Can Dogs Eat Cake? Why You Should Not Feed Your Dog Cakes

Cakes are all-pervading delectable desserts on birthdays, family dinners, and many other special occasions.

And it’s not a secret that these sweet treats are unhealthy foods for us, humans; so, most of us would only indulge in a sinful slice of chocolate cake once in a while. But how about our canine companions? Can dogs eat cake? Don’t they also deserve a slice of this heavenly dessert?

Can Dogs Eat Cake?

It’s completely understandable why pet owners want to give their beloved dogs cakes, especially during their birthdays. But as always, our furry friend’s health and safety should always come first.

So, if you really want to celebrate your pup’s special day with a birthday cake, make sure that the cake ingredients are dog-friendly.

This being said, yes, dogs can eat cake, but make sure that it is a dog friendly cake. And this means that it should not contain ingredients that are toxic for dogs.

To ensure your dog’s health and safety, you can bake his cake at home using ingredients that you carefully chose by yourself. You can look at the dog-friendly cake recipes we prepared below, or you can also ask your fellow dog owners.

Is Cake Bad for Dogs?

The usual cake may only contain non-toxic ingredients for dogs, such as baking powder, oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and butter or margarine. However, as mentioned earlier, sometimes, it can also contain unsafe and even poisonous ingredients.

The added sugars, preservatives, and chemicals found in store-bought cakes can have negative long-term effects both for us humans and for our dogs.

Most commercial cakes contain ingredients that are dangerous for dogs. It was reported by health officials that animals were dying from ingesting certain ingredients even in exceptionally small doses.

Dogs cannot eat cake in general even if it's a homemade cake created for adults. This is something they may not even be interested in.

But again, if the cake is specially made for canines using dog-friendly ingredients, it would just be fine as long as it is done in moderation and given in small quantities.

Why You Should Not Feed Your Dog Cakes?

In the wild, a dog would experience nothing like a piece of cake so its body might not be ready for that. From dental problems to diabetes and obesity, dogs can suffer a huge range of health problems when they eat sugary treats.

Dogs can't understand the difference between sugar and honey. They can go on to many lifetimes without developing the unhealthy habit to eat processed sugar.

It might seem oddly selfish to refuse or avoid giving your pets sweets and other tasty human food that you love, but it's for their own good.

Below are more reasons why you should avoid feeding your dog cake:

Cake Offers Very Few Health Benefits

Most kinds of cake contain high amounts of sugar that can cause several health problems including diabetes. Wheat flour, one of the main ingredients in cake is also unhealthy for dogs together with raisins, gumdrops, jellybeans, espresso beans, and macadamia nuts.

Cakes decorated with chocolate are definitely forbidden because it is very toxic for dogs. If you want to give your pup a delicious snack or a tasty treat, you may give him his favorite dog treats.

You can also let him indulge in a small amount of pound cake provided that it doesn’t contain ingredients that are known to be dangerous for dogs.

Frosting Can Be Poisonous

There are numerous frosting and other cake decorating ingredients that are potentially dangerous for your dog. If you've bought a product without its full ingredients list, you should always err at the expense of caution. In other words, just don’t let your dogs eat cake icing.

Homemade frosting can also contain huge amounts of sugar the same way as many store-bought variations. Letting your pet become addicted to sugar is not the best plan we can imagine.

It can affect your dog's digestive system and cause tummy aches, indigestion, and cause numerous diseases.

An alternative solution is to assume that it is simply poison for your pup. Some frostings can even kill your canine companions. So, make sure you always read the ingredients

Additionally, foods that we add to the cake icing can also hurt our dogs. While some are good in small quantities just like milk, other types include macadamia nuts can cause depression, anxiety, weakness, and vomiting. If you have a hard time remembering what's right and what's terrible, feel free to bookmark this article.

When in doubt whether your dog ate a bad frosting or not, just bring him to the vet immediately for appropriate diagnosis and timely treatment.

Early intervention saves lives. Never put a thing off and think that the condition will improve. Your dog has no way of seeking treatment, so, as his pet parent, you are responsible for his health and wellness.

You could also call poison control at 864 -444-516 if you need some help urgently.

Excess Sugar in Cakes Can Result in Weight Gain and Other Weight-Related Health Problems

A cake is not a healthy food for us humans, more so, for our furry companions. It is rich in sugar, which is not good for your dog’s health.

If you give your pup sugary cakes regularly, he will eventually gain weight and suffer other weight-related complications, such as diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.

Feeding Your Dog Cake Regularly Can Lead to Dental Problems

Poor dental hygiene and an unhealthy diet that includes the consumption of sugary foods can contribute to future dental problems.

And these dental issues, when left untreated can have long-term effects on your dog’s oral health, as well as his overall health and wellness.

Poor dental health won’t only give your dog bad breath, but it will also ruin his teeth, give him appetite difficulty, and eventually compromise his body’s nutrition.

Additionally, bacterial infections caused by dental problems can spread harmful bacteria into your dog’s system. As a result, it can lead to systemic infections and can cause significant damage to his organs. In severe cases, the infection can even be fatal.

Hence, your dog’s tooth decay should not be taken as a simple dental issue for it has the potential of causing life-threatening complications when it’s just swept under the rug.

Sugar Free Cakes Are Even More Dangerous

We, humans, often associate the term “sugar free” with being healthy. This can be true for us, but definitely not for our dogs.

Feeding your pup a slice of sugar free cake is even more dangerous because it most likely contains xylitol, which is toxic for dogs and cats.

Some Cake Ingredients Are Toxic for Dogs

As discussed earlier, some cakes that are baked for human consumption contain ingredients that are not safe for dogs, even in small amounts.

You should also pay attention to ingredients that can trigger an allergic response to your pup.  Most dogs can tolerate white, all-purpose flour, but, some can’t. Hence, it is also important to know what food your dog is allergic to.

Below are some items that you should look out for in a cake before offering your dog a bite:

• Chocolate
• Raisins
• Grapes
• Avocado
• Cherries
• Coffee
• Macadamia Nuts
• Nutmeg
• Vanilla Extract
• Artificial Sweeteners (e.g. xylitol or birch sugar)

Final Thoughts

It's our mission to provide our dear readers with relevant and useful information for the welfare of their furry friends. And so, as pet parents, they can make an informed decision regarding their dog's diet, and health and safety practices.

At the end of the day, it's up to you if you occasionally give your dog a bite of cake; but still, you shouldn't do this if your dog has a medical condition.

As always, when in doubt – run, or better yet, consult your vet.