Can Dogs Eat Cinnamon?

In this post we will dive into the question, can dogs eat cinnamon?

Every year around the holidays Finnish newspapers publish listicles of holiday treats you shouldn’t give to your dogs. And every year chocolate and gingerbread cookies are on that list.

I have lived my whole life believing that cinnamon is bad for dogs. When I was little, I always got told not to give gingerbread cookies to dogs because they contain cinnamon.

The Information Is Conflicting

I was browsing through Pinterest to find dog treat recipe ideas and something caught my eye. Many of the recipes promoted adding cinnamon to the dog treats. I immediately started thinking “Why would you recommend that?”. So I did what anybody would do and googled if dogs can eat cinnamon.

Turns out that the first search result in Google (in English) tells you that according to ASPCA “Cinnamon is non-toxic to dogs“.

The third search result tells us “…not toxic to dogs and holds some pretty amazing health benefits when given in proper amounts“.

But then the American Kennel Club says “…but that does not necessarily mean you should be sprinkling it on his kibble“.

So which is it? Should you give cinnamon to your dog or not? All these sources tell us yes, but no and no, but yes.

Is Cinnamon Good for Dogs?

There are two types of cinnamon: Cassia cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon is cheaper and more popular in Europe and all around the world.

Cinnamon is not good for dogs. It is non-toxic, but that doesn’t make it good or safe. Cinnamon contains a compound called coumarin. Coumarin is toxic in large quantities and damages the liver. Cassia has 2-3mg/g of coumarin. Ceylon, which is more rare and expensive, contains less coumarin.

Don’t give dogs any sugary treats like cinnamon cereal, french toast sticks, or cinnamon rolls, they are bad for dogs.

What Happens If My Dog Eats a Little Bit of Cinnamon?

If your dog ate a cinnamon roll or a gingerbread cookie, chances are nothing bad happens. They might have an upset stomach the next day. It all depends on how big your dog is.

How Much Cinnamon Is Too Much for a Dog?

According to EFSA, coumarin can be consumed at 0,1mg per kg which means a dog that weighs 10 kilos (22lbs) can handle 1mg of coumarin. For reference, 5mg of coumarin equals 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. That means small dogs are more susceptible to cinnamon overdose than big dogs.

It is best to call your local vet, explain the situation and tell how much cinnamon the dog ate, and do what your vet recommends.

Is Cinnamon Safe for Dogs?

No. Cinnamon is not safe for dogs in large quantities. A large quantity can be only two teaspoonfuls for a small dog. Cinnamon contains coumarin which leads to liver damage. Other symptoms of feeding cinnamon to your dog are diarrhea, vomiting, low blood sugar levels, and changes in heart rate.

Can Dogs Chew on Cinnamon Sticks?

I kinda get why people ask this question. Cinnamon sticks are hard and kinda look like something a dog would like to chew.

But no, don’t give cinnamon sticks to your dog. I have already explained enough reasons above but on top of those, cinnamon can irritate the mucous membrane in your dog’s mouth.

Don’t feed your dog cinnamon toast crunch cereal, french toast, cinnamon rolls, or cookies that contain cinnamon.

Do Dogs Like the Smell of Cinnamon?

Dogs don’t particularly like the smell of cinnamon but it is a strong-smelling spice that is often used in nose work. You have to be careful because ground cinnamon can irritate a dog’s respiratory tract.

Conclusion

The Internet is full of conflicting information about cinnamon. They all say cinnamon is not that bad BUT. So let’s make this simple.

Cinnamon is not good for dogs. Cinnamon contains coumarin which is toxic for the liver and a small dog can be affected with only two teaspoonfuls. Other side effects are diarrhea, vomiting, low blood sugar levels, and changes in heart rate.

Some websites claim that cinnamon has many health benefits. Then these sites link to studies that often state “we suggest that more studies are required to approve this matter“.

Pinterest dog treat recipes need to stop promoting cinnamon as a healthy spice for dogs. The reality is, that our dogs don’t need cinnamon and most likely would never consume cinnamon in the wild.