Those who enjoy these traditional Scottish cookies understand how tempting they can be. The same could be said for your dog.
Scottish shortbread, made with only a few simple ingredients, dates back to at least the 12th century.th century. The world now knows who they are. Are shortbread cookies safe for dogs to eat? What is it?
Can dogs eat Shortbread Cookies?
Do not feed your dog shortbread cookies. Unfortunately, many varieties of shortbread cookies contain unhealthy amounts of sugar and fat that can be harmful to dogs. Moreover, dogs may have trouble processing the shortbread cookie’s ingredients.
Keep an eye out for signs of gastrointestinal upset if your dog eats a shortbread cookie, like vomiting and diarrhea. If your dog has any reactions after eating a shortbread cookie, you should contact your vet immediately.
You can think of shortbread as a cross between a biscuit and a cookie. Traditional shortbread has a sandier texture and a dense, crumbly flavor.
It’s also one of the earliest cookie varieties, with a history stretching back to medieval Scotland.
During the Victorian era, shortbread rose to prominence as a popular dessert in Britain. Shortbread now comes in a wide variety of flavors that are popular all over the world.
Dogs can safely consume many varieties of cookies. Oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies, and specialized canine treats are among the top choices.
Don’t feed your dog cookies if they contain any of the ingredients that can be harmful to canines, such as chocolate, raisins, or human food coloring. If you’re not sure if a certain treat is safe for your dog, it’s best to check with your vet first.
Shortbread Nutrition
Shortbread, in contrast to many other popular cakes and cookies, especially those associated with the holiday season, requires only a handful of simple ingredients.
One cup of white sugar, two tablespoons of butter, and three to four cups of all-purpose flour are the standard ingredients. There’s no baking powder or yeast in here to make it rise.
Some updated recipes swap out one type of flour for another, or add flavorings like ground almonds. However, in modern times, shortbread has remained primarily a straightforward biscuit.
One cookie (12 grams) has 61 total calories, 28 of which come from fat. It contains 3.1g fat (5% of total calories), 42mg sodium (2% of total calories), 10mg potassium, 7.5g carbs (3% of total calories), 0.1g fiber (1% of total calories), 2.6g sugars (5% of total calories), and 0.6g protein (1% of total calories).
When it comes to nutrients, shortbread scores low. It’s calcium content is 0.1%, and iron content is 2%. Magnesium is present, albeit in a negligible amount.
Low in saturated fat and cholesterol-free, this option is a healthy choice.
Nearly half of shortbread’s calorie count comes from its carbohydrate content. A little less than half of the calories were from fat.
The specifics of the nutritional profile of shortbread can change depending on the type of flour used in its preparation.
This flour page features a tried-and-true shortbread recipe along with helpful baking advice. Avoid the temptation to cut corners.
If you’re like me and have tried and failed several times before finally perfecting your shortbread, I recommend sticking to the recipe exactly as written.
Even though there are only a few ingredients, it’s much more difficult than it sounds. Put in the time and effort; you won’t regret it.
Is Shortbread Safe for Dogs?
Most shortbread contains no ingredients that could be harmful to a dog. But if you made some nutmeg-infused homemade shortbread, you’d have the world.
If that’s the case, then it’s not dog food and your pet shouldn’t eat it. Nutmeg in shortbread? That’s very unusual.
The addition of macadamia nuts to shortbread is plausible. If the shortbread you are buying or receiving as a gift contains nuts, it is important to know what kind they are. Toxic to canines are macadamia nuts.
Puppy macadamia nut poisoning symptoms include: vomiting, ataxia (loss of coordination), weakness, hyperthermia, and central nervous system depression. You should take your dog to the vet if it eats any macadamia nut shortbread.
Those following the ketogenic or paleo diets can find sugar-free shortbread recipes that call for xylitol online.
Xylitol, as you probably know, is fatal to dogs. Xylitol is found in many modern sugar-free products.
If you’re feeding your dog shortbread or anything else that could contain xylitol, check the label to make sure it doesn’t contain the ingredient.
Toxic levels of xylitol in dogs cause them to vomit, and then they exhibit signs of low blood sugar, like lethargy, disorientation, and even convulsions.
Dogs should be rushed to the vet or an emergency animal hospital if their owners suspect they have consumed xylitol.
Your dog may need to be hospitalized for medical monitoring because symptoms of hypoglycemia and other serious adverse effects may not appear for 12 to 24 hours.
Shortbread shouldn’t contain anything that’s bad for dogs, so long as it’s not made with raw eggs. That doesn’t mean you can feed your dog shortbread, though. Butter and sugar are prominent in the preparation.
If your dog manages to get ahold of a box of shortbread and gorges himself on them, he may have stomach trouble the following day.
You should contact your vet if the effects of his binge last longer than 24 hours.
Cookies are bad for dogs because they are full of sugar and fat. Butter, flour, and salt are common cookie ingredients.
Although these components are generally safe for canines, they may cause digestive issues. In addition, dogs shouldn’t eat cookies because of the excessive amounts of sugar and fat they contain.
What If Your Dog Eats Shortbread Cookies?
If your dog has no preexisting health problems, it should be fine to eat one or two shortbread cookies.
Due to the high sugar content and high fat and calorie content, shortbread should not be fed to dogs with diabetes or to overweight or obese dogs.
A small amount of shortbread, provided it does not contain any unusual ingredients like nutmeg or xylitol, should not cause a problem for dogs that do not have these health conditions.
No one would ever suspect that a shortbread cookie would contain chocolate, raisins, currants, or any other ingredient that could be harmful to a dog. All the butter in shortbread gives it a crumbly consistency.
Unlike many other cookies and cakes, it doesn’t have a lot of extra stuff in it. It’s important to read labels and verify product contents.
How Many Shortbread Cookies Can You Give Your Dog?
You shouldn’t feed your dog too many shortbread cookies due to the high levels of butter and sugar in the recipe. While these components are safe for consumption, their high calorie content may cause stomach problems in your dog.
If you want to share, one or two shortbread cookies should be sufficient, depending on the size of the dog.
Before giving a dog a treat like shortbread, it’s best to check with your vet to make sure it’s safe for your dog to eat.
How Often Can You Give Your Dog Shortbread Cookies?
Due to the high levels of fat and sugar in shortbread, it is not recommended that it be given to your dog on a regular basis. Once a week, you could give your dog a shortbread cookie.
You should only give your dog dog-safe treats and snacks.
Lemon cookies are not dog food. Although dogs might be fine after consuming the lemony flavor of cookies, the other ingredients, like sugar and butter, can be harmful.
Furthermore, dogs may have trouble chewing and digesting the texture of lemon shortbread cookies.
Keep an eye out for symptoms of stomach upset, like vomiting and diarrhea, if your dog eats a cookie made with lemon shortbread. If your dog eats a lemon shortbread cookie and has any negative reactions, you should contact your vet right away.
Conclusion
Almost any dog, given the chance, will gladly chow down on some shortbread. Plain shortbread is safe for dogs to eat in moderation.
However, the high levels of butter and sugar in it make it a less than ideal treat for your dog.
In the absence of diabetes or obesity, most dogs can safely enjoy the occasional shortbread cookie, but it’s better if they stick to the healthier treats designed specifically for canines.