Petsolino is reader-supported blog. If you buy something through our posts, we may get a small commission. Read more here.

Can Dogs Eat Donuts?

If you are a dog lover, then you know how important it is to take care of your little friend. From all the different food options out there, you want to know that is safe to give your pet a bite, without being worried about him getting sick or feeling bad.

His digestive system is different from ours, so you have to be careful not to hurt your friend unpurposely. You already know, sweets, are not good for dogs. But what about donuts?

Good for you, good for them

Animals, just like people, need the right food to stay healthy and, the best food is the one that is not too salty, too sugary or fatty. When you think about donuts, you know that they are not healthy for people, so dogs make no difference. You want to give your pet the best treats, and since donuts are rich in fat, sugar and sodium, they are definitely NOT the right choice. They are not dangerous like some other foods and fruits (see our article on dogs and honeydew), but they are also not good.

Some donuts can also contain caffeine or chocolate which are, as you already know, not good for them. So, if your dog ate a donut containing one of these ingredients, make sure to take him to the veterinarian.

Don’t panic

If your dog happens to eat a donut, don’t worry. Although they are not good for them, it doesn’t mean that he is in a real danger. Unless, of course, they contain a large amount of chocolate or caffeine as I said before. The real danger from, your dog, eating foods like donuts, is his long-term health. Like yourself, he should get quality food that will give him enough energy and that will keep him healthy in the future. If you gave him a donut, and he shows any signs of sickness, than you should definetely take him to the veterianrian and make sure everything is ok.

Sugar rush!

Since dogs aren’t too used to eating sugar, there is a big chance that your friend might feel a bit more active than usual, if he gets his paws on foods like donuts. Yes, that is possible! You like your dog to be playfull and have fun, but you don’t want him to get a little bit too energized so that he forgets about his behaviour.

Just like us, dogs can also overdose on sugar and start getting „sugar rushed“. This of course doesn’t happen from eating one or two donuts, but giving him sugary food in large amounts is not only dangerous for his health, but it might give you a bit of headache from trying to calm your friend down.

Don’t forget to brush

When we think about sugar and our health, one of the associations is damage to our teeth. Too much sugar can do harm to our teeth if we don’t brush them regularly. Since dogs, often, don’t get the luxury of regular teeth brushing, it can definitely harm them. This again, won’t happen if you don’t feed your dog with donuts on daily bases,  but behaviour like that on long-terms can be dangerous.

So, if you are not ready to brush your dogs teeth whenever he eats donuts, don’t expose him to harm.

In the end, a lot of pet owners don’t see the harm in feeding their dogs with donuts and similar foods. But when you think about the fact that you are responsible for another beign, and that he depends on your care, than you might want to think twice before feeding him poorly. There are a lot of other healthier options to treat your friend from time to time, so make sure to offer him the best and he will repay you back with his devotion.