Can Dogs Eat Pesto?

Dogs cannot eat pesto. Pesto is toxic to dogs in all its forms, whether they’re eating pesto chicken, pesto pasta, red pesto, or green pesto. All contain garlic and onion, which are toxic, as well as large amounts of fat and salt – which aren’t toxic but can lead to severe and sometimes deadly illnesses.

This article will discuss why dogs can’t eat pesto, the risks, and what to do if your dog eats pesto.

Is Pesto Toxic to Dogs?

Pesto is toxic to dogs because it contains garlic and onion, and this applies to pasta, chicken, and anything else that contains pesto sauce. Red pesto and green pesto are both toxic.

Garlic and onion break down a dog’s red blood cells, which can lead to severe symptoms like increased heart rate, pale gums, rapid breathing, and collapse. If your dog eats a lot of pesto and the poisoning is left untreated, garlic and onion poisoning can result in death.

Pesto is also high in salt and fat, which can be dangerous to dogs in excess. Very large amounts of salt can cause salt poisoning, with symptoms like dehydration, decreased appetite, lack of coordination, and stomach upset.

Foods high in fat can cause pancreatitis, which is when a dog’s pancreas becomes inflamed. Pancreatitis can lead to excessive vomiting and diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, tiredness, and intense abdominal pain. Especially if it goes untreated, pancreatitis can be deadly.

All in all, it’s definitely not worth the risk to feed your dog even small amounts of pesto. If your dog mistakenly ingests it behind your back, I recommend calling a pet poison hotline or emergency veterinarian right away.

Risks of Pesto for Dogs

Onion and Garlic Poisoning

Thiosulfate in garlic and onions works to break down red blood cells, causing anemia in dogs. You might also notice signs of stomach upset if your dog has garlic or onion poisoning.

Onions are the most toxic, and it only takes around 15–30 grams per kilogram of body weight for a dog to develop symptoms of poisoning.

Since garlic and onion contain the same toxic compound, foods like pesto that contain both increase the risk of poisoning.

In addition, garlic and onion powders are more potent than the whole foods. This means it would take less onion powder in a recipe to poison your dog than if your dog ate whole garlic.

Poisoning can also build in your dog’s system over days, meaning if you fed it pesto multiple days in a row, it would become more poisoned as it continued to eat it.

Of course, small dogs are most at risk due to their size. Larger dogs can still develop poisoning but must eat larger amounts of pesto before showing symptoms.

Symptoms of poisoning include:

• Vomiting
• Bloody urine
• Weakness
• Tiredness
• Increased heart rate
• Rapid breathing
• Excessive panting
• Pale gums
• Inability to exercise
• Collapse

Because garlic and onion poisoning is so severe, I recommend calling a veterinarian or pet poison hotline as soon as you notice your dog has eaten pesto.

If your primary vet is closed or unable to see your dog, call an emergency clinic for help.

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an emergent health condition in which a dog’s pancreas becomes inflamed. This can have many causes, but a common one is eating foods high in fat.

Symptoms of pancreatitis include:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever
• Lethargy
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Decreased appetite
• Increased thirst or urination
• “Praying position” or downward dog
• Depression

If you notice signs of pancreatitis in your dog, call your nearest emergency vet clinic for help. Pancreatitis can be deadly if left untreated and incredibly painful, so don’t wait to have your dog seen by a vet!

Salt Poisoning

Salt poisoning can happen if your dog eats very large amounts of salt. How much salt it takes for your dog to be poisoned depends on the size of your dog, the amount of water it drinks, and various other factors.

If your dog gets into pesto, it’s a good idea to give it water. This will help prevent dehydration, a major symptom of salt poisoning.

Other symptoms include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Decreased appetite
• Tiredness
• Lack of coordination
• Excessive thirst or urination
• Tremors
• Seizures
• Coma

Salt poisoning can be deadly, so it’s important to call an emergency vet if you notice symptoms in your dog after it has eaten a large amount of pesto or other foods high in salt.

Soy Allergy

Vegan pesto contains soy, which some dogs are allergic to. It’s also worth noting that vegan pesto will still contain garlic and onion, thus being as unsafe to eat as non-vegan pesto.

Allergic reactions can range from itchy skin to anaphylaxis. Call an emergency vet clinic immediately if your dog shows symptoms like hives, difficulty breathing, swelling in the face or muzzle, or excessive drooling.

What To Do if Your Dog Eats Pesto

If your dog eats pesto, we recommend calling a veterinarian or pet poison hotline right away. The veterinarian can let you know if your dog needs to be seen based on its size, how much it ate, and the ingredients in the pesto.

Because garlic and onion are so toxic, we don’t recommend waiting for symptoms, especially if your dog has eaten a large amount.

If you catch this soon enough, your veterinarian might recommend bringing your dog into the clinic to induce vomiting. This way, you won’t have to worry about poisoning or other risks.

Never induce vomiting at home without instruction from a professional. This can be dangerous and make the situation even worse!

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• Can Dogs Eat Pasta, Noodles, or Spaghetti? What Are The Dangers?

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