Can Dogs Eat Cinnamon? Yes, But With Precautions
Cinnamon offers some potential benefits for dogs, including:
- Brain Health: Antioxidants may improve brain function and reduce the risk of dementia.
- Heart Health: May help lower cholesterol and improve circulation.
- Blood Sugar Regulation: Can help control blood sugar levels, especially important for diabetic dogs.
Important Considerations
- Moderation is Key: Too much cinnamon can cause stomach upset, low blood sugar (especially for diabetic dogs), and respiratory problems if inhaled.
- Type Matters: Cassia cinnamon is generally safe in small amounts. Ceylon cinnamon is an even better choice for dogs.
- Stick to Powder: Cinnamon sticks or large amounts of ground cinnamon can irritate the mouth or cause choking.
Foods to Avoid
- Cinnamon Rolls, Bread, & Cookies: These are high in sugar and other ingredients that can be harmful to dogs.
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch: Although not immediately toxic, it’s loaded with sugar and unnecessary for a dog’s diet.
How Much is Safe?
- Powder: ½ teaspoon is safe for most dogs. Up to 1 teaspoon for large dogs.
- Oil: Consult your veterinarian.
Safety Tips
- Always Consult Your Vet: Before introducing cinnamon, get your vet’s advice, especially if your dog has health conditions.
- Avoid Inhalation: Don’t let your dog inhale cinnamon powder, as it can cause coughing and breathing problems.
Key Takeaways
- Cinnamon can be a healthy, occasional treat for dogs in very small amounts and in the right form.
- Use Cassia or preferably Ceylon cinnamon sprinkled in powdered form.
- Avoid cinnamon-flavored baked goods, which are unhealthy for dogs.
- If your dog accidentally consumes a large amount of cinnamon or inhales the powder, contact your vet immediately.
Do dogs like the taste of cinnamon?
As per the research on how dogs of different breeds react when getting some food having cinnamon flavor, it can be said that most dogs are fond of this human spice;
the most significant reason behind the preference of the canine behind this can be their nature of always getting attracted by the food products with human spices. At the same time, most dog eats this spice to get the health benefits it provides.
The major health benefits the canine gets after having these cinnamon-added dog treats are better prevention of stomach aches, proper heart health, prevention from liver disease, and many others.
Now the fact to notice here is just because the dogs love its taste; cinnamon overdose can turn fatal for the health of the canine.
The diseases caused due to the overdose of it, like difficulty breathing and gastrointestinal disorders, can be very difficult to treat; thus, maintaining moderation is preferred.
What are the benefits of cinnamon for dogs?
Dog owners need to know about the benefits of cinnamon for the canine. This is mainly because it will help them to identify why cinnamon should be included in the dog’s diet and how much of it will be appropriate for the canine’s consumption. Below mentioned are the factors which depict the benefits of cinnamon for canines.
Proper functioning of the brain – The consumption of cinnamon dog treats can be a boon to the intelligence of your dog; this is mainly because it contains a type of antioxidant named polyphenol which provides more energy to the nervous system and promotes better functioning and also prevents the premature aging by capturing the radicals that lead to dementia.
Provides better heart health – It is the most important of the many health benefits eating cinnamon provides to the canine. The cinnamon’s essential minerals are used to reduce the cholesterol level of the canine, which eventually leads to better heart health of the canine.
Regulate blood sugar levels properly – The consumption of cinnamon is found to be very effective for the proper regulation of the blood sugar levels of the canine,
which controls the systolic blood pressure and also prevents low blood sugar levels. It happens mostly because of lower blood glucose levels and the insulin resistance properties of cinnamon.
Can dogs eat cinnamon ?
Yes, the consumption of cinnamon is considered to be safe for the canine. But the fact to notice here is cinnamon has been descended from various places, and the level of sugar in this delicious spice differs in each,
thus if the dog eats too much cinnamon, the harmful version, then it can lead to mild stomach upset, abdominal pain and can be fatal for the diabetic dogs.
Cinnamon that comes from Indonesia and China, named Cassia cinnamon, is considered to be safe for dogs and can be included in many dog treats.
This is mainly because the presence of coumarin, which is the most toxic substance of this spice, is less in amount, whereas the cinnamon that comes from Srilanka named Ceylon cinnamon, is found to be safe for the canine as the percentage of coumarin in it is very low.
