• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • YouTube
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Courses
  • Nutrition
    • Healthy Diets
      • Choosing A Dog Food
        • Choosing the best high-quality kibble dog food
        • You’re feeding your dog wrong! 10 Reasons why you are feeding your dog the wrong way
        • Choosing treats for a dog with a sensitive stomach: 7 rules of thumb
        • Feeding your dog: How much, how often, and what you should feed your dog
        • How to read dog and cat food labels like a pro
        • Essential Tips for Choosing Dog Food for Small Dogs & Puppies
        • 10 Things Every Pet Owner Must Avoid In Their Dogs Food
      • Homemade Diets
        • What to avoid when making your homemade treats
        • Choose the best flour for your homemade dog treats
        • Bone Broth for dogs: What you need to know!
        • 7 rules of thumb when making your pets treats
        • 13 Binders to use in your homemade dog treats
      • Grain-Free Diets
        • The link between grain-free diets and DCM
      • Raw Food Diet
        • Article Review: How a raw diet affects the feline gastrointestinal tract
        • Feeding your cat a homemade or raw diet? You should know about these 3 deficiencies
        • How a Raw Food or BARF Diet Affects Your Dogs Microbiome
        • Five reasons your vet doesn’t agree with raw diets
        • How a Raw Food or BARF Diet Affects Your Dogs Microbiome
    • Healthy Treats
      • Choosing treats for a dog with a sensitive stomach: 7 rules of thumb
      • What to avoid when making your homemade treats
    • Holistic Health
      • Adaptogens & Nootropics: biohacking your dog
      • Dogs & Vitamins: Do dogs need them? Vitamin Deficiencies in dogs
    • Chia Seeds
      • The Benefits & Hazards of Feeding Your Dog Chia Seeds
      • Chia Seeds & Dogs: Which dogs benefit the most from chia seeds?
    • Flax Seed
      • Is Flax Seed Safe To Feed Dogs?: 8 Things to Keep in Mind
      • Flax Seeds & Dogs: Can My dog have flax seeds?
  • Gut Health
    • Probiotics
      • 4 All Natural Probiotics for Dogs we Love
      • How to choose the best probiotic for your dog
      • The pro’s & con’s of giving probiotics to dogs with pancreatitis
    • Microbiome
      • How a Raw Food or BARF Diet Affects Your Dogs Microbiome
      • Your pets microbiome & 4 things you can do to keep it healthy
      • Your pets microbiome & 4 things you can do to keep it healthy
    • 16 Holiday Foods that Can Harm Your Dog or Cat
  • Digestive Issues
    • Camping with a dog that has digestive issues
    • IBD & IBS
      • What’s the big difference between IBS & IBD?
      • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
      • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
      • IBD in Dogs
        • FMT: Could this be the cure for your dogs IBD?
        • Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) in dogs, important things you need to know
        • FMT: Could this be the cure for your dogs IBD?
        • Budesonide or Prednisone, finding the best treatment for IBD in your dog?
    • Diarrhea In Dogs
      • 6 Things to do when your dog has diarrhea
      • 7 safe over the counter medications for diarrhea & vomiting in dogs
      • 13 Foods that can help if your dog has diarrhea or vomiting
      • Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs: 7 Questions your vet will ask
    • Pancreatitis
      • Pancreatitis in Cats
      • Pancreatitis in Dogs
        • Pancreatitis in dogs: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment
        • Best Petco treats for dogs with chronic pancreatitis
        • How to comfort a dog with pancreatitis at home
        • What a veterinarian feeds her dog with pancreatitis
        • Camostat mesilate as a treatment of canine pancreatitis
        • The pro’s & con’s of giving probiotics to dogs with pancreatitis
        • 6 Possible Complications of Pancreatitis
        • Pancreatitis in Pets: Pet safety during the holidays
        • What Dogs are more Prone to Pancreatitis
        • 8 healthy low-fat natural treats for dogs with chronic pancreatitis
    • 5 things you should always have on hand if your dog has a chronic intestinal disease
  • Food Allergies
    • Chicken Allergies In Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
    • The differences between food intolerances and food allergies in dogs and cats
  • Diet Therapy
    • Feeding For Arthritis
      • What to look for in a quality joint-support dog food
      • Types of arthritis in dogs & how food can help
      • Arthritis in dogs: how the dog gut microbiome affects arthritis
      • How food can help prevent or delay arthritis in dogs
      • Arthritis in Dogs: 10 important ingredients in a joint supplement
      • The top joint Supplements to stop arthritis pain in dogs
    • Common inherited diseases in Golden Retrievers and how food can help

