Banana pudding is one of the easiest desserts to make — you just need to mix all of the wet ingredients (pudding mix, condensed milk, cold milk, and vanilla), and then layer the mixture with wafers and bananas. This recipe is filling, perfect for family dinners and large parties!
If you have dogs at home, you might be thinking of sharing your banana pudding with them the next time you make one. But should you? Is banana pudding safe for your fur babies?
Unfortunately, banana pudding and canines don’t mix well. You should never feed this dessert to your fur babies because the following ingredients can cause health issues:
Pudding Mix or Custard
The primary ingredient of banana pudding is pudding mix or custard. Regardless of whether you’re making the dessert using your own custard or the instant mix variety, both ingredients can still affect your dogs.
Pudding mix and custard require a sweetening agent in the form of sugar. Feeding your dogs too much sugar can lead to various health problems, namely diabetes, obesity, diarrhea, vomiting, and tooth problems.
Bananas
Bananas are healthy snacks for dogs because they’re packed with different vitamins and minerals. For one, bananas contain high levels of fiber that can help improve or maintain your dogs’ digestive health. Bananas are also low in calories, which can aid in weight loss.
But because bananas are high in sugar, you should only feed the fruit to your dogs in moderation. Bananas should be given as occasional treats to your fur babies, never a replacement for their regular meals or kibbles.
Feeding your dogs too many bananas in one sitting can cause stomach upset and can trigger constipation. Some of the most common symptoms of constipation in dogs are straining without producing too much stool, bloody stool, painful defecation, and lack of defecation for days.
Milk
Dogs have sensitive stomachs, and feeding them anything with milk can often cause unpleasant reactions, such as loose stools, vomiting, and diarrhea. Milk is also high in fat and natural sugars that can cause pancreatitis and obesity in your four-legged friends.
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract is harmless to humans, but do you know that this ingredient can be fatal to your fur babies? According to the Food and Drug Administration, liquid vanilla extract can have no more than 35% alcohol. This quantity doesn’t sound too much for humans, but for canines, it actually is. In fact, one drop of vanilla extract can lead to poisoning in dogs because of its ethyl alcohol content.
Can Banana Pudding Kill Dogs?
Yes, banana pudding can kill dogs, especially when given in large quantities or regularly. As mentioned earlier, banana pudding contains vanilla extract, which is a toxic ingredient for canines. Banana pudding is also very high in sugar, which can cause many health problems in the long run.
Are There Any Dog-Friendly Alternatives to Banana Pudding?
Yes, there is. You can make dog-friendly banana pudding by smashing some ripe bananas (two bananas per dog will do) and then sprinkle it with some cinnamon on top. Cinnamon is safe for dogs and actually has anti-inflammatory properties that slow bacterial growth in your dogs’ bodies.
Can Puppies Eat Banana Pudding?
Yes, puppies can eat banana pudding as long as it’s homemade (see recipe above). Never give your puppies store-bought banana pudding as this can cause gastrointestinal upset. Remember, puppies’ bodies are still developing and might not be able to adjust well to the ingredients used in making store-bought banana pudding.
How Much Banana Pudding Should Your Dogs Eat?
Even if you’re going to make dog-friendly banana pudding, the dessert should be given to them in moderation. Ideally, you should only give your dogs small portions of the dog-friendly banana pudding no more than twice a week.
Can Dogs Eat Other Types of Pudding?
Unfortunately, no. Most store-bought pudding contains vanilla extract and milk — two ingredients that are unsafe and unhealthy for your fur babies. If you want to give your dogs puddings, look for recipes that use dog-friendly ingredients.
How About Banana Cake?
Yes, you can feed your dogs with banana cake but in moderation. When introducing the snack to them, pay attention to any symptoms because some dogs are allergic to grains or wheat. Stop feeding your dogs banana cake if you notice symptoms, such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Opt to Make Dog-Friendly Desserts
Because of the ingredients present, it’s best not to feed your fur babies with store-bought banana pudding. If you really want to give them a healthy dessert, roll up your sleeves and start making dog-friendly banana pudding from scratch. This recipe only requires two ingredients and ensures your dogs’ safety!