Ingesting uncooked bread dough is extremely hazardous to pets.
With the holiday season just around the corner, many of us swing into action baking up a storm. After all, yummy baked goods are one of the best parts of the festivities. While you are in the kitchen, keep in mind that yeast-based dough is potentially very dangerous to pets.
There are two main reasons that bread dough is so hazardous. First, bread dough expands dramatically in the warm, damp environment of the stomach. Over-expansion can lead to the stomach being extremely bloated, which can lead to shock and bowel obstruction. Secondly, as yeast ferments it forms alcohol, resulting in all of the potential severe side-effects of alcohol poisoning, including hypoglycemia, loss of balance, central nervous system depression, and possibly seizures and death.
Please make sure that your pet is not left with unsupervised access to bread dough. If you believe your pet may have eaten bread dough, please contact us and get immediate veterinary attention. Bread Dough Toxicity is an extremely serious condition, but with prompt veterinary care, the prognosis is good for a full recovery.
