Can dogs eat blue cheese?

Blue cheeses are deliberately ripened with Penicillium mold, which creates the blue veins and the sharp flavor. Some of these molds can produce roquefortine C. The amount in any given cheese varies, and people eat it without trouble, but dogs seem to react more strongly to this group of compounds.

Blue cheese is also high in fat and salt, with some varieties containing over 1 g of sodium per 100 g.

Mild cases involve vomiting or diarrhea. More serious reactions can include restlessness, panting, trembling, a high temperature, and seizures. Signs can start within a few hours of eating. The risk rises with the amount eaten and is highest for small dogs.

Home treatment is not appropriate here. Call your vet, describe the cheese and quantity, and follow their advice.

Cheese boards left on a coffee table, blue cheese dressing on chicken wings, and crumbles on salads are the typical sources. Blue cheese sauce on steak and pasta dishes is another. Stilton rinds dropped in a bin at Christmas are a common find for scavenging dogs.

Keep the board on a counter and clear it as soon as guests have finished.

Cheese-loving dogs can have pea-sized pieces of mild cheddar or mozzarella instead. These are low in lactose and carry no mold-related concern, though they are still fatty, so keep amounts small.