What is better than an everything bagel for an excellent start to the day? This popular food choice is tasty and will keep you satiated for quite some time. But is it safe to share an everything bagel with your dog? And what happens if a dog steals one or two from the kitchen?
My dog ate an everything bagel – now what? Everything bagels include various ingredients that are troublesome for dogs – some straightforward harmful, others risky if consumed in excess amounts. Therefore, the consequences of the feasting depend on the size of your dog, the amount of consumed everything bagel, and the exact toppings included in the recipe.
In this article, we will talk about dogs and everything bagels. We will discuss each ingredient and its suitability for dogs and give tips on what to do if your dog eats an everything bagel. We will instruct you on when to call the vet and answer some common questions related to this topic.
WHAT IS AN EVERYTHING BAGEL?
An everything bagel is a specific type of baked bagel sprinkled with various toppings. The standard everything bagel includes toppings like sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes, and pretzel salt.
Depending on the recipe, some everything bagels may include cracked pepper and black sesame seeds too. Each topping has a unique taste that contributes to the overall nutty flavor. They are also differently textured, resulting in a flavorful and extra crunchy experience.
CAN DOGS EAT AN EVERYTHING BAGEL?
The official answer is no – dogs cannot eat everything bagels.
This is because everything bagel is made using various not-dog-friendly ingredients. To make things easier to understand, let’s take a closer look at each ingredient and discuss its level of dog-friendliness.
Ingredient number 1: Flour
Flour is considered to be dog-friendly. Basically, all types of flours are suited for dogs. However, just like for humans, when it comes to dogs, whole-grain versions are much healthier than white flours. The bottom line, the important thing is flour can’t make a dog sick.
Ingredient number 2: Eggs (optional)
Some everything bagel recipes include eggs, and others do not. In general, eggs are safe for dogs. In fact, they are quite healthy (loaded with nutrients) and often used in many commercially available dog food formulas. It is worth mentioning that some dogs can be allergic to egg proteins.
Ingredient number 3: Milk (optional)
This is another optional ingredient. From a dog nutrition standpoint, it is better if everything bagel lacks milk. Milk is a risky ingredient for dogs as most dogs are lactose intolerant. This means they are incapable of properly digesting the main milk sugar called lactose. If not digested properly, the lactose causes a tummy upset.
Ingredient number 4: Yeast
This is where things start to become more serious. The yeast used to make the baked dough is safe; however, ingesting raw dough (yeast) is extremely dangerous. Namely, raw yeast and dough pose a dual danger for dogs.
First, the yeast rises in the stomach, causing potentially life-threatening bloating. Second, once the yeast starts fermenting, it releases alcohol resulting in alcoholic intoxication. In simple words, a dog that ate raw yeast should be examined and properly managed by a veterinary professional as soon as possible.
Ingredient number 5: Sugar
Sugar is risky too. In theory, eating too much sugar leads to various issues varying from tooth decay through obesity to an increased risk of diabetes. However, the amount of sugar used in everything bagels is not likely to trigger any issues.
Ingredient number 6: Salt
From this aspect, salt is similar to sugar. In general, it is troublesome and, if consumed in excess amounts, even causes salt poisoning. However, the amount of salt used in everything bagel dough is not nearly enough to be considered dangerous.
Ingredient number 7: Water
The final ingredient in everything bagel dough is water. Obviously, this is the dog-friendliest ingredient on the list.
Topping number 1: Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are considered safe for dogs when used moderately – in smaller amounts and occasionally. In humans, sesame seeds are a known allergen. Luckily, sesame seed allergies in dogs are not nearly as common as in people.
Topping number 2: Poppy seeds
The poppy plant contains alkaloids with medicinal properties, which, if consumed irresponsibly, may cause adverse reactions in the form of poppy poisoning. While the poppy seeds do not contain these alkaloids, they can become contaminated during harvesting and production. Therefore, it would be unwise to let your dog eat poppy seeds.
Topping number 3: Dried onion flakes
Onion is toxic to dogs because it contains a chemical compound that damages the red blood cells and causes potentially fatal anemia. All forms of onions are equally toxic – raw, dried, and cooked. To make things worse, onion is dangerous even when consumed in small amounts.
