Can Dogs Eat Cinnamon? Can This Spice Trigger Allergies?

Have you ever make cinnamon sprinkled bakery, like cookies or buns?

In that case, I am sure that at least once you can distinctly remember being followed by your pup. And most probably he was begging at least for a tiny bit of that heavenly smelling miracle. But can dogs eat cinnamon ever?

Do you have a specific question about cinnamon and dogs? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page. 

Can dogs have cinnamon?

The great thing is that cinnamon is not poisonous to dogs. At least, according to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).  

But that does not inevitably mean you should be dampening it on pup’s regular food. The Pet Poison Helpline warns that cinnamon can lead to skin rashes and digestive upset in both people and dogs, mainly if eaten in large amounts.

How does cinnamon affect dogs?

The health benefits of cinnamon are vast, ranging from reducing inflammation and improving heart health. But if your pet overeats cinnamon, it can lead to many adverse reactions. Dogs may also face diarrhea, vomiting, decreased blood sugar, and changes in heart rate if they overeat cinnamon. Overall, it’s best to call your veterinarian if you believe your pup had a hefty dose of cinnamon.

Will cinnamon hurt dogs?

A small hint of cinnamon, the same amount added to the baked goods, is not going to harm your pup. But with that being said, serving your dog bakery is not fundamentally a sound idea.

We know that buns and cakes are high in sugar, empty calories, and fats. All of those can trigger obesity, diabetes, and other unpleasant diseases, for instance, pancreatitis. Some even may include an artificial sweetener called xylitol, deadly toxic for dogs.

If you want to give your dog baked treats with cinnamon, only serve tiny portions on rare occasions.  Also make sure they are free of any potentially dangerous ingredients, such as xylitol, raisins or chocolate.

Is cinnamon bad for dogs?

Excesses of the cinnamon in dogs’ nutrition might lead to a wide range of consequences. This list may vary from vomiting and diarrhea to liver diseases, sudden blood sugar drops, and rapid changes in heart rate.  

If the spice was inhaled, your pup might suffer from coughing, bronchospasm, and experience difficulty in breathing.

If you think your dog somehow ingested a large quantity of cinnamon, please contact your vet right away.

Is cinnamon good for dogs?

Cinnamon is known to have several health advantages for people, although these benefits have not been bulletproof proven. The spice is loaded with eugenol, an oily substance with remarkable anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects.

It also has a lot of natural antioxidants, including some flavonoids (good plant’s metabolites) and vitamin C. Those compounds are known to restrain the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and block the adhesion of lipid and insoluble plaque in our arteries.

Cinnamon is also often attributed to anticancer properties because of those antioxidant compounds. Cinnamon is capable of preserving DNA from oxidative pressure and stopping cell damage.

A study from the United States Department of Agriculture has somewhat confirmed the anticancer effects of regular cinnamon use. According to its results, cinnamon-based supplements are advised for destroying abnormal cells triggered by lymphoma and leukemia.

Cinnamon is also rich in calcium that believed to be useful for strengthening dog’s bone structure and increase their physical endurance.  This is especially helpful for elderly dogs since they naturally experience loss of a bone and muscle mass.

This spice also is recognized for its capacity to control blood sugar levels and combat fungus known to trigger yeast infections. And that’s just to name a few.

However, there’s no 100% certainty that cinnamon will provide your canine with any/all of these advantages.

These positive outcomes of eating cinnamon have been proven to apply to human health, with very little literature published on the topic of the advantages of cinnamon for canines.

Although you might find impressive this selection of related researches on cinnamon’s effects mainly on rats. Animals tend to benefit from cinnamon too.

So if you are curious to give cinnamon a chance as an addition for your dog’s diet, you should speak to your vet about its potential risks and possible benefits first.

Is cinnamon good for dogs’ breath?

Cinnamon has antibacterial properties. So this spice is a great way to help fight tooth decay, mouth infections, mouth sores, and other dental problems. Including improving your dog’s breath too. 

Can you give your dog a cinnamon stick?

Chewing on cinnamon sticks can cause irritation in your dog’s mouth. Even humans exposed to such concentrated amounts of cinnamon might end up with irritation, redness, or even blisters on their lips and hands. It’s not common for dog’s lips because pup’s fur protects that area, but can occur inside their mouths. And you probably don’t want that. 

Are dogs allergic to cinnamon?

Even though cinnamon may be beneficial to dogs, they can also obtain an allergic reaction from the spice itself or cinnamon-containing products.

