Indian foods dogs can eat: roti, curd, mango and more

The WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee says treats should not exceed about 10% of a pet's daily calorie allowance, and suggests low-calorie choices such as melon, watermelon, apple and carrot. A 2025 study in Veterinary Sciences notes that WSAVA and AAHA both recommend this ceiling. The reason is balance: a complete dog food is built to supply everything a dog needs, and the more of the day's food comes from roti, rice and curd, the less room there is for that.

In many Indian homes the dog's bowl has always been a share of the family's dal, roti and rice. That is where most of the trouble starts, not because any one of those foods is poisonous but because it arrives with tadka, salt and ghee, and because a dog fed this way every day often gets too many calories and too few nutrients. Petym does not give portion sizes on this page. Your vet can work out your dog's daily calories and what share can be treats.

We found no veterinary body that gives a clear verdict on chilli itself for dogs. What we can say from the sources is that a masala dish almost always contains onion, garlic, salt and oil, all of which are a risk, so spicy food is not a dog food. Pet Poison Helpline also notes that dogs eating powdered spice directly can inhale it, which irritates the lungs and can cause coughing and choking.

If your dog has eaten a spicy dish, watch for vomiting, diarrhoea or signs of stomach pain, and think about what else was in it: a curry with onion and garlic is the bigger worry. Call your vet if your dog ate a large helping or seems unwell.

The WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee warns that home-made recipes written by people without training in dog and cat nutrition can be out of date, unbalanced and have serious nutritional deficiencies. It says a generic recipe with no toxic ingredients may be fine as a single snack or treat, but should not replace the main meals unless it was formulated by someone trained in veterinary nutrition. It suggests asking your vet to help you find a veterinary nutritionist.

Dal-chawal or roti with curd is not a balanced diet for a dog, however healthy it is for people. If you want to cook for your dog, ask your vet about a recipe made for dogs, and use the dog food calculator only as a starting point for your conversation with the vet.

PDSA explains that a sudden change of food can upset a pet's gut before it has time to adjust, and that diarrhoea can also follow eating something unusual. Home care is reasonable only if there is no blood or mucus and your dog is otherwise well and behaving normally.

PDSA advises calling your vet without delay if diarrhoea lasts more than a few days, if your dog may have eaten something harmful, if your dog is very young or very old, if there are other health problems, or if your dog is on medicine. Blood in vomit, repeated retching with a swollen belly, or collapse are emergencies: go straight to a vet.

Write down exactly what your dog eats, which treats are allowed and which human foods are never allowed. Domestic help, drivers and neighbours often share food with a friendly dog, so tell them too. A Petym sitter will follow the feeding plan as you write it, log each meal as it happens and send a daily photo update.