Whether dogs can eat pasta or not is a question many pet parents ask themselves after watching Lady and The Tramp. Can dogs actually eat spaghetti with sauce or is this just a creative license? Well, let’s find out.
Pasta is not toxic for dogs, they can eat it, BUT following some strict rules. If you were thinking of sharing some of your carbonara pasta with your pooch, don’t. Keep reading to find out how to feed pasta to your dog.
Is pasta safe for dogs?
Yes, pasta is safe for dogs, it’s not toxic for them as long as it follows the following rules.
If you’re planning on sharing some noodles with your dog, make sure you only feed them plain pasta without any other ingredient. That’s right, you just have to boil it without even adding salt to the water, strain the noodles and serve.
You can’t feed any type of sauce to your dog because it may contain ingredients that are extremely toxic for them, such as garlic, onions, chives and even raisins. If you want to learn more about why these ingredients are toxic for dogs, you can read this article.
How much pasta can dogs eat?
Now that we have established that plain pasta without salt or sauce is safe for dogs, we need to talk about quantity.
Although pasta is not toxic for dogs, it is only safe for them in moderation. After all, pasta is made of carbohydrates, which are not harmful for dogs, but are not exactly healthy either.
If dogs eat too much pasta, it can lead to overweight, which can result in many serious health problems, such as heart diseases, breathing issues, joint pain and high-blood pressure.
So, how much pasta can you feed to your dog? The bare minimum. If you drop a noodle while cooking and your little furry vacuum inhales it, don’t worry, it won’t do them any harm.
What is more, if for some reason some day you run out of your pooch’s food, you can prepare them one cup of pasta, no more than that. But, you can only do this occasionally and only for one day, don’t do this two days in a row.
You can spice it up by adding one spoon of Mokai’s Powerful Blend of Superherbs & Mushrooms.
Can dogs be allergic to pasta?
As a general rule, dogs can occasionally eat plain pasta without salt or sauce. But, as you have probably learned by now, every dog is its whole world, with its own needs and limitations. While some dogs have no reaction when they hear fireworks and others have an anxiety episode, some dogs can be allergic to some foods while others aren’t. The same happens with pasta, some dogs can be allergic to it.
Pasta is made of eggs, flour and water. Dogs can be allergic to two of those ingredients: eggs and flour. If your dog is allergic to eggs, you might see symptoms such as:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Skin allergies
- Itchy paws and ears
- Bald patches
And if your pooch is allergic to flour, it can show symptoms such as:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Itching
- Skin irritations
- Ear infection
If you see any of these symptoms after feeding pasta to your dog, you must obviously stop feeding them this occasional treat and take them to the vet for a quick check-up.
Can dogs eat chickpea pasta?
Another common question regarding this topic is whether dogs can or can’t eat chickpea pasta. Nowadays, there are many new pasta varieties in the market, and it’s normal for pet parents to wonder if they can share them with their dog.
The answer is yes, dogs can eat chickpea pasta. But (yes, you guessed it), only in moderation. If you are planning on feeding chickpea pasta to your dog, you must follow all the rules mentioned above: no salt, no sauce and in extreme moderation as an occasional treat.
Nevertheless, you should also keep in mind that recent research showed that dog food that’s grain free and includes alternatives such as chickpeas, could contribute to heart disease.
As a bottom line, both regular pasta and grain-free alternatives such as chickpea pasta are safe for dogs to eat in moderation.
