Can dogs eat pasta?

The pot of spaghetti is steaming, and next to the cooker sits someone with a very attentive look. Many people know this scene: pasta is quick to cook, inexpensive and almost always in the cupboard. So it's natural to wonder whether your dog can have a few noodles. The short answer is yes, but with a few conditions. Here you'll find out why, what to look out for when it comes to the type of pasta and how it's prepared, and when it makes sense to call your vet.

Key points at a glance

• Cooked, unseasoned pasta is not toxic for healthy dogs and is generally well tolerated in small amounts.
• Raw pasta, sauces, salt, onions and garlic don't belong in the bowl.
• Pasta is an occasional side and not the basis of the diet.
• Dogs with a gluten intolerance or grain allergy are better off with rice or potatoes instead.
• If your dog shows repeated vomiting, persistent diarrhoea or a bloated belly after eating, take them to the vet.

Quick overview: pasta for dogs

Question	Short answer
Is pasta toxic for dogs?	No, cooked pasta without additions is not toxic.
Cooked or raw?	Only cooked and soft. Raw pasta swells in the stomach.
With sauce?	No. Sauces often contain salt, onions, garlic or a lot of fat.
How often?	Occasionally, as a small side, not as a main meal.
Suitable types	Plain pasta made from durum wheat semolina, egg noodles, rice or corn noodles
Unsuitable	Instant noodles, filled pasta, seasoned leftovers from your plate
With a gluten intolerance	Switch to rice or potatoes

Is pasta toxic for dogs?

No. Pasta is not one of the foods that are dangerous for dogs, as is the case with chocolate, grapes or onions, for example. You'll find an overview of such foods in the article Dangerous foods for dogs.

The problem rarely lies with the pasta itself, but with what ends up on the plate with it: salt in the cooking water, pesto with garlic, tomato sauce with onions or a cream sauce with lots of fat. Plain cooked pasta without any additions, on the other hand, is a fairly unremarkable thing.

Cooking is what matters. Pasta consists largely of starch, and only cooking changes this starch so that your dog can digest it and use it as energy. Raw pasta is therefore not a good idea; more on that below.

What's in pasta

Classic pasta, as you'll find it on the shelves in Switzerland, usually consists of durum wheat semolina and water, and some types also contain eggs. That makes it above all one thing: a source of carbohydrates and therefore of energy.

Pasta also contains some potassium, magnesium and B vitamins. Even so, it doesn't provide what your dog fundamentally needs. Dogs depend on high-quality protein, suitable fats, and vitamins and minerals in a balanced ratio. A portion of spaghetti doesn't offer this composition. If you regularly replace part of your dog's usual food with pasta, you shift this balance.

Can dogs eat durum wheat semolina?

This question comes up often, because durum wheat semolina is listed on almost every pack of pasta. The answer follows the same rules as for pasta: cooked, unseasoned and in small amounts, durum wheat semolina is unproblematic for healthy dogs. It contains gluten, which matters for dogs with a corresponding intolerance. Semolina pudding with milk and sugar, however, doesn't belong in the bowl, as your dog doesn't need sugar and many dogs don't tolerate milk well.

Which types of pasta are suitable?

The choice in the supermarket is huge. Not every type suits your dog equally well.

Well suited

• Classic pasta made from durum wheat semolina: Macaroni, penne, fusilli or spaghetti are unproblematic in small amounts, as long as they are cooked until soft and unseasoned.
• Egg noodles: Thanks to the egg, they provide a little more protein, but also a little more energy. They should remain a rare exception.
• Rice and corn noodles: They are gluten-free and therefore an option for dogs that are sensitive to wheat. Whether there is an intolerance is best clarified with your vet.

With caution

• Wholegrain pasta: It contains more fibre. Some dogs react to it with flatulence or softer stools. It's better to try a small amount first.
• Pasta made from lentils or chickpeas: It contains more protein than wheat pasta, but can also cause flatulence. Here too: only a little, and well cooked.

