Can Dogs Eat Hamburgers? What To Know Before Feeding Your Dog This American Staple

Grilling hamburgers and loading them up with delicious toppings is a summertime rite of passage. You may even be tempted to have your dog partake in the deliciousness—their puppy dog stare certainly suggests they want to. But can dogs eat hamburgers? It’s complicated.

We talked to Mondrian Contreras, DVM, of Carol Stream Animal Hospital in Carol Stream, Ill., and Pumpkin Veterinary Advisory Board Member about what to know before feeding hamburgers to dogs.

Are Hamburgers Safe for Dogs?

When it comes to sharing a hamburger with your favorite pooch, preparation and portion sizes are the two most important things to consider before offering them something from the grill.

Preparation

“A plain, fully cooked hamburger is the best option,” Contreras says. “Avoid patties with added salt, onions, garlic, or other potentially toxic spices.”

Lean ground beef is your best bet, as feeding your dog foods high in fat can cause negative health consequences down the road, including pancreatitis.

“High fat content is a well-established risk factor for pancreatitis in dogs,” Contreras says. “We are unsure exactly how high fats cause pancreatitis, but we believe they overwhelm the pancreas, potentially leading to cell damage and inappropriate enzyme release, causing inflammation (pancreatitis).”

For these reasons, it’s in your dog’s best interest for you to cook the burgers yourself instead of feeding them a burger from a restaurant. That way you know exactly what your dog is eating.

Portion Sizes

In addition, it’s important to remember your dog’s daily calorie needs are different than those of an adult human. Contreras provides the following general guidelines for a dog’s daily calorie needs.

• Small Dogs (10 lbs or less): 200 to 300 calories
• Medium Dogs (11-30 lbs): 300 to 500 calories
• Large Dogs (31-100 lbs): 500 to 800 calories
• Giant Dogs (Over 100 lbs): 800+ calories

“A 4 oz lean beef patty (90% lean / 10% fat) has approximately 220-240 calories, a small dog’s entire daily caloric intake, and half of a medium-sized dog’s,” Contreras says.

If you do want to share a hamburger with your pup, a small bite of a plain, fully cooked burger is the best choice—and skip the bun.

How Much Should I Feed My Dog?

What Parts of a Hamburger Can Dogs Eat?

If you just can’t resist giving your dog a few bites from the table, the good news is there are plenty of other common burger toppings your dog can enjoy with fewer restrictions, such as:

• Select cheeses, like cheddar or Swiss
• Bell peppers
• Eggs
• Lettuce

8 Dog-Safe Summer BBQ Foods to Share With Your Pup At The Next Cookout

What To Do If Your Dog Eats a Hamburger

If your dog swipes an entire hamburger off the table—bun and all—take a breath. Eating more than their daily calorie needs once isn’t as bad as it becoming a habit.

If you’re worried, it’s never a bad idea to call your veterinarian if you’re unsure what consequences your dog’s burger binge may have.

Your vet may instruct you to come in for a visit or to address the situation yourself at home by:

• Monitoring your dog for any upset stomach symptoms, like vomiting or diarrhea
• Skipping your dog’s next meal to let the tummy empty out
• Going easy on playtime to not aggravate a full tummy

Other Dog-Safe Foods

There are also plenty of non-burger related human foods that are safe to share with your pup, including:

• Strawberries
• Apples
• Bananas
• Green beans
• Carrots
• Peas

While fruits and veggies aren’t as much of an indulgence as a burger, they have several nutritional benefits for your dog. And a handout from the table is still better than no handout, right?