Can Dogs Eat Basil? How Much Is Safe?

Written by Katelynn Sobus
Published: October 15, 2022
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Whether you want to bake some delicious dog treats or top your pup’s kibble with something new and exciting, you may have run into the same question: Can dogs eat basil?

Dogs can eat basil in moderation, but too much can cause stomach upset. Basil is non-toxic to dogs, so no need to worry if they got into it behind your back. However, human meals that contain basil often contain toxic ingredients like garlic and onion—so watch for these before feeding scraps of human foods.

In this article, we’ll talk about whether dogs can eat basil, its health benefits, and how much basil to feed your dog.

Is Basil Toxic to Dogs?

Basil is non-toxic to dogs and actually has health benefits! A sprinkle of basil atop their kibble or baked into dog treats can lower inflammation and help your dog’s body fight bacteria. Of course, if your dog is currently sick you should bring them to the veterinarian—not offer herbs.

Sometimes, basil is even cooked into your dog’s store-bought food as a healthy ingredient.

However, basil is also cooked into a lot of toxic human foods. It’s not the ingredient you need to worry about, but it’s often accompanied by onion, garlic, and other foods that are toxic to dogs.

Before feeding your dog human foods, it’s best to know every ingredient. This is most easily done with homemade foods. Processed foods often contain excess salts and sugars that your dog doesn’t need as well, which is another reason to avoid them.

Basil

Basil is non-toxic to dogs and actually has health benefits!

©Billion Photos/Shutterstock.com

Can Dogs Eat Basil Stems and Seeds?

Dogs can eat every part of a basil plant, so no worries about deseeding it or only feeding certain parts. This makes basil extremely convenient to feed!

If your dog gets into your garden or indoor plant, this is also relatively safe. We’ll go into more detail about this in the section below.

How Much Basil Can I Give My Dog?

Dogs should only get a couple of bites of basil at most as a treat. Too much basil can cause digestive upset due to its high fiber content.

When feeding your dog new food, always start slow. Give them a tiny amount and monitor them for any signs of an allergic reaction or stomach upset.

Once they’re used to having it in their diet, you can give them a bit more. Remember, treats should never make up more than 10% of your dog’s diet. The rest should consist of high-quality dog food.

This ensures that they get all the nutrients they need to stay healthy and that they maintain a healthy weight.

If your dog eats more basil than recommended, it likely won’t be a problem. They might develop diarrhea or other stomach problems, which should pass within a couple of days. It’ll feel kind of like when you eat too much ice cream or candy – you might get an upset stomach but there’s generally nothing to worry about.

dog eating basil

Dogs should only get a couple of bites of basil at most as a treat. Too much basil can cause digestive upset due to its high fiber content.

©Polina Eugenevna/Shutterstock.com

Help! My Dog Ate my Basil Plant

If your dog ate your basil plant, don’t fret—they’ve likely harmed the plant more than themselves. The worst that’s likely to happen if your dog eats a basil plant is diarrhea and an upset stomach.

It depends how much your pup has eaten of the plant. Many times they’ll get away with no side effects at all, since the plant is non-toxic.

Since basil contains fiber, it can cause slight digestive upset, which is where you might see diarrhea, vomiting, or stomach pain if your dog has eaten a good portion of the plant.

Rarely, a dog might have an allergic reaction to basil with more severe symptoms. If you see this, call your veterinarian right away. For severe allergic reactions, call an emergency veterinary clinic.

Lastly, this scare is a good time to reassess your plants. While basil is non-toxic, many common houseplants, garden plants, and herbs are toxic to dogs. Make sure these are kept far from their reach.

You might need to toss your houseplants if your dog is sneaky or move your garden to an area your dog can’t access. For instance, grow in the front yard if your dog is normally kept fenced in the back yard.

This can also help to protect your plants. Even if they’re non-toxic, it can be frustrating to spend months growing a plant for your dog to destroy it in one day!

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The photo featured at the top of this post is © SimonVera/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Katelynn Sobus is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on pets including dogs, cats, and exotics. She has been writing about pet care for over five years. Katelynn currently lives in Michigan with her seven senior rescue cats.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.

Sources
  1. Christine Mikstas, Available here: https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-basil#:~:text=These%20anti%2Dinflammatory%20properties%20can,heart%20disease%2C%20and%20bowel%20issues.&text=Basil%20has%20antibacterial%20properties.,%2C%20abdominal%2C%20and%20skin%20infections
  2. , Available here: https://www.ethosvet.com/blog-post/hives-in-dogs-what-to-do-if-your-dog-experiences-an-allergic-reaction/