Are Starbucks Puppuccinos bad for my dog?

Taking your pup to your local Starbucks and buying a Puppuccino for him can be a really fun adventure regardless of whether you get this idea from the sweet look you get from your dog while picking up your coffee or from the adorable videos that become viral almost daily. This treat is really tasty and the trip will surely be worth it even though in the end it might become a little messy. You surely want to see your pup happy as he chums on this treat.

But a lot of dog owners still have questions regarding this very unusual Starbucks trend. Si is the Puppuccino safe for your dog? And what exactly is it made from? There are already experts and veterinarians that give their opinions and general advice on this, so you have a pretty good idea of whether taking your pet with you at Starbucks is a good idea or not.

What is a Puppuccino?

The Pup Cup, or Starbucks Puppuccino by its official name, is basically a cup of whipped cream you can order for your furry companion to enjoy. It can be ordered at the drive-thru or inside. Although there are a few locations that choose to fill Pup Cups in short-size cups or kids’ cups, which are eight ounces in size, most of the time you’ll get this tasty treat in a three-ounce espresso cup.

You might also like my articles on whether dogs can eat Twizzlers Licorice, Chunky Peanut Butter, or Chocolate.

Starbucks will generally use just two popular ingredients to make its whipped cream: vanilla syrup and heavy whipping cream. This whipped cream si almost always on their menu, as there is no shortage in either of the two ingredients in stores across the country. As Puppuccinos become more and more known and ordered everywhere, especially due to how quickly videos showing them become popular online, most baristas will have no problem knowing and making it, regardless of what you want to call it while ordering it. You can call it a Pup Cup, a Puppuccino, or whatever sounds better for you.

It turns out that most baristas love animals to the point where they sometimes ask you to take your pet with you for your coffee every day.

Can dogs eat whipped cream?

Although you can’t deny that whipped cream is something dogs would really enjoy, there are some pet owners that ask themselves whether it is actually safe and healthy. Especially if you consider that it is so sweet that even people have issues eating in big amounts. According to renowned veterinarian toxicologists, most dogs won’t have any issues or side effects if they consume whipped cream in small amounts and only occasionally. There are also behavioral scientists, including those from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, that recommend using this sweet treat in small amounts as a way of getting your dog to take his pills. Of course, this doesn’t work for a lot of people, as some dogs might not like it, but most of the time, it is a great trick to remember. 

The most common lite symptoms that dogs can face, if any, when eating whipped cream, are diarrhea, gas, and the occasional vomiting. Although, most of the time, these effects should stop as soon as the substances are out of the pet’s system.

Keep in mind that the recipe for whipped cream that Starbucks uses is still rather safe for dogs as long as it isn’t something they eat on a daily basis, but there are also recipes that aren’t as safe, or healthy. If xylitol or birch sugar is used to sweeten the whipped cream, this will make it toxic, according to the VCA Hospitals. This is something you should always check, although xylitol is most of the time used only for sugar-free or low-sugar products.

Keep in mind that, although most professionals call this type of whipped cream safe for dogs, it shouldn’t be your daily go-to treat. Vanilla syrup is known to have a lot of sugar, while heavy whipping cream has a high fat content, which means that this fluff can really become a problem to dogs, leading to pancreatitis, diabetes, or weight gain, when given in big quantities.

What about lactose intolerance in dogs?

There is yet another reason why some dogs might get sick from the Starbucks Puppuccino, while others have no issues consuming it. It’s something that affects some people as well, and I’m talking, of course, about lactose intolerance. Although most people and dogs will experience just mild symptoms, if any, that they can power through, others have a really hard time ingesting any dairy products.

According to experts, here are the most common symptoms you should look out for when your dog suffers from lactose intolerance:

• abdominal pain or discomfort
• vomiting
• loose stools
• gas
• bloating

It’s not always easy to diagnose lactose intolerance when it comes to dogs, since these symptoms can also appear in different combinations in dogs that aren’t lactose intolerant when they consume large amounts of dairy at once. To make sure that your pup has issues when consuming dairy products, just give him a small amount of milk and check for any side effects. This is how you’ll know for sure what you’re working with and how strong the symptoms can get.

Most dogs shouldn’t have an issue tolerating lactose. Even if you know for sure that the pup can enjoy the Starbucks Puppuccino without an issue, try to avoid making it a daily occurrence, to avoid long-term health concerns or stomach upsets.