Not suitable

• Instant noodles: The seasoning powder contains a lot of salt and often onion or garlic powder. Neither belongs in the bowl.
• Filled pasta: Ravioli or tortellini are often filled with cheese, meat, spices, onions or garlic. You can't tell from the outside exactly what's inside.
• Leftovers from your plate: Pesto contains garlic, salt and cheese, tomato sauce often contains onions, and cream sauce lots of fat. A carbonara with bacon is also too salty and too fatty for your dog.
• Raw pasta: It is hard to digest and swells in the stomach.

Preparing pasta the dog-friendly way

If you'd like to give your dog a few pieces of pasta now and then, it's worth taking a small detour when cooking.

The basic rules

• Cook without salt: The easiest way is to set aside a small portion and cook it separately, or to add the salt to the water only after you've taken out your dog's portion. However, this only works if you cook your dog's pasta in its own small pot.
• Cook until soft: For your dog, the pasta can stay in the water a little longer than for you. Soft-cooked pasta is easier to digest than al dente pasta.
• No sauce, no seasoning: No oil, no butter, no cheese, no herbs from the garden, no spice mix.
• Let it cool: Hot pasta can burn your dog's mouth. Wait until it is lukewarm or cold.
• Cut up long pasta: It's best to cut spaghetti or tagliatelle into short pieces, especially for small dogs or dogs that eat hastily.

A simple bowl idea

If you're cooking for your dog anyway, you can mix a small amount of cooked pasta with cooked chicken or turkey and steamed vegetables such as carrots or courgettes. Everything unseasoned, everything cooled. A meal like this is a change, but not a replacement for balanced food. If you'd like to cook for your dog yourself on a long-term basis, have a feeding plan put together by an animal nutrition specialist so that nothing is missing.

How much and how often?

There is no fixed amount that applies to all dogs. A Chihuahua and a Bernese Mountain Dog have very different energy requirements. This rule of thumb gives you some orientation: pasta is a small side, not the main part of the meal, and it goes into the bowl occasionally, not every day.

Whatever pasta you feed, you deduct from the rest of the food. Otherwise your dog will gain weight over time without you noticing straight away. A close look is especially worthwhile for dogs that don't move much or are prone to being overweight anyway. You'll find background information in the article Overweight in dogs.

What to look out for

Pasta is not a high-risk food. However, a few points deserve attention.

Raw pasta

Uncooked pasta is off-limits for your dog. It swells in the stomach, is hard to digest and can lead to stomach ache and digestive problems. So store packs where your dog can't get at them. A torn-open pack of spaghetti in the lower kitchen cupboard is a real invitation for some dogs.

Gluten and wheat

Some dogs don't tolerate wheat or gluten well. This can show on the skin, for example through itching or reddened patches, or in digestion, for example through flatulence or soft stools. Watch your dog closely after their first portion of pasta. If you suspect an intolerance, the article on food allergy in dogs will help you. Dogs with a known gluten intolerance or grain allergy are better off with rice or potatoes as a side.

Calories and weight

Pasta mainly provides energy. That's no problem for a very active dog after a long hike, but it can quickly be too much for a laid-back sofa dog. If you notice your dog getting rounder, cut out the pasta first.

Dogs with special needs

For dogs with diabetes, a sensitive digestion, a chronic illness or a special diet, talk to your vet beforehand. Carbohydrates and additional meals can play a different role here than for a healthy dog. Restraint also makes sense with puppies, as their food is precisely tailored to their growth.

When your dog needs to see the vet

In most cases, nothing happens if your dog eats a few pieces of cooked pasta. But there are situations in which you shouldn't wait.

Call your vet if:

• your dog has eaten pasta with a sauce that contained onions or garlic, even if they don't show any symptoms yet,
• your dog has got hold of a larger amount of raw pasta,
• they repeatedly vomit after eating or retch without bringing anything up,
• their belly looks bloated and hard, or they are restless and don't want to lie down,
• diarrhoea occurs that doesn't settle quickly, or blood is visible in the stool or vomit,
• they are noticeably tired, weak or listless,
• it's a puppy, an older dog or a dog that is already ill.