Topping number 4: Dried garlic flakes
Garlic is very similar to the onion because it belongs to the same family. It contains a chemical compound that inflicts permanent damage to the red blood cells, which results in their removal from circulation and consequently anemia. The dried version is just as risky as raw garlic.
Topping number 5: Pretzel salt
As fancy as it sounds, the Pretzel salt is, in fact, coarse food-grade salt. As already mentioned, salt is toxic to dogs when consumed in larger portions. Considering the amount of salt and the size of the grounds, the Pretzel salt found on one bagel is enough to trigger salt intoxication.
Topping number 6: Cracked pepper (optional)
Cracked pepper is a no-go for dogs. Even regular pepper is troublesome, and the cracked one poses an even bigger danger. Namely, cracked pepper can wreak havoc on the dog’s sensitive digestive system. Plus, most spices, when consumed in larger amounts, may cause gastrointestinal ulcerations.
Topping number 7: Black sesame seeds (optional)
Same as the regular, black sesame seeds are dog-friendly. However, they are not part of the dog’s natural diet and should be consumed responsibly.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A DOG EATS AN EVERYTHING BAGEL?
There is no straightforward answer to this question since many variables affect the outcome. The most important factors are:
- The dog’s size
- The amount of consumed bagel
- The types of toppings.
For example, if a large dog eats a bite or two, usually there is no room for concern. However, if a small dog decides to overeat and consumes an entire bagel, there will be consequences. Depending on the type of toppings included, the consequences can vary from simple digestive upsets to potentially life-threatening intoxications.
CAN A DOG GET SICK FROM EATING EVERYTHING BAGELS?
Yes, a dog can get seriously ill after eating an everything bagel. Some of the ingredients in the everything bagel (garlic, onion) are directly toxic to dogs and can put your dog in life-threatening danger.
Other ingredients (salt) are toxic when consumed in significant amounts, while some are non-toxic but troublesome (sesame seeds) and can trigger severe digestive upsets manifested in the form of diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, lack of appetite, gassiness, bloating, and lethargy.
Plus, a voracious dog, willing to steal and eat as much everything bagels as possible, can accidentally choke on the seeds if one of them ends up in the wrong pipe (the windpipe instead of the esophagus).
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY DOG ATE AN EVERYTHING BAGEL?
The most important thing you should do is stay calm and think clearly. This is easier said than done when your dog’s life is in danger, but it is critical – your dog’s life literally depends on the steps you take. In other words, here is a short guideline of what you need to do if your dog ate an everything bagel.
Step number 1: Evaluate the situation
First of all, try to determine the number of consumed everything bagels. Then, try to identify the toppings included (this will be much easier if the everything bagel was home-made). In the meanwhile, make sure your dog is separated from its snack (clean up the remaining bagel parts) and briefly pay attention to how your dog behaves (does it look okay or shows any unusual signs and symptoms).
Step number 2: Call the veterinarian
Once you have the basic information in mind, call the vet, and explain the situation calmly and by providing as many details as possible. Diagnosing over the phone is not easy, and the more information the vet has, the easier it will be to give the right instructions. Based on what you say, the vet may instruct you to wait and see how the situation develops, induce vomiting, or bring your dog to the office.
Step number 3: Follow the vet’s instructions
It is imperative to follow the vet’s professional instructions. If the vet suggests the “wait and see” approach, carefully monitor your dog for several hours. If instructed to induce vomiting, ask the vet what the best way to do so is (hydrogen peroxide works well but requires responsible use). Finally, if told to go to the office, make the trip as soon as possible. Keep in mind that under no circumstances is it advisable to self-treat your dog.
SUMMING UP: ARE EVERYTHING BAGELS SAFE FOR DOGS?
Eating an everything bagel is a situation that can result in various scenarios. In the best-case scenario (large dog, small amount of everything bagel), your dog will be perfectly fine or experience mild digestive discomfort. Worst-case scenario (small dog, too much everything bagel), your dog will become intoxicated.
Dealing with the situation requires veterinary attention. In the first scenario, the vet is needed to put your mind at ease or help the dog recover from the digestive upset as fast as possible. In the second scenario, the vet will need to stabilize the dog and counteract the toxic effects.