Is Black Pepper Toxic to Dogs? Can dogs eat black pepper?

dog and black pepper
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • What the research says
  • Can dogs eat black pepper?
  • The benefits of black peppercorn+−
    • Antioxidants
    • Antibacterial
    • Digestion
  • The risks of feeding your dog black pepper+−
    • GI Upset
    • Respiratory Complications
    • Blood Pressure
    • Medication Interactions
  • Alternatives to black pepper
  • Do dogs need seasonings on their food?
  • Alternatives for turmeric absorption
  • Conclusion
  • Resources

Are you feeding your dog turmeric and want to ensure they are absorbing as much as possible by adding black pepper? Or perhaps you just want your dog to have the health benefits of black peppercorn in their meals.

If so, you may be wondering, if black pepper is bad for dogs or even worried that adding black pepper to your dog’s food may be dangerous.

Since our goal is to bring you heavily researched-based answers let’s take a look at what the research says about dogs and black pepper

What the research says

There isn’t much research about black pepper and how its safety on dogs in general, however, there have been several studies about the effects of combining pepper with other ingredients to develop beneficial results in the health of dogs.

One study showed that in combination with Gotu Kola, black pepper, or more specifically the piperine in black pepper, exhibited neuroprotective effects. However, this was not seen when black pepper was administered by itself. (Source)

Another study showed that black pepper extract was safe up to 1.5mg/kg for cats and dogs (Source)


Can dogs eat black pepper?

While the research shows that black pepper itself is not toxic to dogs, it still has the potential to cause harm. The spice can be an irritant and may lead to digestive issues if consumed in large amounts. So it is best to leave black pepper out of your dog’s diet.

As we have learned black pepper contains piperine, which can negatively interact with certain medications. One reason why you should always consult your vet before adding black pepper to your dog’s diet.

Honestly, in most cases dogs refuse to eat black pepper as it doesn’t have a very pleasant taste, in fact, some owners use it as a chew deterrent for dogs, so save your money or opt for a more beneficial spice and herbs to include in your dog’s meals.


The benefits of black peppercorn

black pepper

Many owners still opt to introduce black pepper into their dog’s diet even with the possible risks since it has so many benefits.

However, many of these benefits are only true for humans and there has been little proof that they carry over to dogs.

Piperine is the active compound in black pepper that creates many therapeutic and beneficial effects of black pepper. It has been said to be useful in the treatment of various diseases like chronic inflammation, cardiac disease, liver disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Antioxidants

The spice is rich in antioxidants, which can help support immune health

Antibacterial

Black pepper is well-known for its antibacterial properties that may aid in the prevention of infection.

Digestion

Black pepper may also aid in healthy digestion by stimulating gastrointestinal secretions and helping with fat metabolism.


The risks of feeding your dog black pepper

dog eating

GI Upset

If given too much black pepper, your dog can develop an upset stomach and possibly even vomiting and diarrhea

Respiratory Complications

As we all know, inhaling black pepper can send humans into a sneezing frenzy as well as irritate the eyes, this is no different for dogs.

Blood Pressure

Piperine in black pepper is known to reduce blood pressure, in fact, that’s why some people include it in their daily meals. However, you don’t want to run the risk of this happening to your dog as it could be life-threatening

Medication Interactions

If your dog is on medication black pepper may interfere with their effects, specifically medications meant to slow blood clotting.