You'll find further information on digestive complaints in the article Diarrhoea in dogs. In such cases, home remedies, a bland diet or complementary feed never replace an examination by a vet.

Good alternatives to pasta

If you'd like to offer your dog something from your kitchen, there are foods that are often better suited than pasta.

As a side

• Rice: Well cooked, rice is easy to digest and a classic in bland diets.
• Potatoes: Always cooked and unseasoned, never raw. Generously cut away green patches and sprouts.
• Sweet potatoes and pumpkin: Cooked or steamed, they provide energy and fibre.
• Oat flakes: Soaked in hot water or briefly brought to the boil, they become easier to digest. Please use plain ones, without sugar or muesli mix.
• Quinoa: Well rinsed and cooked, it makes a change with a little more protein.

Vegetables and small snacks

• Steamed carrots, courgettes or fennel
• Cooked chicken strips without skin and without seasoning
• Apple pieces without the core

Here too: whatever goes into the bowl in addition, you count towards the daily ration. The article Ideal dog nutrition describes what a balanced basic diet looks like.

Pasta is not a complementary feed

Sometimes the wish to put something homemade in the bowl comes from the idea of doing something good for your dog. Pasta, however, mainly provides energy. If you want to specifically support skin and coat from within, a food topper with suitable fatty acids is a better choice, for example from processed linseed, as tradidog uses in CLASSIC. Even a food topper like this replaces neither a balanced diet nor a visit to the vet if your dog shows symptoms.

In the end, it's the overall picture that counts. A few unseasoned macaroni after a shared dinner won't harm a healthy dog. What matters is that they remain the exception, are properly prepared and that you keep an eye on your dog afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Can dogs eat pasta?

Yes, healthy dogs can occasionally eat cooked pasta, as long as it is unseasoned and without sauce. Pasta is not toxic, but it mainly provides energy and not the balanced composition your dog needs. It is therefore suitable as a small side, not as a main meal. Whatever pasta you feed, you deduct from the rest of the food so that your dog doesn't gain weight.

Can dogs eat pasta with sauce?

No, sauces don't belong in the bowl. Pesto contains garlic, salt and cheese, tomato sauce often contains onions, and cream sauce lots of fat. Onions and garlic are harmful to dogs, and salt and fat put a strain on digestion. If your dog has eaten pasta with a sauce that contained onions or garlic, it's best to call your vet, even if they don't show any symptoms yet.

Can dogs eat raw pasta?

Raw pasta is not suitable for dogs. It is hard to digest and swells in the stomach, which can lead to stomach ache and digestive problems. Only cooking changes the starch so that your dog can make use of it. If your dog has got hold of a larger amount of raw pasta or shows retching, vomiting or a bloated belly afterwards, contact your vet.

Can dogs eat durum wheat semolina?

Cooked and unseasoned, durum wheat semolina is unproblematic for healthy dogs in small amounts; after all, most pasta is made from it. However, it does contain gluten. Dogs with a gluten intolerance or grain allergy are better off with rice or potatoes. Semolina pudding with milk and sugar is not a good choice, as sugar is unnecessary and many dogs don't tolerate milk well.

Which pasta is best for dogs?

Plain pasta made from durum wheat semolina, cooked until soft and unseasoned, is the obvious choice. Egg noodles are also fine, but contain a little more energy. Rice and corn noodles are gluten-free and an option for dogs that are sensitive to wheat. Wholegrain pasta and pasta made from pulses can cause flatulence. It's best to avoid instant noodles and filled pasta such as ravioli.

How often can my dog have pasta?

Pasta is an occasional exception and not a daily side. There is no fixed amount for all dogs, because size, age and activity determine energy requirements. Keep the portion small and reduce the rest of the food accordingly. For dogs that are overweight or have diabetes, a sensitive digestion or a special diet, discuss additional carbohydrates with your vet beforehand.