Can Dogs Eat Bread? What You Need to Know

Your dog swiped a piece of toast off the counter. Before you start worrying, here is the short answer: plain white or wheat bread in small amounts is not harmful to most dogs. It is just not doing them any favors nutritionally.

Plain Bread: Mostly Harmless, Mostly Useless

A small piece of plain bread is essentially empty calories for your dog. It will not provide any meaningful nutrition, but it also will not cause problems for a healthy dog. Some veterinarians actually recommend small amounts of plain bread to help soothe mild stomach upset or to help a dog pass a small amount of an ingested foreign object (always under veterinary guidance for the latter).

Breads That Are Dangerous

While plain bread is fine in moderation, certain types are genuinely hazardous:

• Raisin bread: Raisins are toxic to dogs and can cause kidney failure. Even a single raisin is a concern. This is the most dangerous bread for dogs.
• Garlic bread: Garlic is toxic to dogs and can damage red blood cells. The concentrated garlic butter on garlic bread is especially problematic.
• Onion bread or rolls: Onion is toxic to dogs for the same reason as garlic.
• Bread with xylitol: Some specialty breads and baked goods contain xylitol (an artificial sweetener), which is extremely toxic to dogs even in small amounts.
• Bread with nuts: Particularly macadamia nuts, which are toxic to dogs.

The Bottom Line

Plain bread is a "sure, but why?" treat. It will not hurt your dog, but it adds calories without nutrition. If you want to share a small piece occasionally, go ahead. Just make sure it is plain, no raisins, no garlic, no onion, no sweeteners. And keep raw dough far out of reach.