Alternatives to black pepper

If you want to season your dog’s food there are some healthy and safer options available

  • Basil: Basil is safe for dogs in small quantities, it is high in anti-inflammatories and antioxidants
  • Oregano: Oregano is safe for dogs when fed in moderation, it has many health benefits. In fact, many dog food manufacturers already include it in their formulation.
  • Turmeric: Turmeric is a great spice for dogs, again when given in moderation and in the appropriate doses. If you want to read more about feeding your dog turmeric including how much to feed, read our guide about it here.

Do dogs need seasonings on their food?

black pepper

Dogs do not need or in most cases even want seasonings on their food.

If you are looking for something that will bring more flavor to your dog’s food to make it more palatable consider an over-the-counter ‘dog seasoning’ or toppers formulated specifically with dogs in mind.


Alternatives for turmeric absorption

You may be aware that the curcumin in turmeric is best absorbed with piperine from black pepper. So what about ensuring optimal turmeric absorption?

Instead of pepper, you can opt to use a fat like coconut oil, fish oil, or olive oil to ensure the curcumin is readily absorbed by your dog’s gut.

However, these come with their own set of problems at times so keep in mind that while these oils are generally safe for dogs, you should keep a close eye on your dog for an upset stomach, diarrhea, vomiting, or signs of an allergic reaction.

In addition, The high-fat content of many oils may put your dog at a higher risk for developing pancreatitis.


Conclusion

In conclusion, our take is to leave black pepper out of your dog’s diet and try a preformulated topper for dogs if you think your dog isn’t enjoying their current food and you want to spice it up.

Also, remember to do everything in moderation, a little goes a long way so even if you decide to add some alternatives to black pepper to your dog’s diet only give a little at a time and get the proper amount for your dog’s size.

However, if you decide to include black pepper in your dog’s food remember that it is important to speak with your veterinarian or animal nutritionist before introducing any new flavors or spices to your pet’s diet. New ingredients should be introduced in small amounts and monitored for any adverse reactions. If symptoms such as vomiting, appetite loss, or skin irritation occur. discontinue use immediately.

Resources

  • https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/10/1/154
can cats eat pecans

Can cats eat pecans?

can dogs eat pecans

Can dogs eat pecans?

seizures in dogs

Seizures in dogs: What not to feed a dog that has seizures

dogs and flour

Is plain all-purpose flour safe for dogs?

dog wedding

Planning a dog wedding? Here’s what should (and shouldn’t) be on the menu

High blood pressure in dogs and how diet helps

dog training dogs with gastrointestinal issues

The best training treats for dogs with GI issues

Poison Ivy

What to do if your dog eats poison ivy

cat third eyelid showing

Is your cat’s third eyelid showing? It may be parasites!

can cats eat chocolate

Can cats eat chocolate?

dog eating dog treats

The 5 best and safest flours for making dog treat recipes

dog overeating overfeeding kibble bowl

7 Simple Strategies for Combating Overeating In Your Dog

Sidebar

GET FREE RECIPES TO YOUR INBOX

SHOP UNIQUE PET ITEMS

Recent Posts

  • Can cats eat pecans?
  • Can dogs eat pecans?
  • Seizures in dogs: What not to feed a dog that has seizures
  • Is plain all-purpose flour safe for dogs?
  • Planning a dog wedding? Here’s what should (and shouldn’t) be on the menu

Our Course

Life-changing tips personalized for you, weekly.

  • What to do — Amazing insight on what you should be doing to be better.
  • What not to do — Stop running in circles and put burnout in the past.
  • Plan ahead — You’ll now have the freedom and flexibility to set your medium and long term goals.

I want to learn how to be better at what I do.

This is a demo form.

Copyright © 2023 · · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme

Twitter · LinkedIn · Pinterest