Can dogs eat Butter?

Overview

Can dogs eat butter? Yes, dogs can eat butter, but it is not the healthiest food for them. It only offers minimal amounts of nutrients, and it is loaded with calories, cholesterol, and fats. When eaten excessively, butter can cause various health issues, including cardiac problems and pancreatitis.

Benefits

Butter has trace amounts of vitamin D. This nutrient plays a big role in calcium and phosphorus absorption in the bones.
Dogs can acquire a small amount of vitamin A from eating butter. It is important in keeping the skin, coat, muscles, and nerves of dogs healthy.

Risks

Being a milk by-product, butter contains high lactose content, which can cause allergies in lactose-intolerant dogs.
High in saturated fats, calories, and cholesterol, ingesting even a small amount of butter may cause dogs to suffer from gastroenteritis, pancreatitis, or hyperlipidemia.
Some flavored butter contains xylitol, a sugar substitute that is extremely toxic to dogs.