No, dogs cannot eat chicken pot pie. And depending on how the recipe is made, chicken pot pie can be directly very toxic or indirectly harmful to dogs. Either way, pet owners should keep their dish away from their pet’s food bowls.
Basically, just because a food contains chicken or some other meat does not mean it is ideal for dogs. While the meat itself is no problem, the rest of the ingredients are quite problematic for your dog.
Why is chicken pot pie bad for dogs?
There are several reasons why chicken pot pie is very bad for dogs – some are minor and self-limiting, while the others are serious and also require veterinary attention. To keep things easier to understand, let’s take a good look at the potentially harmful consequences of chicken pot pie for your dog.
Stomach pain
As with any other type of human food, dogs’ first risk is stomach pain. And contrary to popular belief, dogs have very sensitive stomachs and are easily irritated by certain foods.
Chicken pot pie falls into the group of human foods that are quite difficult for dogs to digest and are likely to trigger an episode of stomach pain for your pet. Some cases of stomach pain can be treated at home, while others require attention from a veterinarian.
Lactose intolerance
Most dog owners know that dogs that are adults are lactose intolerant. This means that dogs lack the lactase enzyme, which is needed to break down the sugar in milk. And as a result, stomach problems can occur when eating some foods with milk or other dairy products.
Grain allergies
Chicken pot pie crust is made with flour, and some dogs are quite sensitive to grains. Although grain sensitivities in dogs are not as common as some pet food manufacturers advertise, they are still possible.
Onion Toxicity
A large number of chicken pot pie recipes contain onions – either in the form of onion powder or diced onions. In both cases, the effect is the same, as onions are poisonous to dogs.
Onions contain a compound that is called N-propyl disulfide, which can damage your dogs’ red blood cells (erythrocytes), leading to life-threatening anemia.
Various spices
From red pepper to black pepper to red pepper, a chicken pot pie recipe usually has several spices. Dogs’ stomachs are not designed to digest these spices and their presence is very irritating. In cases that are more severe, spices can even trigger bleeding ulcers in your dog’s GI tract.
Too much salt
Chicken pot pie may contain too much salt. A small portion of salt is beneficial for dogs; however, too much is can be harmful. Too much salt can cause some kidney damage or, in cases that are more serious, salt poisoning. To do this, however, the dog would have to ingest quite a large amount of chicken pot pie.
Some signs that your dog has consumed chicken pot pie
Clinical signs may indicate that a dog has eaten chicken pie, depending on the size and general health of your dog, as well as the amount of pie ingested containing the ingredients.
For example, if a large-sized dog ate 1 or 2 bites of chicken pie without the harmful ingredients, there would be no signs and no symptoms. However, if a small dog takes 1 or 2 bites of a chicken pot pie that has onions in it, he could become intoxicated.
The clinical signs and symptoms of onion poisoning in dogs include:
- Exercise intolerance
- Loss of appetite
- Pale or bluish gums
- Lethargy and weakness
- Reddish urine
- Occasional fainting.
On the other hand, a dog that develops stomach pain after eating chicken pot pie, as well as dogs that are lactose intolerant and also allergic to grains may manifest:
- Abdominal pain
- Gas and bloating
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Dehydration
- Disinterest in daily activities.
What you should do if my dog ingested chicken pot pie
If your dog has ingested chicken pot pie, the first thing you should do is to prevent further damage. In other words, you should separate the dog from the pie and then assess the situation – determine how much the dog ingested and what exactly the pie contained.
The next step to take is to call your veterinarian or animal poison hotline. In any case, you should report what happened and also provide as much information as possible. Based on your information, you will be instructed to monitor your dog at home or bring him to the clinic for some examination.
In summary, dogs should not eat chicken pot pie. Some chicken pot pies may be harmless in small amounts, but others are dangerous even if a dog takes only a small bite or two.
The conclusion is that chicken pot pies are not good for dogs and should never be intentionally fed to your dogs.
More in the case of accidental ingestion, owners should consult a veterinarian immediately. Much of the time, time may be of the essence.
