Can Dogs Eat Whipped Cream?

can dogs eat whipped cream

Whipped cream is one of those things that you can literally put on anything from your morning latte to the dessert you eat in the evening. Can dogs eat whipped cream though? That delicious air like cream substance cannot be that bad, can it?

Well, dogs can eat whipped cream. Although there are a few rules you will need to follow if you insist on giving your dog whipped cream.

Can Dogs Eat Whipped Cream?

Now you may be thinking, wait one-minute, whipped cream is a dairy product. So this must be good for dogs, because of the calcium? Well, you could not be further from the truth sorry.

Just like us humans, whipped cream offers no nutrition or health benefits for your dog. In fact more to the same, the amount of fat and sugar in whipped cream is crazy high. According to the USDA FoodData Central Database, over one-third of whipped cream is fat.

100g Serving of Whipped Cream

EnergyProteinTotal lipid fatCarbohydrateFiberSugarsCalciumFatty acidsCholesterol
333kcal0g33.33g16.67g0g16.67g0g25g167mg

Furthermore, dogs are known to have a much more sensitive digestive system than ours. With such a sugary treat it could affect them in them a different way and may affect them in more ways.

Things You Need To Take In To Consideration

So, whipped cream is not toxic to dogs, so they can technically have it. This will only go for any products that are plain whipped cream and have nothing added. For example, chocolate whipped cream, as chocolate is toxic to dogs. Not to forget any xylitol products as well. Which is mentioned below.

For example, say you are eating a nice cream cake from the bakery. You happen drop a bit of the whipped cream on the floor and your dog eats it. This should not harm your dog.

If your dog has digestion issues or has lactose intolerance, then they may have some side effects to it. For example vomiting or diarrhea. If it becomes serious or you are worried you should contact your local veterinarian straight away.

can dogs eat whipped cream

Overall, if your dog has snuck a small portion of whipped cream then they should be fine.

Now you know that it is not toxic to dogs and they can eat it. You may think well it is pretty much only air and bubbles, what harm can it do? I will start feeding them it with their dinner. The answer to that is a lot…

Things like this are ok for a treat, on a rare basis. They should not be given this on a regular basis or replaced in to their diet. Adding this type of food to your dog’s diet would not be good for their health.

Whipped cream is filled with a lot of sugar, more than you would think. Not forgetting if your dog is lactose intolerant, then you want to stay clear from it altogether.

Lactose Intolerance

What people do not notice is that when puppies are fully grown and become an adult dog. They tend to lose their tolerance for milk and other dairy products.

When you think about it, puppies grow up pretty quickly and this is where they can lose their tolerance to dairy quickly. Some veterinarians think this is partially because they go straight from having a dairy-based diet to just a puppy food diet.

Now, this just does not include whipped cream, this is anything dairy. For example, cheese, milk, and any other dairy-related product.

Now do not get us wrong, if your dog is lactose intolerant and they have sneaked a small portion of whipped cream then they should be relatively fine. They may just be gassy and have an achy stomach.  If they suffer anything worse and you are worried, you should contact your local veterinarian.

Lactose intolerance affects dogs in different ways, some dogs might only have a slight intolerance to dairy. Whereas some dogs will just throw up straight away once they touch dairy.

You will be surprised to find out how many different things have dairy in. Because of this a lot of owners have accidentally found out if their dog is lactose intolerant early in their puppies’ life.

can dogs eat whipped cream

Are There Any Dangers To Whipped Cream?

One thing you need to keep an eye out for is any whipped cream that is “calorie-free” or “light/lite”. These products will contain something called xylitol, which is artificial sugar or also known as sweeteners. Xylitol is toxic to dogs, if not deadly, it is something you need to keep your dog away from at all times. Even small amounts can cause serious harm to your dog.

The dose of xylitol that can cause hypoglycemia in the dog has been reported between 50 milligrams (mg) of xylitol per pound of body weight (100 mg per kg). The higher the dose ingested, the more the risk of liver failure. The most common source of xylitol poisoning that Pet Poison Helpline* gets calls about comes from sugar-free gum.

Read the original article – Xylitol Toxicity in Dogs

As we have mentioned above, whipped cream is not toxic or essentially dangerous to dogs. This does not mean that you can start giving your dog whipped cream with every meal though.

They may love the texture and the feel of having a mouth full of whipped cream. But this could cause further health problems down the line.

Whipped cream should only be given in very small portions and on a rare, treat basis. This goes for even the biggest dog breeds out there as well. It is just not worth the complications it can cause to their health later on in their life.

As mentioned above, you need to take into consideration if your dog is lactose intolerant. If they are, then you should not be feeding your dog anything dairy. The amount of discomfort a dog will feel from this will not be nice at all.

High Calorie and Fat Content

As humans say, there is a lot of empty calories in whipped cream, there is no health benefit for a dog eating it. Even if you are feeding your dog a balanced diet, you may think what is the harm by adding this?

The problem you will find is your dog will start to gain weight and become obese,

Trust us, you do not want to have your dog overweight for many reasons. The main reason is their health, it can lead to some not very nice illnesses later on in life. For example, heart problems, joint issues, tooth decay, pancreatitis and diabetes to name a few.

Also trying to help your dog lose their weight can be a challenge by itself. They will still be whining and begging for the food you used to give them. You will also need to take them on extra walks.

If your dog is overweight, the best person to speak to is your dog’s veterinarian. They can give you a personalized plan based on your little best friend.

can dogs eat whiipped cream

My Dog Just Ate Whipped Cream?!

As we have mentioned above, whipped cream is not toxic to dogs. If your dog has managed to knock a dessert on the kitchen floor and has eaten the whole thing. The first you need to think about is, what was in the dessert?

Was there anything toxic in it? Like chocolate? Did the whipped cream or other ingredients have xylitol in it? If so, you should take your dog to your veterinarian straight away or ring ASPCA on (888) 426-4435 (there will be a $60 fee).

Secondly, is your dog lactose intolerant or have diabetes? Then you should speak to your local veterinarian, this is the best approach, even if it is just being on the safe side.

Now if your dog does not have the above, they still may have a stomachache, diarrhea. Not to mention they will probably just be feeling tired and gassy.

You should keep their water bowl full, as they will probably want to drink a lot of water. If you do not feel like your dog is getting any better, then you should contact your local veterinarian straight away.

Lastly, you should think about how this happened and how you can stop it from happening again in the future. This is a behavioral issue, and you need to train them not to do it again. Next time it could be something that is toxic to them.

Summary

Whipped cream by itself is not toxic to dogs, although it is unhealthy for your dog to eat on a daily basis. If you insist on feeding your dog whipped cream. Then they should only be given a small amount on a rare treat basis, even for larger dogs.

Caving in to your dog and giving them such a sugary treat on a regular basis can lead to your dog gaining weight. Which can cause them to develop a serious health issue like diabetes.

There are a lot healthier and tastier foods your dog will enjoy, that they can be fed on more of a regular basis.

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