Does your fur baby beg for those mashed potatoes you’ve just covered with salt and pepper? If so, he’s not alone! Most dogs love mashed potatoes and other human foods! There are plenty of safe foods you can share with your dog. But what happens if he eats black pepper?
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Interesting Facts About Black Pepper
Those black pepper corns you place in the grinder are a fruit from a flower vine! And while peppercorns do come in various colors, they all come from the same plant. The difference in color is caused by the how ripe the peppercorns are.
Peppercorns have been a favorite since ancient times, and it’s also been used in traditional medicine. It was used as a treatment for insomnia, constipation, and more. Plus, it even provides some nutrients (in very small amounts) including vitamin K, iron, and manganese. Who knew?
Is Black Pepper Harmful for Dogs?
You’ll be happy to know that black pepper is not toxic to dogs. Phew! However, if a dog eats too much black pepper, it can cause stomach upset.
Plus, dogs don’t always enjoy the flavor of spicy foods. Black pepper is one of these. Not only can it make some dogs sneeze (just like us!), but it can also cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting in dogs. In addition, black pepper can cause a burning sensation in a dog’s sensitive stomach. As you can imagine, that’s not at all pleasant. It’s similar to when we eat food that’s too spicy and experience heart burn and/or a burning stomach.
Excessive amounts of black pepper can even cause hemorrhoids in dogs. Talk about being unpleasant! This means that the rectal tissue can become inflamed and painful. Not fun. And this can be a serious condition in dogs.
So, it’s best to not give your fur baby black pepper in food you’re giving to him. If you do share your food with, then just be sure it doesn’t have much pepper in or on it.
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Ask a Vet Live NowWhat to Do if Your Dog Eats Black Pepper
If your fur baby does happen to snarf up some food that had a lot of pepper on it, then you may want to watch him for a few hours afterwards. Just watch for any signs of digestive upset.
And if the food had a ton of black pepper on it, and your dog has excessive vomiting and/or diarrhea, then be sure to call the vet right away. They will have the best advice on next steps.
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Kim
Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.
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