Last Updated on January, 2025
You are probably on the verge of a full-blown panic attack because your pup gobbled down a whole stick of butter (or maybe a lot more).
Let me stop you right there because we have a step-by-step guide on everything you should do if your dog ate butter, what signs to look for, and when you should actually start panicking.
Quick Summary
Butter is not toxic to dogs but can cause adverse reactions like diarrhea and vomiting, especially if consumed in large amounts or with harmful additives like xylitol.
Assess the situation by noting the type, quantity, and time of butter consumption, and monitor for symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Seek veterinary help if your dog has severe symptoms, ate large amounts, consumed butter with harmful additives, or is a small breed or has pre-existing digestive issues.
Table of Contents
- What Should You Do First if Your Dog Ate a Sticker of Butter?
- Is Butter Harmful for Dogs?
- What is the Ideal Diet for Your Dog if it Accidentally Ate a Stick of Butter?
- What Symptoms Should You Look for if Your Dog Ate a Stick of Butter?
- What Other Complications Can Arise if Your Dog Ate a Stick of Butter?
- Should You Go to the Vet if Your Dog Ate a Stick of Butter?
- FAQs
- Final Thoughts
What Should You Do First if Your Dog Ate a Sticker of Butter?
If your dog ingested butter, here is a step-by-step guide on what to do next.
Do Not Panic
First of all, DO NOT panic. Butter is NOT lethal or toxic to dogs. One stick of butter won’t kill your dog, but it will experience adverse reactions. You can nurse your pup back to health if you follow the correct steps.
Therefore, if you catch your dog eating butter, there is no need to panic. Panicking before assessing the situation will not help you or your pup in any way. So, don’t rush into conclusions or make any rash decisions.
Assess the Situation
You need to calm yourself down enough to assess the situation thoroughly and note everything that will help you deduce how badly your pup will be affected or if he will experience any adverse effects at all.
The noteworthy points are given below.
What Type of Butter Has Your Dog Eaten?
Butter is produced from milk by churning it. Fat globules stick together and form butter. So, plain butter is not toxic to dogs.
However, certain types of butter have additives like salt, artificial sweeteners, and colorings
that causes adverse reactions.
Unsalted butter is safer than salted butter. Excessive salt quantities can lead to dehydration in dogs. Giving your pup a lot of water can help control any signs of dehydration.
Xylitol is a sugar substitute that is toxic to dogs, as warned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It can cause a sudden decrease in your pup’s blood sugar levels, cause seizures, and even lead to liver failure.
If the butter consumed has xylitol listed in the ingredients, get help from a veterinarian immediately.
How Much Butter Has Your Dog Eaten?
Get an approximate idea of how much butter was consumed by your dog. Has your pup eaten an entire stick of butter or more? If so, how many grams of butter were in it?
Forming a link between your dog’s age, size, and breed with the amount of butter eaten helps
you quickly understand whether or not you need to go to the veterinarian.
Large dogs are more resilient to small quantities of butter and can return to their normal states after a few bouts of diarrhea. Smaller breeds, like a Teacup Yorkie, could have more problems.
To give you a rough idea, 92-95 g of fat is present in one stick of butter weighing 113g. The fat intake recommended by the National Research Council for an average dog weighing 20 pounds is between 13.8g and 82.5g.
How Long Has it Been Since Your Dog Ate Butter?
It is important to have a rough estimate of the time of consumption. This is because around 4 hours after eating the butter, dogs will start experiencing side effects like diarrhea.
In addition, if your dog is small and ingested a large amount of butter or it contained harmful additives, taking your pup to the veterinarian within 4 hours is ideal.
The vet can inject a drug to induce vomiting and remove all the butter from your pup’s system before any damage occurs.
What Type of Wrapping Was the Butter Packaged in?
Plain butter alone could be completely harmless, but the packaging can cause disastrous effects. If you had unwrapped the butter and your pup swiped it off the counter, you’re in luck.
The wrapping can lead to choking hazards. Check for any signs of breathing difficulty, gasping, or shortness of breath in your dog.
The packaging can cause digestive blockage in small dogs. Dogs tend to have diarrhea 3-4 hours after ingesting butter. If there are no signs of loose stools, there is a high chance that the wrapper has blocked the digestive tract.
If so, contact a veterinarian immediately.
Set Up an Enclosed Area for Your Dog
Set up an area within your home where your pup can safely and comfortably recover. Make sure it’s somewhere where you can keep a close eye on your dog.
Use baby gates to fence off an area. Keep bedding in one corner with water bowls. Place potty pads or newspapers in the other corner, as far away as possible from its bed and feeding bowls.
Effects of butter ingestion will start within 3-4 hours. Common effects include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. Make sure you have antiseptics and enzymatic sprays to clean up thoroughly.