Thus, sprinkling the cinnamon powder over the dog’s food should depend upon the percentage of coumarin in it.
Can dogs eat cinnamon sticks?
No, the consumption of cinnamon sticks is not considered to be safe for the canine. This is mainly because it can simply lead to irritation in the dog’s mouth; even ground cinnamon and cinnamon essential oil, if given to the canine more than one teaspoon, can lead to irritation in the dog’s mouth which can be very discomforting for the canine.
Consumption of a whole cinnamon stick at a time can lead to extreme choking hazards and upset stomach and can be extremely toxic to dogs. Thus the consumption of cinnamon sticks is not at all preferred for the canine.
Can dogs eat cinnamon rolls?
No, the consumption of cinnamon rolls is not at all suggested for the canines. This is mainly because cinnamon rolls are prepared with lots of sugar and other additives and are also rich in fatty acids,
which after getting consumed by the canine, can lead to severe discomforts such as pancreatitis, gastrointestinal upsets, and even an increase in the blood sugar level.
If the dog ingests these baked treats in large quantities, then it can be fatal for the canine and can also lead to abrupt vet visits to treat the pet in that critical conditions. Thus the consumption of these baked goods is not at all suggested for the canines.
Can dogs have cinnamon bread?
No, the consumption of this cinnamon bread is not at all suggested for the canine. This is because, during the preparation of these baked goods along with a teaspoon of cinnamon good for the canines,
a lot of other additives are used, like artificial sweetening agents and lots of sugar, which, when the dog ingests, might lead to extreme stomach upsets and increase in the cholesterol level.
Thus, the consumption of these cinnamon-baked goods is not suggested for the canine, as it will help the dog avoid the discomforts related to its consumption.
How much cinnamon can be given to the canine per day?
Dog owners need to know how much cinnamon can be safe for the canine per day. As consumption of it in a proper dose will lead to safe cinnamon nature and will also not harm the canine’s health.
As per the research done, half a teaspoon of powdered cinnamon and around one teaspoon of cinnamon oil are considered to be safe for dogs. Whereas in the case of large dogs, sprinkling cinnamon around one teaspoon over the dog’s food is considered to be safe for the canine, but the amount of cinnamon oil is safe for both large and small dogs.
Can dogs eat cinnamon cookies?
No, the consumption of cinnamon cookies is not considered to be safe for the canine. This is mainly because, during the preparation of cinnamon cookies, a lot of other additives have been used, even nuts and milk products such as condensed milk which can be very harmful to the health of the canine.
The presence of nuts in the cookies can lead to extreme stomach upsets, milk products might lead to discomfort for lactose intolerant dogs, and the high amount of sugar might lead to an increase in the blood sugar level. Thus, the consumption of cinnamon cookies is strictly prohibited for the canines.
Can inhaling cinnamon powder harm the canine?
If the dog inhales cinnamon powder, then it can be fatal for the canine. Not only this sweet spice, but if the dog inhales any kind of spices rather than this, then also it can lead to different and extreme discomforts for the canine.
It can cause choking hazards, breathing issues, and severe cough in the canine, which can make the dog owner contact the pet poison helpline states to cure the pet from that critical disease. Thus, it is suggested that the dog owner not let their pet inhale any kind of complementary spices.
Can dogs eat cinnamon toast crunch cereal?
No, the consumption of this cinnamon toast crunch cereal is not suggested for the canine. Although this cereal can’t be considered that harmful for the canine, as it is loaded with sugar and other additives, it can be harmful.
Now, the fact to notice here is if the dog craves this cereal, then giving a few of these to the canine will not cause any kind of harm. But the amount should be in moderation to avoid its toxicity.
How to feed cinnamon safely to the canine?
We have discussed above that the consumption of cinnamon is safe for the canine in some moderation. But the thing to notice here is some dogs might have been suffering from diseases in which the consumption of little cinnamon and consuming ground cinnamon can be fatal for the canine.
Thus, it is suggested that the dog owners go for a discussion with the vet first. This is mainly because the vet will do a proper health check-up of the canine and will suggest accordingly if the anti-inflammatory properties of the cinnamon are going to cause any adverse effects on its health. The owner should strictly follow the rules mentioned by the veterinarians for feeding cinnamon to the canine.
