How many times have you been eating a biscuit or a piece of chocolate and noticed your four-legged friend right there, staring at you, imploring you and yearning to share the tasty treat with you? You can be sure that you are not the only one. But can dogs eat sweet foods or is it best to avoid giving them these foods?
A dog’s body is not the same as ours. Dogs have a shorter intestine and do not have the enzymes that make it possible to digest certain foods. In fact, there is a series of substances that dogs cannot tolerate and are unable to metabolise. Therefore, any foods containing these substances should be eliminated from their diet. Sugar and sweet foods belong to this category and are considered among the most harmful to our furry friend’s health.
Sweet foods like cakes, biscuits, sweets and ice-cream contain sweeteners: a small amount of these substances can negatively alter the values in Fido’s body, provoking canine diabetes that, if neglected, can lead to a breakdown of the nervous system. Sweet foods have a high fat and calorie content and can also lead to canine obesity.
An accumulation of sugars can over-stimulate the circulatory system with subsequent repercussions on your pet’s heart; furthermore, it can cause gum problems. For example, it can accelerate the occurrence of tooth decay, bad breath and even the loss of teeth.
Giving him an occasional little titbit will not cause any damage to your pet, although it is still better to avoid doing so. If you really want to reward him with a sweet treat, you can make these yourself, or buy them from a dedicated cake shop.
Last year, Doggye Bag, a homemade cake shop especially for dogs, was inaugurated in Brescia. It sells birthday cakes made with salmon or chicken, as well as biscuits, cupcakes and other tasty snacks, with personal dedications. The recipes used are balanced, from a nutritional point of view, and contain the essential vitamins and minerals that your dog needs, thus making them totally safe!
The foods that dogs need are different from those we eat and, therefore, all types of sweet and sugary foods should be avoided, unless they have been especially studied ad hoc.