Bread Dough Toxicosis in Dogs

This can be very life-threatening if not treated immediately.  During the process of bread dough rising, yeast produces ethanol.  Once ingested, the internal body temperature causes the dough to continue to rise rapidly, producing more and more ethanol.  Ethanol is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and intestines and clinical signs of ethanol toxicosis can occur.

 These signs are : behavioral changes, vocalization, ataxia (muscle incoordination), CNS (central nervous system) depression, and urinary incontinence.  A significant metabolic acidosis,  ( a pathological condition resulting from accumulation of acid or depletion of the alkaline reserve - bicarbonate content - in the blood and body tissues, may develop.  As blood ethanol levels rise, respiratory depression, cardiac arrest, and ultimately death may occur. 

Another risk is because the stomach may rupture if the rising dough mass blocks the esophageal sphincter, induced vomiting is NOT recommended with out a vet present.   Ethanol is metabolized in the liver by alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes (ADH) to acetaldehyde and then to acetic acids. 

If a dog demonstrates severe muscle incoordination or ataxia, or CNS depression, induced vomiting should not be encouraged as the dog could become comatose very quickly and aspiration of the vomit into the lungs could occur.