Can dogs eat marmite?
Updated 5 August 2026
In tiny amounts, yes. Marmite is not toxic to dogs, but it is one of the saltiest things in your kitchen. A lick off your toast is fine for a healthy adult dog. A spoonful is not, and dogs with heart or kidney conditions should skip it altogether.
The detail
Marmite is about 11g of salt per 100g, which is saltier than seawater. Dogs handle salt far less well than we do, so a spread that seems harmless on your toast sits much closer to their limit.
The amount matters more than the ingredient. A fingertip smear carries roughly 0.05g of salt, which is nothing for a healthy 10kg dog. Working through half a jar knocked off the counter is a different situation and worth a call to your vet.
Salt is the whole story here. There is no onion, garlic or xylitol in Marmite, which is why it sits in the amber category rather than the red one.
The salt maths
| Salt in Marmite | About 11g per 100g |
| A fingertip smear (about 0.5g) | Roughly 0.05g of saltFine for a healthy adult dog |
| A heaped teaspoon (about 8g) | Roughly 0.9g of saltToo much for a small dog in one go |
| Risky dose (MSD Veterinary Manual) | Around 2 to 3g of salt per kg of body weightA 10kg dog would need to eat most of a jar |
How much is sensible
| Dog size | Sensible amount |
|---|---|
| Small (under 10kg)Chihuahua, Jack Russell | A lick off a finger, once a week at most |
| Medium (10 to 25kg)Cocker spaniel, border collie | A fingertip smear, once or twice a week |
| Large (over 25kg)Labrador, German shepherd | A thin scrape on a corner of toast, occasionally |
| Any dog with heart or kidney disease | None. The sodium load is the exact thing their diet restricts |
What is actually in Marmite?
Marmite is concentrated brewer's yeast, the leftover from beer making, seasoned with salt and vegetable extracts. A 4g serving carries around 0.44g of salt, roughly a tenth of an adult human's daily limit in a scrape.
For a dog the useful facts are what it lacks: no onion, no garlic, no xylitol, no chocolate. That is why the whole question comes down to sodium and nothing else.
Marmite on toast or crumpets
The bread is not the problem, the butter and the quantity are. A buttered corner of Marmite toast adds fat on top of salt, and rich extras like this are a common trigger for upset stomachs in dogs.
If you share at all, share a dry corner with the thinnest scrape. Skip it for dogs that have had pancreatitis, because the fat matters more than the Marmite.
Is marmite good for dogs' coats?
You will see this claim in forums, usually crediting the B vitamins in yeast extract. A complete dog food already covers B vitamins in full, so Marmite adds salt without adding anything your dog is short of.
If a coat looks dull, the useful conversation is with your vet about diet, worming and skin health, not the breakfast cupboard.
Can puppies have marmite?
Best not. A puppy is smaller, so the same lick is a bigger relative dose of salt, and puppy diets are balanced precisely for growth.
There is no benefit to weigh against that, so the sensible answer is to wait until adulthood and then keep it occasional.
What about Twiglets and Marmite crisps?
Snack versions stack salt on top of salt. Twiglets carry the yeast-extract coating plus the seasoning of a crisp, so a shared handful gets a small dog to a meaningful sodium dose faster than the spread itself would.
Treat dropped ones as a shrug, not a snack to repeat. Keep the bag out of nose height.
Signs to watch for
- Excessive thirst
- Vomiting or diarrhoea
- Lethargy or wobbliness after a large amount
If your dog overdoes it
A small lick needs no action beyond fresh water. If your dog has eaten a large amount, or shows vomiting, tremors or confusion, call your vet. Out of hours, Vets Now runs emergency clinics across the UK.
Common questions
My dog licked marmite off my toast. Should I worry?
No. A lick is well below a harmful amount for a healthy dog. Put fresh water down and keep the jar out of reach.
My dog ate a lot of marmite. What do I do?
Ring your vet with your dog's weight and a guess at the amount. Salt in quantity can cause vomiting, tremors and worse, and early advice beats waiting for symptoms.
Is marmite good for dogs in small doses?
Not really. The B vitamins are already in any complete dog food, so the salt comes with no real upside. Treat it as an occasional taste, not a supplement.
Does marmite stop fleas?
No. The yeast-and-fleas idea has been tested and shows no effect. Use a licensed flea treatment from your vet.
Can dogs have Bovril instead?
Same answer, same reason. Bovril is a salty concentrate too, so keep it to a rare taste and never for dogs on low-sodium diets.