Safety guide
Is Butter safe for dogs?
Use with caution
Butter is not toxic, but it is essentially pure fat and dairy, offering no benefit and risking stomach upset or pancreatitis in larger amounts.
A single lick of butter is unlikely to harm your dog, but it provides nothing beneficial and is almost entirely fat. Larger amounts, or repeated exposure, can trigger stomach upset and raise the risk of pancreatitis, a painful and potentially serious inflammation of the pancreas. Butter also contains lactose, which can cause diarrhoea in dogs that are dairy-sensitive.
Symptoms to watch for
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain or a hunched posture
- Lethargy
What to do immediately
- 1Remove any remaining butter so no more is eaten
- 2Offer fresh water and withhold further fatty foods
- 3Monitor closely for vomiting, diarrhoea or signs of abdominal pain over the next 24-48 hours
When to call your vet
Contact your vet if your dog ate a large amount, or shows repeated vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain or lethargy.
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