If your dog has a sensitive stomach or a medical history of digestive issues, we recommend keeping close supervision.
Is Butter Harmful for Dogs?
Butter is not toxic or life-threatening to your dog. However, it can cause health problems and is not recommended as part of your dog’s diet.
Firstly, butter is high in calories (roughly 700 calories per 100g). Butter is also almost entirely composed of unhealthy saturated fat, not the healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fats.
Consuming saturated fat daily will result in weight gain and obesity in dogs, increasing the risk of multiple conditions like diabetes, heart conditions, and cancer.
Next, butter is not rich in the particular nutrients required to optimize your dog’s health. Processed butter can also have salt, additives, and other ingredients that are harmful to dogs.
It’s best to opt for healthy foods with high nutritional value that will not result in weight gain.
It’s important to remember that most dogs are lactose intolerant. Lactose is a carbohydrate (sugar) found in any dairy product. An enzyme called lactase is required to break down lactose.
Most adult dogs lack this enzyme and cannot digest dairy products. Therefore, dogs react to butter and may suffer from an upset stomach.
What is the Ideal Diet for Your Dog if it Accidentally Ate a Stick of Butter?
Letting your pup fast overnight is recommended. This is because its digestive system is already overloaded. Certain foods will worsen stomach issues and diarrhea.
You should also switch from regular kibble to a bland homemade diet for 1-2 days. To prepare a homemade meal, boil lean chicken or any meat of your choice with rice. Do not add any salt, spices, or flavoring.
The recommended quantity for each meal is ¼ cup per 10 pounds of body weight. Start with this mixture and gradually incorporate regular dog food as your pup starts feeling better. Pay attention to how much your dog eats and how they respond.
Even though your dog’s access to food should be limited, a lot of water should be given. There is a high risk of dehydration because of the excessive diarrhea, so keep their water bowls filled at all times.
What Symptoms Should You Look for if Your Dog Ate a Stick of Butter?
Some large dogs could eat a whole stick of butter and still exhibit little to no adverse effects, depending on how efficient their digestive tracts are and how fast they can adapt. The severity of symptoms differs according to breed, size, and age.
The most common symptoms that might appear are:
Lactose intolerance is a primary reason for such reactions after consuming dairy-based products.
Therefore, a lactose intolerant dog would immediately throw up the butter, or if it passes into his digestive system, it could cause loose stools, bloating, gas, and stomach cramps.
Diarrhea will subside by the second day with bland food and water. If not, you can talk to your vet and administer Kaopectate (an anti-diarrheal) in the correct recommended dosage (usually, 1ml per pound of body weight every 8 hours).
What Other Complications Can Arise if Your Dog Ate a Stick of Butter?
Aside from the expected symptoms of diarrhea, some dogs may experience more severe complications. This can be due to pre-existing medical conditions or a sensitive digestive system.
Pancreatitis
The pancreas produces digestive enzymes. Eating butter daily can cause damage to the pancreas. The digestive enzymes can start damaging the pancreatic tissue and lead to inflammation.
Signs include:
Mild cases of pancreatitis can be resolved with fasting, followed by a bland diet for 1-2 days. However, if your dog has had pancreatitis in the past, get medical advice as soon as possible.
Untreated acute pancreatitis can turn hemorrhagic and lead to death in extreme cases.
Gastroenteritis
This is a short-term inflammation of the digestive system. Gastroenteritis is usually caused if a virus enters the digestive system, but it can also be triggered by food sensitivities. Signs include throwing up, abdominal pain, and loose stools with blood.
Should You Go to the Vet if Your Dog Ate a Stick of Butter?
If your dog has simply ingested one stick of regular butter, he’ll return to his usual self within 2-3 days. Overnight fasting, a bland diet, and lots of water are all that is necessary. Diarrhea is
completely common, and not a cause for concern.
However, you should get medical advice if:
Your vet will ask for all the possible information, like what type of butter was ingested, when it was consumed, and how much was eaten. She will then perform routine tests for fever, pain, dehydration, and other issues.
Within 4 hours of ingestion, the vet can induce vomiting. Inducing vomiting removes the butter from the system before any damage can be caused.
If butter consumption happened hours ago, the vet will administer an IV drip to prevent dehydration and drugs to combat the nausea and pain.
Other guides and tools you might need when training your dog:
FAQs
Final Thoughts
If your dog swiped some butter off the table, it isn’t going to kill him. We know it hurts to see your dog in pain, but more often than not, they’ll be back to good health in 2 to 3 days with proper monitoring and care.
Trust your instincts and follow all the tips recommended. Get advice from a professional whenever in doubt about the different foods your dog eats (accidentally or otherwise).
Soon, you can resume your everyday life with your furry friend.
And by the way, to be on the safer side, check out whether or not your dog can eat Salt and Vinegar Chips.
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