Yes, dogs can eat whipping cream in moderation as long as your not using artificial sweeteners. Whip cream is not the healthiest for your dog. Homemade whipped cream basic ingredients are heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract.
Whipped cream is mostly air, right? Have you ever found yourself wondering – can dogs eat whipped cream?
I mean, wouldn’t it make an awesome Instagram post to have your dog pose for the camera with a big blob of it on his nose?
Well, before you do that and stir up a storm on social media, carry on reading this article to find out more about whipped cream, and why it may not be considered the best treat option for your dog.
Yes, dogs can eat whipping cream in moderation, occasionally.
Some dogs are lactose intolerant and experience stomach discomfort. Sugar or sugar-free sweeteners may be used. Xylitol is deadly to dogs.
In this article, we will discuss:
- What is whipped cream made from?
- Is whipped cream good for dogs?
- What are the dangers of feeding whipped cream to your dog?
- How much whipped cream is safe for a dog to eat?
- What to do if your dog eats whipped cream?
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What Is Whipped Cream Made From?
There is a single ingredient in whipped cream, which makes it easier to work out whether this food is okay for our dogs to eat.
Whip cream is made from milk, and you have to keep whipping the milk until you end up with whipped cream.
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You start with milk in your bowl. As you whisk, the fat molecules begin to join together.
Whipping creates pockets of air. If you continue to whisk, these pockets of air eventually form a stable structure, which is the whipped cream.
Whipped cream also contains a significant amount of sugar.
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Is Whipped Cream Good For Dogs?
You might think that because of the nutritional value of milk due to the calcium content, that whipped cream is the right choice of a treat to offer your dog. I am afraid to say that you would be mistaken.
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Dogs have a much more sensitive digestive system than we do. The extra sugars and lactose content of whipped cream make it a poor choice of healthy food or treat for your dog.
It is a common misconception that dogs can drink milk because puppies feed on their mother’s milk to gain all of the nutrition that they need to grow.
The truth is that dogs lose their tolerance for dairy very quickly as they reach maturity.
Therefore all dairy foods should be avoided, including milk, cheese, and cream, unless you want your dog to suffer, which I am hoping isn’t the case.
What Are The Dangers Of Feeding Whipped Cream To Your Dog?
It’s not that dairy is dangerous or toxic for a dog, but dogs do not have a tolerance to dairy.
Because of this intolerance, your dog is likely to experience uncomfortable gas, and possibly get a stomach-ache after eating whipped cream.
Some dogs will even have diarrhea or be sick when they consume too much dairy.
So if you think you are giving your dog a treat by squirting whipped cream into his mouth, think again, because you are doing quite the opposite.
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Dogs that are lactose intolerant will often immediately throw it back up, which is both disgusting and a waste of good cream.
Smaller dogs, older dogs, young dogs, and puppies are all the most susceptible to the horrors of an upset stomach caused by the dairy content of whipped cream.
Still, large dogs can also be affected, which I imagine would be even more unpleasant to deal with, given their size and the risk of very loose bowels.
The sugar content of whipped cream is also very high, and the calories present are incredibly detrimental to your dog’s health.
If you regularly offer your dog whipped cream, you will very quickly see them put on weight.
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It never takes much in terms of excess calories to affect a dog’s weight, especially smaller-sized dogs or older dogs that may not be as active and are unable to burn the calories off.
Weight gain is a dangerous game when it comes to our pet dogs. It can lead to all kinds of health problems.
Often we don’t even realize when our dogs are severely overweight because so many dogs are already obese that we are not familiar with what a healthy-sized dog looks like anymore.
Veterinarians often comment on the fact that it is rare to see a dog’s waistline, especially in dogs that live in the city that may not be getting the exercise they need and overfed by unknowing dog owners.
Carrying extra weight puts pressure on joints and can lead to the worsening of symptoms in arthritis in older dogs. It can also lead to diabetes and other severe health conditions.
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Sugar is also really bad for your dog’s teeth! Most dogs’ diets are not ideal for healthy teeth.
Feeding a diet of kibble is very bad for a dog’s oral health, and many dog owners do not practice regular oral care for the dogs at home, not seeming to realize that a dog needs their teeth brushing as much as a human does.
Adding sugary treats into the diet like whipped cream isn’t a good idea. Your dog will not only find the sugar in whipped cream difficult to process, but it can also lead to tooth decay and big vet bills in the long term.
How Much Whipped Cream Is Safe For A Dog To Eat?
It is estimated that a teaspoon of whipped cream per day may not have any immediate adverse health effects on your dog, but this does not mean that you should start treating your dog to a teaspoon of whipped cream a day.
There are far more healthy options to offer your dog a treat that they will enjoy, and that will be good for them too.
You should consider whipped cream as more of a spur of the moment kind of treat if you really must share the experience of eating it with your dog, but avoid offering it regularly, because you really will be doing your dog no favors, both in the short and long term.
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What To Do If Your Dog Eats Whipped Cream
If you are a new dog owner and your dogs had just helped themselves to an immense amount of whipped cream when you weren’t looking, you may be freaking out.
It is so important to be aware of what your dog is doing at all times. So many foods are dangerous for dogs to eat, and dogs don’t know this, they depend on us to keep them safe.
Its funny isn’t it how our dogs have such a remarkable talent for waiting for the moment we have our backs turned before they help themselves to something they shouldn’t.
It’s almost as is they know what we wouldn’t want them to have, so they wait for the best opportunity. Or perhaps your dog has hovered up a spilled cake topped with a glorious splodge of the good stuff.
The most important thing to work out is whether the dessert was mostly cream, or mainly something else because there are worse things your dog could consume than whipped cream.
Chocolate, for example, is highly toxic, as are raisins and some nuts.
You may also want to consider whether your dog is diabetic, lactose intolerant, or has any allergies. In all of these cases, the best move would be to seek the advice of your veterinarian as soon as possible and keep a very close eye on your dog.
If it’s whipped cream that your dog has enjoyed, then you may only have to prepare for a large amount of sluggishness, as your dog will be feeling rather sorry for himself for a while.
Make sure that your dog has plenty of water and be ready to let them out into the garden or take them for a toilet break when the time comes.
Summary
Whipped cream isn’t going to kill your dog, unless they drown in it somehow, which is highly unlikely. But it will cause your dog some discomfort.
This won’t stop your dog from making a beeline for the cream next time, though, so it is best to take control of the situation and make a decision not to feed whipped cream to your dog.
Pet stores can offer alternative treats that can be squeezed from a can if you are looking for a similar kind of novelty treat, many of which are liver or chicken flavored, which will be much more appealing to your dog anyway.