Symptoms of such reaction will more than likely be mild, including anything from upset stomach, diarrhea and skin irritations to abnormal heart rate, and excessive drooling.  If you’ve spotted any of these signs after introducing your pup to cinnamon, make an appointment with your vet promptly.

Can dogs eat…?

… cinnamon bread

Overall, bread and baked goods contain high amounts of ingredients that might not be great for your dog. Very often, bread with cinnamon is also made with nutmeg, which can be toxic to dogs when eaten in large amounts. Plus, it might have raisins too. And that’s another dog-toxic ingredient that can cause kidney failure. So maybe it makes sense to skip the cinnamon bread altogether to eliminate the risks.  

… food with cinnamon sugar

Sugar (whether it’s cinnamon sugar or not) is mostly empty calories. If you’re always giving your dog sugar, they can gain weight, which can stress joints and lead to other problems down the road. Anything from heart disease and lethargy to joint problems and diabetes. 

… cinnamon flavored crackers

Cinnamon crackers aren’t necessarily good for dogs. As those are high in sugar, sodium, and fats. And none of those screams “Healthy” when we are talking about canine diet.  

So read the labels when you are thinking of sharing your favorite cinnamon crackers with your pet. 

Cheerios with cinnamon from Amazon. More details .

For instance, these cinnamon water crackers by Excelsior are made of quite good ingredients. However, these have some sugar added too. But If we are talking about 1 cinnamon cracker every now and then, maybe you’ll be able to get away with it.

Read my guide on dogs and crackers for more details. 

…. donuts

A bit of cinnamon in baked goods is not going to hurt your dog. That being said, feeding your dog donuts is not necessarily a good idea. Fat and sugary food can lead to diabetes, obesity, and other issues, such as pancreatitis. Some baked goods may also include toxic sweeteners, like xylitol.

… cheerios

Cheerios are pretty safe for pets, depending on their flavor and the serving size (the smaller, the better). But cinnamon cheerios probably would be a poor nutritional choice for your dog. Let’s read the labels together now. 

Cheerios with cinnamon from Amazon. More details . 

Take cheerios with cinnamon among numerous ingredients. I’ve spotted sugar, corn syrup, modified corn starch, honey. And that’s too much of insulin spiking things if you ask me. Dogs should get most of their calories from carefully formulated dog food products and treats to supply them with all the nutrients and minerals. Not from sugars. 

But don’t hesitate to check my article “Can dogs eat Cheerios?” for more details. 

… cinnamon pop tarts

Dogs can eat a tiny piece of a cinnamon pop tart, but I don’t recommend it at all, to be honest. The majority of treat’s components are not necessarily toxic for your dog, but not good either. The product’s nutritional value – high on carbs, sodium, sugars, and calories – is not the best nutritious combination for the canine.

If you have more questions, check my guide “Can dogs eat pop tarts?” 

How much cinnamon is safe for dogs?

There was once a human “cinnamon challenge” where an individual consumes 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in less than 60 seconds. After that, people will often experience difficulty breathing, bronchospasm, pain, irritation, bloody nose, etc. There was no similar research with dogs. However, canines’ bodies are way more sensitive than humans. So keep the cinnamon dosage to the minimum.  

Can dogs eat treats with cinnamon?

As we’ve established in smaller amounts, cinnamon is non-toxic. It even has many health benefits for both humans and dogs. So it’s not surprising that it’s quite a common ingredient in many dog treats. And I believe that if your pup really loves the smell of cinnamon, you better stick with the cinnamon dog treats. So you’ll get all the benefits of a new ingredient without putting your pup’s health at risk. 

Sweet potato dog treats with cinnamon and pumpkin. More details and reviews . 

For instance, my favorite option would be sweet potato treats with cinnamon and pumpkin flavor by Brutus and Barnaby. This brand is pretty amazing since they don’t use any additives or hormones, or anything artificial in their recipes.

And these particular treats are great too. But not only because those are delicious and cinnamony. They also help your pup to work on any gastrointestinal issues he or she might be suffering from. 

Cinnamon and dogs. Summary

Even though cinnamon turns out to be okay (or even awesome) for your pet, as a responsible dog parent, you have to acknowledge that baked treats with cinnamon might include other ingredients.

And those most likely will negate all the benefits of the spice. And potentially even be dangerous.

The list involves grapes, raisins, excessive amounts of sugar, or any kind of artificial sweeteners (Xylitol in particular), chocolate, macadamia nuts, and the nutmeg.

Even a tiny portion of the former might trigger hallucinations in your pup. To be safe, focus on feeding your pet foods and treats made just for them and skip the holiday-themed human meals altogether.

Thanks for the blog graphics: Canva.com