Cheesecake is a well-loved dessert among humans. Cheesecakes are usually made with thick cream cheese, egg, and sugar top layer and a thin bottom of crushed cookies, crackers, or pastry. There is a wide range of flavors that can be added to the creamy, tasty cake. Everybody loves cheesecake, so if you’re a dog owner, you’ve probably wondered, “Can dogs eat cheesecakes?”
The brief answer to “Can dogs eat cheesecake?” is no. They can but they shouldn’t for their own health and body. Cheesecake is high in sugar and calories and contains dairy products such as cheese, cream, and occasionally milk, so it is not a healthy dog treat. While cheesecake without extra flavoring is not hazardous, it is harmful to a dog’s health and body.
4 Ingredients That Make Cheesecake Unsuitable For Dogs
If you are wondering why your furry friend can’t eat cheesecake, here is a list of ingredients present in a cheesecake that makes it bad for them.
1. Sugar:
Is it possible to imagine a cheesecake without sugar? While you may enjoy the sweet taste, your dog will not. High sugar content isn’t good for a dog’s body. Eating food with high sugar can cause the following problems to dogs:
- Tooth Decay
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Loss of appetite
2. Dairy Products:
Most of the dogs are lactose intolerant. They cannot digest any type of dairy product properly. Soft cheese or cream cheese, both of which are naturally high in lactose, are used to make cheesecakes. Sometimes milk is added to cheesecake which increases the amount of lactose and that affects your pup’s health. If dogs eat food with high lactose content they will show the following symptoms:
- Bloating
- Lethargy
- Abdominal Pain
- Dehydration
3. Cream cheese:
Cream cheese, in addition to being high in lactose, has another characteristic that affects the health of dogs. Cream cheese is high in fat. High fat is never a good thing in the case of your cuddly friend. Eating food with high fat can cause the following problems:
- Weight gain
- Heart diseases
- Pancreatitis
- Obesity
4. Other additives:
Different people add different food items as decoration or flavoring in cheesecake. If not careful, some of the added flavorings can even be toxic to dogs. Vanilla essence, chocolate, lemon, coffee, and cinnamon are common cheesecake additions that can make dogs very sick. Chocolate is very toxic to dogs and can lead to diarrhea, seizures, vomiting, and even death.
Ingredient To Look Out For: Raisin
You need to be extra careful when it comes to raisin cheesecake. Raisin (dried grapes) is very dangerous and even toxic to dogs. Even a small amount can have a huge effect on a pup’s health. The following symptoms may occur if your dog eats raisin cheesecake:
- Dehydration
- Weakness
- Excessive Urination
- Kidney Failure
Call your veterinarian immediately if your dog ingests raisin cheesecake and make sure your cuddly friend gets appropriate treatment.
What To Do If My Dog Eats Cheesecake?
Dogs frequently like to sniff and consume what their humans are eating. It’s nothing to be concerned about if your dog has accidentally eaten a small amount of food. If your dog has a healthy diet then a small amount of cheesecake won’t have a severe effect. Be careful next time not to leave cheesecake around your furry friend.
It is a different case if the dog ate chocolate or raisin cheesecake. If your dog ate cheesecake that contains raisins and chocolate, call your veterinarian immediately. While you both wait for professional medical treatment, be sure to follow your veterinarian’s instructions and advice. Don’t try to do it yourself because you can end up hurting your dog even more.
Healthy Alternative to Cheesecake
- Pumpkin: It can be a great tasty and healthy treat for dogs. It is an immunity booster and fiber content helps to improve digestion.
- Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese is one of the healthy cheese options which is a tasty treat with health benefits.
- Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is a great substitute for creamy treats. It’s rich and buttery, and most dogs adore it.
Thank you for reading the article.
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Has your dog ever eaten cheesecake? What was their reaction like? Let us know in the comments section below!