Can dogs have cinnamon? Safe amounts and the nutmeg risk

Yes, dogs can have a small pinch of cinnamon. It is not toxic to dogs, so a light dusting on plain food is not a poisoning. Larger amounts of the powder, cinnamon sticks and cinnamon essential oil can irritate the mouth, stomach and lungs, and the foods cinnamon comes in are often the bigger danger. Nutmeg is different: do not give it, and call your vet or an animal poison control line if your dog has eaten it.

Is cinnamon safe for dogs?

In the small amounts used to flavor food, yes for most healthy dogs. The form matters more than the spice.

When a dog eats a large amount of cinnamon powder or any of the essential oil, the reported problems include vomiting, diarrhea, a drop in blood sugar, changes in heart rate and, in some cases, liver problems. Keep spice jars, sticks, oils and diffusers out of reach.

How much cinnamon is safe for a dog?

There is no agreed safe measure we can give you, and it would differ by the dog's size and health anyway. Think of the amount that flavors a bite of plain food, not a spoonful, and not every day. A small dog is affected by far less than a large one.

The common supermarket cinnamon is cassia, which contains more of a compound called coumarin than Ceylon cinnamon does. Coumarin has been linked to liver harm when eaten in quantity over time, which is one more reason not to add cinnamon to your dog's bowl routinely without asking your vet.

Cinnamon rolls, toast and baked goods

Do not share these. The cinnamon is rarely the issue; the rest of the recipe is.

• Raisins and currants are toxic to dogs and can damage the kidneys, even in small numbers.
• Xylitol (sometimes listed as birch sugar) in sugar-free baking and icing is poisonous to dogs.
• Nutmeg is in many spice blends, including pumpkin pie spice.
• Chocolate and macadamia nuts are both toxic to dogs.
• Butter, sugar and icing can upset the stomach, and a rich, fatty treat can be followed by pancreatitis.
• Raw yeast dough expands in the stomach and is an emergency.

If your dog ate a cinnamon roll or similar, check the ingredients. If it contained raisins, xylitol, chocolate, macadamia nuts or raw dough, call your vet or an animal poison control line now, before signs appear.

Can dogs eat nutmeg?

No. Nutmeg is not safe or good for dogs. It contains myristicin, a compound that is toxic to dogs in large enough amounts, and it has no benefit for them. Mace comes from the same plant and should be treated the same way.

The trace of nutmeg baked into a bite of cookie or pie is unlikely to cause serious poisoning, though it may upset the stomach. The concern is a dog who gets into the jar, eats a whole nutmeg, or eats a lot of a heavily spiced food such as eggnog (which may also contain alcohol). Reported signs of nutmeg poisoning include disorientation, a racing heart, dry mouth, belly pain and seizures, and they can last a day or two.

Because the amount that causes harm depends on the dog's size, do not guess. If your dog has eaten nutmeg from the jar, or you are not sure how much was in what they ate, call your vet or an animal poison control line now.

Is cinnamon good for dogs?

Cinnamon is often promoted for blood sugar and for arthritis. For dogs, neither claim holds up well enough to act on.

Blood sugar and diabetic dogs

The research on cinnamon and blood sugar is mostly in people, and its results are mixed. There is no good evidence that cinnamon controls diabetes in dogs. A diabetic dog's insulin is balanced against a fixed diet, so anything that might shift blood sugar can make that balance harder to keep. Do not add cinnamon, and never change insulin, without talking to your vet. Our guide to diabetes in senior dogs explains how that daily routine works.

Arthritis and inflammation

There is no reliable evidence that cinnamon eases joint pain in dogs. An older dog with sore joints needs a pain plan from the vet, and a spice should not delay one. Never reach for human painkillers instead: ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen and aspirin can seriously harm or kill dogs. See arthritis in senior dogs and what you can give a dog for arthritis pain for the options a vet may discuss.

Other things to weigh for an older dog

Senior dogs are more likely to have liver disease, to be on several medicines, or to have a cough that inhaled powder would aggravate. Any of those is a reason to ask the vet before adding a spice or supplement. The senior pet nutrition guide covers what an older dog's diet does need.

Call the vet today if

Call your vet, an emergency clinic or an animal poison control line now if any of these apply:

• Your dog ate nutmeg from the jar, a whole nutmeg, or an unknown amount
• Your dog ate a baked good containing raisins, xylitol, chocolate, macadamia nuts or raw dough
• Your dog swallowed or licked cinnamon essential oil, or got it on the skin
• Coughing, wheezing, gagging or labored breathing after getting into cinnamon powder
• Vomiting more than once, or diarrhea that does not stop
• Weakness, wobbling, confusion, tremors or a seizure
• A very fast or irregular heartbeat
• Your dog is diabetic and ate a large amount of cinnamon or a sugary baked good
• Your dog chewed up a cinnamon stick and is now vomiting, drooling or off food

Have the packaging to hand when you call. Do not try to make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.

This article is general educational information, not veterinary advice. We cannot give a safe amount of cinnamon or nutmeg for your dog, because that depends on their size, health and medicines. Do not use cinnamon to manage diabetes, arthritis or any other condition without your veterinarian's agreement, and contact your vet or an animal poison control service if your dog has eaten nutmeg, essential oil or a spiced baked good.