Can dogs eat pepperoni? Are dogs allowed to eat pepperoni? If you’re a dog parent with a like experience with your own dog eating pepperoni, maybe you could share a helping hand answer some of these questions. This post will cover whether dogs can actually eat pepperoni and all the possible serious health effects that could happen, so please read on for the answers! First off, let’s go over the definition of ‘Pepperoni’ as it applies to dogs:
Peppers have been around since before history, even though today we tend to think of them more as a delicious treat rather than a healthy food item. In ancient times, the Celts made pepper a part of their diet and used it as a medicinal powder. The powder was mixed into wine and drunk as an alternative to wine and a source of preservation when making wine. Today, pepperoni benefits to our health are numerous and can be seen in many ways by looking at recent stories on the internet about pepperoni.
Pepperoni comes from two different peppers: Hot and Spicy. Hot peppers such as capsicum frutescens and Serrano pepper are usually found in Italian sausage and salami. In contrast, spicy peppers like Capsicum annum and Olives pepper are found commonly in North Africa, the Caribbean, and the West Indies. Regarding today’s culinary world, hot peppers are often used to make hot dogs, salami, and even pizza sauce. While being a relatively mild and sweet spice, capsaicin in hot peppers such as peppers can cause serious health issues if taken in high doses. Ingesting, even small amounts can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach ulcerations which are quite a life-threatening!
Can Dogs Eat Pepperoni? Most Asked Question and Facts About This Topic
So can dogs eat pepperoni? Although some studies have been done claiming that pepperoni can indeed increase thirst, these tests were performed with saline solutions. Not the same thing you drink when thirsty. Saline has much less effect on blood pressure than salt, and there are no reported changes in blood pressure levels with consumption of either salty or sweet foods. Therefore, if your dog is thirsty due to hunger and gives him a slice of pepperoni to quench his thirst, there is no reason for concern.
However, suppose your dog is suffering from hypoglycemia, seizures, diabetes, hypertension, dehydration, or any other medical condition which causes excessive thirst due to lack of water. In that case, it is best to make pepperoni your dog’s regular diet. While there is no proven connection between consuming too much salt or too much sugar, these ingredients play havoc with a dog’s sodium and potassium levels. Sodium can cause bloating, cramps, diarrhea, and high blood pressure, while excess sugar causes a rapid fall in blood sugar. To make sure your dog does not have an imbalance of salt and sugar, it’s best to avoid canned foods altogether and switch to dry dog food. You may also want to add fish oil to the dry mix to make sure your pet isn’t getting too little salt, and too much sugar.
