The internet is full of resources that will give you a lecture about why pizza for your dog is bad. Here, we’ll talk about pizza rolls, which are appetizers made with some of the same ingredients found on pizzas but are much smaller.
This is therefore not the same as a pizza in every respect. Frozen pizza rolls are available at the grocery store, or you can make your own with just a few simple ingredients.
This makes it less of a hassle to modify these crowd-pleasers to your liking or to make them dog-safe. Putting a roll of pizza before a dog: yes or no? Okay, then, let’s find out.
Can You Give Your Dog Pizza Rolls to Eat?
There are numerous sites on the internet that exaggerate the risks of feeding your dog pizza. Examples of cheeses that are low in lactose include mozzarella, a popular pizza topping.
Dogs with lactose intolerance shouldn’t have any trouble eating them. Not only does mozzarella have less than 1 gram of lactose per ounce, but so do Cheddar, provolone, and Swiss.
On its own, tomato sauce is safe for canines. Has anyone ever seen pizza sauce made with green tomatoes instead of red ones? Green tomatoes (which contain solanine) can be harmful to dogs.
Avoid giving it to your dog if it even exists. However, as long as it is plain, the standard red sauce made from ripe tomatoes is safe for dogs to eat.
True, most pizza is loaded with calories and fat. Common pizza toppings like pepperoni and sausage are typically processed and may be high in salt. However, for your dog to ingest a toxic dose of salt, it would take a tremendous amount.
For canines, a lethal dose of salt is 4 grams per kilogram. To get a lethal dose of salt, a dog weighing 30 pounds would have to consume nearly two ounces.
That much salt would not be found in a typical pizza or any other food. There are more than three tablespoons of salt in two ounces. That much salt would make most foods taste terrible.
Even though your dog won’t get sick from eating pizza crust, moderation is key.
Like raw bread dough, raw pizza dough will continue to rise and expand in your dog’s stomach, posing a serious health risk.
Baking with active yeast increases the risk of gastric dilatation volvulus (bloat) and other serious side effects.
It also causes alcohol to be absorbed into the bloodstream, which can have negative effects on your dog’s health. It is crucial that your dog not eat any raw pizza dough.
Garlic and onions in the pizza sauce pose the greatest risk to canine health.
While a few spoonfuls of plain tomato sauce probably won’t hurt your dog, excessive ingestion of sauces containing garlic and onions could be problematic.
The Ingredients In Pizza Rolls
Let’s go over what’s in pizza rolls and talk about what you can eat and what you should stay away from.
It’s important to keep in mind that while some ingredients in pizza rolls may be fine for a dog, it’s best to avoid feeding them to your pet in general if you weren’t involved in the preparation.
1. Tomato sauce
Tomatoes will usually be found in pizza rolls.
Tomatoes are fine to eat in moderation as long as they are fully ripe and red, but the solanine found in unripe green tomatoes and the green parts of the tomato plant is toxic to dogs.
In addition, many varieties of tomato sauce contain ingredients that are harmful to dogs, such as garlic and onions.
2. Cheese
If you give your dog cheese as a treat only occasionally, it’s probably fine. In fact, they may benefit from the cheese’s vitamins and protein. Make sure your dog isn’t lactose intolerant first.
Cheese’s high dairy and fat content can upset the stomach of any dog, and feeding it to them on a regular basis can lead to obesity and other health issues.
3. Crust
A pizza roll’s crust or pastry isn’t inherently bad for dogs, but it also isn’t providing them with any nutritional value. Crust by itself probably won’t make them ill, but it’s not particularly nutritious.
Furthermore, some crusts have garlic oil or other substances that could be toxic to your dog, or are coated with such substances.
4. Spices
You can never know for sure what spices are in those pizza rolls unless you make them yourself.
Although a pizza roll likely contains more salt than is good for a dog, the amount in there shouldn’t be too bad. Other common pizza ingredients, such as oregano, garlic, and onion powder, are toxic to dogs (though limited amounts of oregano might be okay).
5. Toppings
You should be cautious about giving your dog pizza rolls because of the potential dangers of the ingredients used to make the toppings.
Even though pepperoni is packed with protein, the high fat content could cause your dog digestive distress.
Nutrition Of Pizza Rolls
Don’t get the idea that pizza rolls are just like pizza.
Six pizza rolls have 24 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fat, and 7 grams of protein, as reported by various sources on the internet. In total, there are 220 calories in them. There is a single gram of fiber in them.
While they do contain sodium (420 milligrams), the vitamin and mineral content is quite low.
You can buy these pizza rolls at the store frozen.
The nutritional content of homemade pizza rolls will vary depending on the ingredients used. The recipes we found indicated that they were high in both calories and fat. Depending on what you add to the recipe, the protein content could go up or down.
Neither humans nor canines can claim that pizza rolls are a healthy food option.
How Many Pizza Rolls Can Your Dog Eat?
Depending on the brand, six rolls of frozen pizza can have anywhere from 180 to 220 calories. As a result, there are roughly 36 calories in one mini pizza roll.
Use this as a starting point for figuring out how many rolls are appropriate for your dog. Treats and snacks should not account for more than 10 percent of a dog’s total daily caloric intake.
If your dog’s daily calorie intake averages 360, he would do well on just one mini pizza roll. Two or three mini pizza rolls would be a good treat for a large dog that needs a higher calorie diet.
A lot more time, effort, and ingredients go into making homemade pizza rolls, which means they’re also more likely to be higher in calories and fat. A small dog could eat half of a pizza roll. Even a large dog would only need a single roll.
No pizza rolls, got it. What can I give my dog instead?
Dog treats flavored like pizza are widely available at pet supply stores. Making them at home is even more of a healthier option.
This pizza snack recipe yields about 12 servings and keeps well in the fridge or freezer when stored in an airtight container.
Totaling 1207 calories, 158 grams of carbohydrates, 61 grams of protein, and 41 grams of fat, this recipe is perfect for a sweet snack.
Make some extra treats for your dog while you’re making homemade pizza or pizza rolls for yourself. They will adore them, and you can enjoy a slice of pizza without feeling bad about it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose or bread flour
- White Flour, One-Third Cup
- 14 cup of liquid
- Basil, about a thumb’s worth
- Small handful of sundried tomatoes, or a pinch
- The equivalent of 1 mozzarella ball or a few thin slices
Preparation
- Turn the oven temperature up to 375 degrees F. Put aside some time to finely chop the basil, sundried tomatoes, and cheese.
- Mix the two types of flour together. Add in the mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped basil.
- Add the water gradually, stirring constantly, until a sticky dry dough forms. Add a tablespoon of water if the dough is too dry to form a ball. Add another tablespoon of flour if the dough is too wet to work with.
- Roll out the dough until it is thin. Treats can be cut into circles using the rim of a glass, and they can be given a “pizza slice” appearance by indenting the dough with a knife (not required, but adorable). Place pizza slices on a baking sheet.
- Put the pizzas in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Get the treats out of the oven and set them on a rack to cool.
If your dog is on the smaller side, you may want to cut up the pizza into bite-sized pieces rather than feeding it the whole thing.
As a bonus, these tasty morsels can be given as presents to anyone who enjoys the company of canine companions.
In conclusion
While it may be hard to say no to those puppy dog eyes, pizza rolls and other forms of pizza are not safe for dogs to consume.
As if that weren’t bad enough, some pizza ingredients are known to be toxic to pets and can even cause gastrointestinal distress.
The good news is that you can make your own pizza rolls that your dog will love. Treats are still high in calories, so be mindful of how many you give out.