Can dog's eat... Pasta?

Can dogs eat cooked pasta?
Can dogs eat raw pasta?
Can dogs eat whole wheat pasta?
How much pasta can my dog eat?
Summary

The answer is yes, dogs can eat cooked, plain pasta in small amounts.

All of the ingredients in plain cooked pasta are safe for dogs, but, when we consider the individual ingredients, they are not particularly good or beneficial for your dog’s health. This is because pasta is mostly made up of refined white flour. The flour gives a quick energy boost, but lacks any of the essential nutrients, fats and proteins that your dog needs as part of a balanced, nutritionally beneficial diet.

Pasta is high in carbohydrates, and excessive consumption of pasta alongside their regular kibble may lead to rapid weight gain or obesity. This can have further effects on joint mobility, skin health and increase risks of conditions such as canine diabetes.

#Can dogs eat cooked pasta?

Yes, dogs can eat cooked pasta in small amounts as long as it's fed plain with no extras or sauces.

When cooking, people commonly enjoy pasta salted and combined with tomato or cream based sauces. These sauces usually contain onions and garlic which can be toxic for your dog. Some store bought sauces may contain artificial sweeteners such as Xylitol which is toxic for dogs in large amounts.

Therefore if you are going to feed pasta to your dog make sure you follow these steps to ensure your dog eats pasta in a safe, non toxic way:

Feed pasta plain and cooked in unsalted water
Cook the pasta completely. Undercooked or raw pasta may be hard for your dog to digest and could potentially be a choking hazard if eaten raw or in bulk
Cool the pasta before giving it to your dog. Food that is hot can cause mild burns to delicate oral surfaces, which can be painful, and lead to a food aversion
Watch for any indication of food sensitivities, when adding anything new to your dog's diet, especially human food. Symptoms that your dog may be suffering a gastrointestinal upset from eating pasta include include vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy and reduced appetite

##Can dogs eat raw pasta?

No, dogs cannot eat raw pasta. Raw pasta is hard in texture, abrasive and difficult to digest.

The biggest danger of raw pasta is that when mixed with the water and digestive juices of the gastrointestinal system, it will start to swell. Suddenly a small amount of raw pasta becomes a big volume in the gastrointestinal tract leading to abdominal pain and sometimes even a blockage can occur which is a medical emergency.

Raw pasta is also quite sharp, meaning if eaten whole it can cause injury to the sensitive oral cavity, oesophagus and gastrointestinal tract. The long term effects are likely to be minimal, but there may be some short term bleeding and inflammation as a result of trauma to these delicate tissues.

A bigger portion of raw pasta, such as a canneloni tube can be a choking hazard if it becomes lodged in the oesophagus. Symptoms can be dramatic with lots of salivation, retching and gagging. Your dog will become distressed and may paw at their face. Emergency vet care is needed asap to remove the obstruction.

##Can dogs eat whole wheat pasta?

Yes, wholewheat pastas are safe for dogs to eat in moderation if fed plain and cooked. Whole wheat pasta will even be slightly healthier than plain white processed pasta, This is because whole wheat has an increased fibre content. An increased fibre content will be beneficial for your dog's digestion, as fibre helps gut contractility and stool formation. Read about the 10 foods to help express dog anal glands naturally.

Wholewheat pasta should be prepared for your dog as you would prepare plain white pasta. It should be fed plain, free from any sauces, salts, oils and seasoning.

#How much pasta can my dog eat?

The nutritional value for your dog from eating pasta is minimal. If you are considering feeding pasta to your dog, do so as a treat and be no more than 10% of your dogs total daily calories.

However, there are some incidences where a vet will recommend using pasta as an easy to digest meal, often in cases of acute gastroenteritis. The combination of pasta (or rice) and chicken gives a balance of easily digested protein and carbohydrate which can provide nutrition to your dog, whilst the body recovers from illness. It is not something that can be fed long term, and only under the direction of a veterinarian who will advise on portion size.

If you are wanting to treat your dog, why not offer them a healthier alternative to pasta instead? Cooked vegetables such as carrots, peas and sweet potatoes are much more nutrient and fibre rich than pasta. They can be added to your dog's diet easily to add variety, colour and texture as well as a nutritional boost.

#Summary

In conclusion, dogs can eat pasta. While pasta isn’t toxic or unsafe for dogs to eat, it's not really nutritious or beneficial for their health either. If feeding pasta, feeding small amounts of cooked plain and unsalted pasta as a treat is ok, and it also has its place to help with short term gastroenteritis flare ups.

Pasta (and other treats) should not make up more than 10% of your dog's daily calories and should not be used as a meal replacement unless under the direction of a veterinarian. If you are unsure about adding any foods such as pasta to your dog's diet, talk to your veterinarian, they will be happy to help.