Can Dogs Have Bisto Gravy? Is Bisto Gravy Ok For Dogs?

Bisto gravy is a tasty and convenient method to make any meal more satisfying. But, what if you wish to share some Bisto gravy with your furry friend? Can Dogs Have Bisto? Is Bisto Gravy Ok For Dogs? As a dog owner, it’s obvious for you to have these queries.

So, using my years of experience of being a vet, I will try and provide you with some useful details. The article will cover different aspects and help you figure out whether or not your furry friend will be able to eat bristo gravy.

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Can Dogs Have Bristo Gravy?

It is tough to provide a straightforward answer. It solely relies on how much you feed and how many times you feed this gravy to your furry friend. In addition, the ingredients present in the bristo gravy and the shop from which you buy it also plays a huge role in providing an answer to whether or not you should feed it.

For those who don’t know,

Bristo gravy is a sort of gravy that comes in granules or powder form. This powder can be mixed with hot water for making a thick and savoury sauce. The mix mainly contains wheat flour, beef extract, sugar and some other ingredients.

If you are feeding bisto gravy in excessive amounts then it’s quite fatal for your furry friend. I say this because it also retains starch and soy flour which can cause allergies or digestive issues in dogs. But, if you manage the quantity and frequency of feeding, the presence of a variety of minerals, vitamins, fibre, and probiotics.

So, let’s extend this premise and have a look at some perks and disadvantages of serving bisto gravy to your furry friend.

Perks of serving bisto gravy

As I previously mentioned, serving this gravy in small amounts can be beneficial for your furry friend. Here are some of the perks of serving bisto gravy:

• The gravy adds some additional flavour to the regular food diet and makes the food treat more pleasing and enjoyable for the dog.
• It can also make the food thick and make it easy for your furry friend to chew and digest.
• The bisto gravy provides certain vitamins, minerals, and proteins from the yeast powder and the beef ingredient present in the gravy.
• Your dog will get enough hydration after having the meal with bisto gravy in it. Because it retains water and your dog will also demand more water after having this meal.

Serve in moderation and your dog will get the benefits. Because the gravy also retains onion powder in it and it is toxic for dogs.

Drawbacks of serving bisto gravy

While there are some key perks of serving the bisto gravy, there are some disadvantages as well. Your dog’s health is compromised if you feed this in excessive quantity. Here are some of the drawbacks of serving this gravy:

• Your furry friend is at risk of suffering from sodium poisoning, because of there is high salt content. It can also cause damage to the kidney.
• The bisto gravy also contains E powders and garlic powder in them which can cause digestive issues in dogs, increase toxicity, or cause severe issues such as anemia.
• The starch ingredient in the gravy can trigger allergies or gluten intolerance in some dog breeds.
• If you serve this frequently, your furry friend is at risk of gaining weight, suffering from heart disease or having pancreatitis issues because of high-fat content.
• Bisto gravy may also cause issues like vomiting, liver damage, or convulsions.

So, these were the drawbacks and you may have observed that there are more disadvantages of serving the bisto gravy instead of serving them. You can say that it’s harmful to your furry friend but, if you are precise with the quantity then you can leverage the benefits.

A possible solution for countering the drawbacks is making a homemade recipe and using bisto gravy in it. I have included a recipe which may be helpful for you.

But, before that here are some tips on how to cancel out the drawbacks:

• Use original bisto gravy powder or granules. Make sure the flavour you pick doesn’t contain onion or garlic.
• While feeding the gravy to your dog make sure you don’t add more than 2 teaspoons in quantity. Otherwise, your furry friend may face some health issues.
• If the gravy mixture is too thick, dilute it using more water.
• Feed the gravy when it gets to normal temperature, serving it hot may not be healthy.
• Even if you are feeding them in moderation, make sure you provide ample water after they have their meals. Also, monitor their behaviour for the next few hours, if you find them showing signs of distress, vomiting, or digestive issues, take them to your vet.

How To Make Bisto Gravy For Dogs – Homemade Recipe

Here is a homemade recipe that you can consider for your furry friend for serving the bisto gravy.

Further, if you wish to add other ingredients to this homemade recipe, you can add some as per your dog’s dietary requirements or preferences. Here are some potential choices for additional ingredients:

• Green beans, spinach or peas – for additional fibre or vitamins
• Yoghurt, cheese, or eggs – protein and calcium
• Flax seeds, fish oil, or chia seeds – for providing extra Omega-3 fatty acids
• Sweet potato, pumpkin, or apple for extra antioxidants and fibre

While adding the extra ingredients make sure you adjust the water proportion and bisto gravy granules for avoiding any issues. In addition, you must also avoid adding toxic ingredients such as onion, garlic, chocolate, raisins, grapes, macadamia, xylitol, nuts, or any additives.

Health Hazards Of Serving Bisto Gravy

Even if you are careful with your homemade recipe containing bisto gravy for your furry friend, chances are their body might not respond well to it. So, before you plan on moving ahead with feeding this recipe with bisto gravy in it, have a look at some potential health hazards:

#1 Sodium poisoning

Bisto gravy maintains a high presence of salt which can cause issues such as dehydration, thirst, diarrhoea, vomiting, or sodium poisoning in dogs. Sodium poisoning occurs when the dog is fed a food treat with a high presence of bisto gravy. The condition is fatal and a dog may suffer from seizures, coma, or even die. It is also referred to as rock salt poisoning.

