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You love your dog, and that means you often want to feed them the tasty treats you enjoy. After all, it might not feel fair for them to miss out. Many desserts feature cinnamon, a spice that can pack flavor in every bite. But is cinnamon bad for dogs? You’ll want to make sure you feed your dog only the best so they can stay in excellent health.
In short, no, cinnamon is not bad for dogs. Still, that doesn’t mean you can be feeding your dog handfuls of cinnamon at a time. While your dog may not face fatal side effects by ingesting some cinnamon, eating it can still be a cause for concern.
Mainly, you should watch out for cinnamon essential oil, as it can poison your pet. Essential oils are bad to have around pets in general, as they can be toxic once in contact with your dog’s skin. Try to keep essential oils locked away in another room, where your dog can’t get to them. If you like the aroma of essential oils, opt for a non-toxic candle instead if you want the scent in the same room as your dog.
You also need to be aware of your dog’s size. Smaller dogs can tolerate smaller quantities of cinnamon. Larger dogs will likely be all right if they ingest a little more than a teaspoon, but that doesn’t mean that you should try it out. It’s better to err on the side of caution, which means not intentionally feeding your dog a lot of cinnamon — if you feed them any at all.
Is cinnamon bad for dogs? No, but it isn’t always a good dietary option, either. Really, no amount of cinnamon is entirely safe for a dog to ingest. Humans enjoy a host of benefits from consuming cinnamon, such as aiding in digestion or even reducing the risk of cancer in some people. Unfortunately, dogs don’t have the same proven results. It’s still to be determined whether a dietary supplement of cinnamon could actually help your dog, so talk to your veterinarian before feeding your pup any. You may consider substituting another natural supplement to achieve the results you want for your dog.
One of the side effects of dogs eating too much cinnamon is that it could lead to skin and digestive issues in your pup. In fact, allowing your dog to ingest cinnamon on a regular basis can lead to irritation — so you shouldn’t use it as a topping for their daily meals. Similar to how humans may have difficulty breathing after inhaling too much cinnamon, dogs also can have irritated airways from breathing the spice in. Be sure to watch out if your dog is in the kitchen while you’re cooking.
No, cinnamon is not bad for dogs inherently. It can cause irritation, though the severity depends on how much they ingest, but it will not kill them. However, don’t use this as an excuse to give your pup some of your tasty desserts! While people may rely on cinnamon to add flavor as they cut back on something like salt, dogs don’t particularly need a lot of flavor in their food. If you want to give your dog some delicious people food, try creating homemade apple or peanut butter treats instead. Your dog will thank you for the tasty snack!
