Is Peanut Butter Actually Safe for Your Dog?
IS PEANUT BUTTER ACTUALLY SAFE FOR YOUR DOG? What The Label Should Tell You
Peanut butter holds a special place in most dog owner’s cupboards. It keeps dogs busy, it hides medication and it turns an ordinary lick mat into something your dog will work at for a solid twenty minutes. Most dogs are completely in love with it.
But not all peanut butters are the same. The jar that sits in the cupboard for toast might be entirely unsuitable for your dog. The difference between a safe choice and a dangerous one is not always obvious from the front of the packaging.
Here’s what to look for, what to avoid and what the label should actually tell you before you give it to your dog.
The Ingredient That Should Stop You Immediately
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener used in a wide range of human food products from chewing gum to baked goods, some yoghurts and a growing number of reduced-sugar or natural peanut butters. For us it is harmless, but for our dogs it is acutely toxic, even in small amounts.
Xylitol causes a rapid release of insulin in dogs which leads to a sudden drop in blood sugar that can result in vomiting, loss of co-ordination, seizures and, in serious cases, liver failure. The speed at which it acts makes it even more dangerous with symptoms often appearing within thirty minutes of ingestion.
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Unfortunately Xylitol is not always listed prominently. On some labels it is listed as ‘birch sugar’ or ‘birch extract’ but both are the same compound. Always read the full ingredients list, not just the front of the jar calais. A product labelled ‘natural’ or ‘no added sugar’ is more likely to contain it, not less likely. |
The Rest of the Label Matters Too
Xylitol is the most urgent ingredient to check, but it's not the only one. There are other ingredients that should also cause concern.
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Added salt. Our dogs have a much lower sodium tolerance than we do. Whilst peanut butter with added salt is not acutely dangerous in small amounts, it depends on how often you give it to your dog. If your dog is already eating a completely commercial diet, there is very little room for additional sodium in their day to day allowance.
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Added sugar. This is unnecessary for dogs and if consumed often can lead to weight gain, dental issues and energy spikes, which is exactly the opposite of what you want if you are using the peanut butter on a lick mat as part of a calming strategy.
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Palm oil. This is not toxic to dogs but is associated with digestive upset in some dogs. If your dog has or is prone to pancreatitis then the high fat content would be a concern.
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Hydrogenated oils. This is a sign of heavy processing and not what you want in something you are regularly using as an enrichment food.
The ideal peanut butter ingredient is short and simple. Peanuts. That’s it, nothing else. If the list runs to six or more items, it’s worth asking what they are doing there.
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The safest label is the simplest one. If you cannot read every ingredient without needing to look it up, that’s all you need to know. |
What a Label Should Look Like
Peanut butter doesn’t need to be complicated to be good, the simpler the better and the more of it your dog can enjoy. Here’s what you should be looking for in a peanut butter that is genuinely suitable for dogs:
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Peanuts as the only or primary ingredient. Ideally the only ingredient.
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No xylitol in any form. Watch out for birch sugar or birch extract.
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No added salt. Or a very low sodium content, low enough for it to be negligible per serving.
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No added sugar, honey or sweeteners of any kind. Natural or otherwise.
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Short ingredient list. Less is more.
What About Cashew Nut Butter? Is That Safe Too?
Cashews are safe for dogs in moderation, and cashew nut butter can be an excellent alternative to peanut butter, especially for dogs who need a change of flavour or a slightly different nutritional profile.
Both peanuts and cashews are high in fat and the total fat content between the two is broadly the same. Where cashew nuts differ is in their saturated fat content which is slightly higher than peanuts. Neither of these nuts are a concern in the small amounts used on a lick mat but it is worth knowing that cashew butter is not a lower-fat alternative, it’s just a different option.
The flavour profile of cashew butter is also milder and slightly sweeter which some dogs respond to well. Especially those dogs who have grown bored of peanut butter.
The same rules apply with Cashew butter. Check it contains no xylitol and also check for added salt and sugar. Cashew nut butter with nothing added is the best choice.
One thing worth noting on nuts is that macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs and should never appear in any nut butter you give them. Mixed nut butters, even ones that look natural and wholesome occasionally contain macadamia so it’s worth looking for the single nut butters as a safer choice.
How Much to Give
Even a completely clean nut butter is still loaded with calories. A thin spread across a lick mat is all that is needed for most dogs, just enough to hold their interest and engage them for a meaningful session, but not so much that it becomes a huge contributor to their daily calorie intake.
For small dogs a teaspoon is sufficient, for larger breeds a tablespoon is at the upper limit for a single session. If you are using a lick mat daily it is worth factoring the nut butter into your dog’s overall daily intake. Treats should be kept within 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake.
A Nut Butter Made for Dogs
Paw by Four’s 500g Peanut Butter and 200g Cashew Nut butter are both made with all of this in mind. No xylitol, no added sugar or salt, just the nut and nothing your dog doesn’t need. The ingredient list is short, as it should be.
You can find both at pawbyfour.com along with the lick mat range they were designed to work with.