• Pancake Day is traditionally known as Shrove Tuesday.

• It is celebrated by eating pancakes or taking part in pancake tossing or pancake races.

• However, some of our favourite pancake ingredients could be dangerous to our dogs.

Pancake Day is right around the corner and as we prepare to celebrate by making pancakes for all the family, it’s important to be aware that some of our favourite ingredients can be dangerous for our dogs.

Traditionally known as Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day falls the day before Ash Wednesday and is celebrated by eating pancakes, taking part in tossing pancakes and even pancake races.

Our four-legged-friends are important members of our family so it’s only natural we want them to join in the fun. However, some of our favourite pancake ingredients are not safe for our dogs to eat, here is everything you need to know.

Can dogs eat pancakes?

It is safe for dogs to eat a small amount of plain pancakes in moderation, however it can depend on the ingredients you have used to make your pancakes, as some common ingredients and pancake toppings can be toxic to dogs. 

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What pancake ingredients are toxic to dogs?

Some homemade pancakes can be safe for dogs to eat, however, according to Blue Cross there are some foods that can be toxic to our pets. 

These are the ingredients you should never feed your dog on Pancake Day:

Chocolate

Chocolate even in small quantities can be poisonous to dogs, it contains an ingredient called theobromine, which when ingested by our four-legged-friends can cause symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain or in rare cases even death. 

Artificial sweetener (Xylitol)

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs, it is added to many common foods that humans eat including peanut butter, yoghurt and ready made pancake mix. When consumed by our pets, xylitol can cause dangerously low blood sugar, liver failure and even death. 

Nuts

Certain nuts such as almonds or walnuts can cause stomach upset in dogs, whilst macadamia nuts are toxic for dogs and can impact their muscles and nervous system. 

Raisins, sultanas, currants or grapes.

Raisins, sultanas, currants and grapes are all toxic to dogs, if ingested they can cause symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea and can potentially cause serious side effects including liver damage and kidney failure.

Lemons

Lemon juice is a common topping for Shrove Tuesday pancakes, but lemons are toxic to dogs, who cannot digest the high levels of citric acid. This can cause symptoms including stomach upset and more serious health issues like central nervous depression. 

You can find out more about the different types of foods that are poisonous to dogs at RSPCA.