Cinnamon is considered a wonder spice that can enhance the taste of any recipe, especially if we are talking about baked products. Therefore it’s pretty natural to find Cinnamon in your food products. Our love affair with Cinnamon doesn’t end there as this exotic spice is also considered a luxury product, and therefore most folks like to keep a jar of it just for its show value. Now, this doesn’t mean trouble for most folks, but the equation completely changes if you share your house with Human kind’s four-legged best friends. Dogs love exploring new things, and they are especially attracted to new and exotic smells. That’s why you may find your canine friend snooping around in the kitchen in the hopes of finding and tasting some of that Cinnamon that you keep hidden. Now we admit that it is quite adorable of our dogs to do that, but this raises questions like “Can dogs have Cinnamon?” and “Can my dog have cinnamon?”
If you often ask the same question, you have come to the right place, as this article is all about answering those burning questions.
Is Cinnamon toxic in nature?
Probably the first thing that we have to clarify to answer questions like “Can my dog have cinnamon?” is whether Cinnamon is toxic for dogs or not. This is a very important question as although dogs and humans share a lot when it comes to internal organs, there are tons of human-friendly foods that are actually toxic for our pooches. Most common examples of such food items include chocolate and grapes. That’s why dog owners need to do their homework before feeding their dogs something new, and the same goes for Cinnamon.
Fortunately, Cinnamon is not toxic to dogs, and therefore you can safely say that the answer to the question “Can dogs have Cinnamon?” is a Yes. But this doesn’t mean that dog owners should not keep a check on their dog’s cinnamon intake, nor it means that they should start sprinkling powdered Cinnamon on their dog’s kibble. Excess of anything is bad, and the same goes for Cinnamon. In the case of Cinnamon, it has been observed that large amounts of Cinnamon can cause skin and digestive system-related problems, and therefore, Pet Poison Helpline cautions dog owners to safeguard their pooches from overconsumption of Cinnamon. There are many other problems associated with Cinnamon, as accidentally inhaling cinnamon powder can cause severe irritation in the respiratory system of dogs and can cause them to suffocate. The problematic effect of Cinnamon grows exponentially if your dog is allergic to Cinnamon, as it can lead to a lot of medical complications in your dog. Therefore we recommend our readers consult their vets before feeding anything new to their dogs. Vets cannot only tell whether a dog is allergic to Cinnamon or not, but they can also advise you on how much Cinnamon you should offer to your dog, depending upon his age, breed, and medical history. Your vet will also be able to answer questions like “Can dogs have Cinnamon?”.
As a general rule of thumb, you should never feed your dog more than one teaspoon of powdered cinnamon as any more cinnamon powder than that can cause serials medical complications in dogs. The recommended safe amount of cinnamon also depends on how you are feeding it to your dog, as essential oils that carry Cinnamon can cause toxicity in smaller amounts. Similarly, smaller dog breeds have reduced tolerance towards Cinnamon due to their smaller sizes. Dog owners should be aware of all this as cinnamon toxicity can cause many medical problems such as:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Liver diseases
- Low blood sugar levels
- High blood pressure
- Heart problems
Therefore, the correct answer to the question “Can my dog have cinnamon?” is a “Yes, as long as certain conditions are met”
What to do if your dog consumes excess Cinnamon?
If you have a jar of Cinnamon, then it is a given that your dog will eventually find it out and will help himself through that entire jar. This might sound like a cute thing, but it’s certainly isn’t, as this much Cinnamon can seriously jeopardize your dog’s well-being. That’s why it’s completely natural to freak out a little about all this, but we suggest you stay calm and keep in mind that Cinnamon is not toxic, and therefore your dog is safe from any fatal outcomes. In such a scenario, the very first thing that you should do is take your dog as far away from Cinnamon as possible. After ensuring no cinnamon powder is lying around your dog, we suggest you offer fresh, clean water to your dog to help him pass all that Cinnamon down. Water will also benefit from hydrating your dog, as Cinnamon can have a dehydrating effect. After that, we suggest our readers call your vet and visit him as fast as possible. Your vet will run some tests on your dog and will be able to assess whether the ingested amount of Cinnamon can lead to dire consequences or not. As stated above, overconsumption of Cinnamon can lead to several medical complications, and therefore rushing to the vet also ensures that your dog will receive all the required medications and treatment quickly and in time.
All the above reasons are why we think that the answer to the question “Can my dog have cinnamon?” is only Yes when certain conditions are kept in mind and when dogs are kept away from excessive amounts of Cinnamon.
Can dogs have Cinnamon rolls and other baked products?
A couple of very important questions that dog owners often find themselves wondering are whether their dogs can safely eat baked products and Can dogs have Cinnamon rolls? The reason for these questions being frequently asked is that dog lovers love sharing their food with their beloved pooched l, and therefore, the question of the safety of this day-to-day practice often raises its head.
Unfortunately, the internet isn’t very helpful in this matter as it’s full of articles giving conflicting information. Therefore, we have decided to come to the aid of all the dog lovers worldwide and answer these questions ourselves.
Since cinnamon rolls are basically baked products, that’s why the answer to the question Can dogs have a Cinnamon role will be the same as the answer to the question of whether dogs can eat baked products or not? As stated above, Cinnamon can be found in almost all desserts and baked products since this exotic spice is excellent at adding a luxurious aroma and a delicious taste to food products. Fortunately, the amounts of the cinnamon present in most food products are not high enough to cause any kind of toxicity in dogs. That’s why according to us, the answer to the question “Can dogs have Cinnamon rolls?” is affirmative.
