolism.
- Eggs
On the contrary, eggs are beneficial for dogs. Eggs are a perfect source of potent nutrients for your four-legged furry friend.
They contain high amounts of protein, fatty acids, iron, vitamins A and B12, riboflavin, folate, and selenium.
Even eggshells are an excellent source of calcium for canines. A very healthy snack and great supplemental food, eggs help treat your dog’s upset stomach.
Nonetheless, you should still avoid feeding sweet treats like pound cakes to dogs.
FAQs
- Can dogs eat lemon pound cake?
No. Although little amounts of lemon pound cake would not harm your pooch, you should avoid feeding it to your pet.
If eaten in moderate amounts, lemon pound cake will give your dog indigestion, severe abdominal pain, and other related gastric issues. It would be best to consult your vet before offering lemon pound cake to your doggo.
- What are the alternatives to pound cake for dogs?
Instead of harmful, sugar-laden treats such as pound cakes, you must go for healthier alternatives. These include carrots and carrot sticks, dog biscuits, plain yogurt, boiled rice, skinless boiled chicken, cooked beef, pumpkin, and green veggies.
Conclusion
Unhealthy, poor in nutrient concentration, high in sugar and butter, and more are the reason why you should avoid feeding pound cakes to dogs.
So understand that accidentally eating a tiny amount of pound cake is alright, but even moderate quantities of it are not good for dogs.
We sincerely believe that this article helped you realise how dangerous pound cake can be for dogs.
If you found this information helpful, let us know in the comment section below.
Dr. Aram Baker has been with Santa Clarita Animal Hospital since 1995 and his special interests include behaviour medicine and dermatology. He graduated from the Cleveland Humanities Magnet Program in Reseda, CA and attended California State University at Northridge where he received a Bachelor’s degree in biology. He went on to pursue his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis. He also spent time in the zoological medicine department at U.C. Davis during his Junior and Senior years. He is dedicated to caring for all pets big or small, young or old with compassion, patience, kindness, and love.