#2 Wheat and soy allergies

Wheat and soy are allergic for some dogs and their presence can trigger problems such as itching, ear infection, skin issues, or digestive problems. Wheat and soy can also cause issues like gluten intolerance or celiac disease in dogs. These diseases can lead to chronic diarrhoea, malnutrition or weight loss.

#3 Obesity

The gravy contains high-fat content and is low in proteins. So, a dog is likely to suffer from obesity if given on a regular basis. Obesity in dogs is not healthy as it can lead to heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and other severe health issues.

#4 Onion toxicity

There is onion powder in bisto gravy and it is highly toxic for our furry friend. Onion toxicity can damage the red blood cells, which can lead to anemia, weakness, and also cause breathing problems. In addition, a dog may also suffer from liver damage, allergic reactions, or gastrointestinal issues.

Dogs prone to diabetes or obesity like Beagles should avoid foods high in sugar. This leads some owners to ask – are wine gums bad for dogs?

Dog breeds which must not eat bisto gravy

We just had a look at some of the health hazards of serving bisto gravy to dogs. While you can serve this to the dog without the presence of certain ingredients or in less quantity, there are some dog breeds who shouldn’t be fed this gravy at all.

Because these dogs are prone to different health problems and can quickly exhibit symptoms in comparison with the other dogs. Here are some of the dog breeds that must not have bisto gravy at all:

• Dogs suffering from kidney disease must not have bisto gravy. Shih Tzu, Bull Terrier, Samoyed, Lhasa Apso, Carin Terrier, and German Shepherd are some of the breeds that are prone to kidney issues.
• Dogs which are susceptible to a specific kind of anemia must not eat food containing bisto gravy. American Cocker, Miniature Schnauzer, Collie Doberman, Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, Poodle and Bichon Frise are the breeds that are predisposed to anemia.
• Beagle, Dachshund, Pug, Basset Hound, and Miniature Schnauzer are likely to suffer from obesity and if they have eaten more bisto gravy, they might suffer from pancreatic inflammation.
• Labrador Retrievers, Boxers, West Highland White Terriers, Golden Retrievers, and Shar Pei are the dogs who may have allergies because of wheat or soy present in bisto gravy.

Alternatives for bisto gravy

Looking at the drawbacks and health hazards of feeding bisto gravy to dogs, it’s obvious for you to think about alternatives for ensuring their safety. Here are some of the alternatives for bisto gravy which you can consider for your furry friend:

• Creamy yoghurt and chicken gravy for dogs

This gravy will include pantry staples, purees, or wet food in them. Using these organic options you can easily provide your furry friend with enough moisture, decent flavour, and necessary nutrition.

• Vegetable and beef gravy for dogs

In this gravy, you can use organic stock, meat, cornstarch, vegetables and herbs. These ingredients make the food treat healthy because there is less fat proportion. In addition, adding vegetables in higher quantities can be beneficial for dogs.

• Coconut turkey and liver gravy for dogs

You can serve this gravy dry or wet. The mix contains coconut oil, chicken turkey, liver, carrots beans and water for making it delicious and nutritious at the same time. Your furry friend will benefit from this bisto gravy alternative. In addition, you can also mix this food treat with rice or oatmeal.

• Commercial dog gravy granules or powder

The commercial dog gravy granules or powders are specifically tailored for dogs and do not retain any harmful or toxic ingredients. So, it’s safe to say that unlike bisto gravy commercial powder, which retains salt, onion powder, soy, wheat and garlic, commercial dog gravy powder is less toxic and more nutritious. You can use the powder as a topper or a treat.

You should use these alternatives if you have some reservations about using the bisto gravy for your furry friend. These gravies or products have the least or no presence of harmful ingredients such as onion powder, salt, soy or wheat.

Treats high in sugar like Biscoff cookies should also be avoided for breeds prone to obesity like Beagles and Dachshunds. So while humans may love the taste of Biscoff, the question remains – can dogs have Biscoff?

FAQs

Can Dogs Have Bisto Gravy – Final Opinion

Being a dog lover myself I have fed my furry friend some bisto gravy and trust me when is say this it’s not bad as it sounds. Yes, you have to carefully measure the ingredients and make sure the proportion of each, but, it’s worth it.

The commercial packs may contain some toxic substance and even with the gluten-free gravy pack, there are chances that your dog may have health issues. So, make a homemade recipe using bisto gravy to ensure that your furry friend doesn’t suffer from sodium poisoning, onion toxicity or any other fatal disease.

A homemade bisto gravy recipe will also provide some nutritional value. So, if your dog loves treat, then you can try adding some more veggies next time. With more veggies you can increase the feeding frequency but, not too much.

Dogs prone to sodium toxicity like those with kidney disease should avoid all foods with added salt or yeast extract. Owners of these breeds may wonder, can dogs eat marmite?