You should not feed such products to your canine friend just because dogs can eat Cinnamon rolls and other baked products. Just like how sweet baked products can be highly unhealthy for us similarly, cinnamon rolls and other baked sweets can be dangerous for dogs as they come loaded with sugars which can expose dogs to obesity. Obesity in itself can be a precursor to a wide range of diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. This shows that the question “Can dogs have Cinnamon rolls?” can only be answered as a yes if cinnamon rolls are fed to dogs in moderation.
Another reason why we suggest our readers keep their dogs far away from cinnamon rolls is the presence of nutmeg in them. So far, we have established that small amounts of Cinnamon are safe for dogs, but the same can’t be said for nutmeg as it can be highly toxic and poisonous for dogs, even in small quantities. Nutmeg is full of Myristicin which is toxic to dogs. Myristicin is known to cause several medical complications in dogs, including high blood pressure, hallucinations, dry mouth, and severe abdominal pain. Toxicity caused by Myristicin can also cause dogs to have seizures, and therefore nutmeg should be kept as far away from dogs as possible. Unfortunately, Cinnamon rolls and other baked sweets often carry nutmeg in them. That’s why cinnamon rolls are only safe for dogs as long as they don’t carry any nutmeg in them.
Therefore, we don’t recommend our readers to feed their dogs cinnamon rolls as they can cause them to go overweight as well as can expose them to Myristicin. All this must provide our readers with the required information to be able to answer the question of “Can dogs have Cinnamon rolls?”.
Health benefits of Cinnamon for dogs
So far, we have been a little pessimistic about the prospects of feeding Cinnamon to dogs, but none of that means that Cinnamon has nothing to offer to beloved furry friends. In reality, cinnamon carries a substantial nutritional value for dogs as this spice contains a wide range of antioxidants, Vitamin K, and trace amounts of Vitamin B complex as well. Following is a brief description of all the major nutrients found in Cinnamon.
Antioxidants.
Cinnamon comes loaded with a wide range of antioxidants, and this fact alone goes to show the importance of Cinnamon in the well-being of our pooches.
Antioxidants are naturally occurring compounds that protect dogs and humans alike against the harmful effects of Oxidizing agents such as oxygen radicals. These oxygen radicals are atoms that lack a single electron to complete their valency, and this makes them highly reactive; and therefore, these oxidizing agents tend to react with cells present in organs. This results in these oxygen radicals snatching away electrons from cells, and this causes the cells to deteriorate at an atomic level. If left unchecked, all this can drastically affect the organ and can even lead to permanent organ damage in animals, including dogs and humans. Therefore, dog owners must do their best to protect their canine best friends from all the dangerous effects of these oxidants.
Fortunately, nature has given us sound solutions against oxidants in the form of antioxidants. These antioxidants are compounds that react with oxygen radicals, thus protecting the body from any oxidation. This is why dog owners need to provide their dogs with food rich in antioxidants, as these chemical compounds are the most efficient defense against oxidized agents such as oxygen radicals. That’s why we recommend our readers to feed Cinnamon (in small amounts) to their dogs as it is full of antioxidants like Choline, Alpha Carotene, Beta carotene, Beta Cryptoxanthin, Lycopene, Lutein, and zeaxanthin. This also helps us understand why the answer to “Can dogs have cinnamon?” is always a Yes.
Vitamin B complex
Cinnamon carries small yet significant amounts of essential vitamins belonging to the vitamin B complex, but this fact doesn’t mean anything for a regular person as long as he is aware of all the critical functions performed by these vitamins in dogs. Therefore, we are here to tell you all about the vital role these vitamins play in ensuring the well-being of our four-legged best friends. This will also equip our valued readers with all the information they need to answer the question “Can my dog have cinnamon?” independently.
Although Cinnamon carries many members, vitamin B complex Vitamin B6 is the most abundant one, and therefore we will only focus on this one.
Vitamin B6
Belonging to the Vitamin B complex, Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that dogs cannot produce independently. Therefore, they rely on their meals to obtain the required amounts of Vitamin B6. This makes Vitamin B6 an essential vitamin, and that, along with all the essential functions associated with Vitamin B6, makes the importance of Vitamin B6 clear. Therefore, this vitamin should not be taken slowly, and dog parents should try their best to supplement their dog’s meal with Vitamin B6 supplements. Fortunately, Vitamin B6 is also quite common in cinnamon, and therefore you can also give cinnamon to your pooch to boost his health. Following are some critical roles that Vitamin B6 is known to play in dogs.
- Protection from Depression
Vitamin B6 is needed in producing neurotransmitters responsible for regulating moods, and therefore Vitamin B6 can help improve the mood of your furry friend. These neurotransmitters include Dopamine, Serotonin, and Gamma-aminobutyric acid. Another way by which Vitamin B6 serves to protect our dogs from depression is by reducing the levels of depression-causing amino acids such as homocysteine. All this is most likely why many researchers concluded that there was a direct link between low intake of Vitamin B6 and increased cases of depression in dogs.
- Prevention from Anemia
Vitamin B6 is critically involved in the production of hemoglobin, and therefore optimum levels of Vitamin B6 can help prevent our dogs from lack of red blood cells or Anemia. Hemoglobin is a protein that holds central importance in the production of functioning red blood cells. It is also needed when it comes to the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen molecules throughout the body. This makes the role of Vitamin B6 for our dogs extremely important, and therefore dog owners should feed cinnamon to their furry friends as cinnamon is full of Vitamin B6. This also solves the question of “Can dogs have cinnamon?”
- Reduce the chances of Cancer
There is a direct link between the high intake of Vitamin B6 and low cancer cases in dogs. The exact reason for this fantastic co-relation is still unknown, but maybe we should thank the natural capability of Vitamin B6 to fight inflammation. This ability of Vitamin B6 might also be effective on cancer cells, thus contributing to lower cancer risks in dogs.