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As a pet parent, seeing your dog vomit is traumatic enough, but seeing them vomit blood is downright scary. Why do dogs vomit blood? What are the different causes? What should you do if they vomit blood? How is it treated? There are many different reasons for hematemesis, the medical term for vomiting blood, but all of them are serious and require a visit to your veterinarian.
It seems like a silly question, but realizing that your dog is vomiting blood may not be straightforward. Hematemesis, the medical term for vomiting blood, can look different depending on the nature of the bleeding. Most pet parents will recognize the presence of frank blood. Though the amount of blood can vary, frank blood will be bright red and will be recognizable as blood. Acute or sudden bleeding from the mouth or esophagus is usually associated with frank blood in the vomit. However, blood that has been in the stomach for any length of time will have a very different appearance. Blood will coagulate, or clot, and stomach acid and enzymes will partially digest it. So instead of appearing red and looking like red blood, it will be brown and granular, like coffee grounds. In fact, because of its striking similarity in appearance, this type of bloody vomit is medically known as coffee ground emesis.
Now that you have determined that your dog is vomiting blood, what is next? There are many different reasons why your dog may be vomiting blood. All of them are serious and require a visit to the veterinarian. Your veterinarian will examine your dog and run diagnostic tests to determine the cause of blood in your pet’s vomit. Here are some of the possible causes of hematemesis (blood in vomit):
One common cause of blood in vomit happens when a dog chews on a foreign object and develops lacerations in their mouth or esophagus. Since the bleeding is acute, it usually appears like frank blood in their vomit. You should have a high index of suspicion if your dog is a chewer, especially if they have a fondness for chewing sticks or bones. Sticks and bones can splinter and cause lacerations to the oral or esophageal mucosa. Your veterinarian will examine their mouth carefully for the presence of foreign objects or lacerations. If your veterinarian suspects a foreign body in their esophagus, they may recommend x-rays or endoscopy.
Tumors of the mouth, esophagus, or stomach can lead to blood in vomit. Depending on the location of the lesion and the amount of bleeding, the appearance can vary from streaks of blood to coffee ground vomit. Associated signs and symptoms include weight loss and blood in stool, which can have a black tarry appearance. Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination, and may order additional studies, like lab work, x-rays, CT scan, ultrasound, a barium study, or endoscopy.
In dogs, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a condition caused by chronic inflammation of the gut lining. The actual cause of inflammation is usually unknown but can be due to infection (bacterial or parasitic) or the gut’s reaction to a protein in their diet. Most dogs with inflammatory bowel disease will have diarrhea although some will have diarrhea and vomiting. Your veterinarian will examine your dog and may order endoscopy with tissue biopsies, a fecal to look for parasites, and lab work.
Coagulopathy refers to problems with blood clotting and can cause of variety of bleeding-related complications, including vomiting blood. Coagulopathy can be due to a variety of different reasons, such as liver disease that affects the liver’s ability to make clotting factors, hereditary disorders like Von Willebrand’s disease that affect platelet function, leukemia that invades bone marrow and disrupts platelet production, diseases like disseminated intravascular coagulopathy that “consume” platelets, low platelets due to infections (tick-borne illnesses) or autoimmune disorders (immune thrombocytopenia), hereditary disorders like hemophilia that affect production of clotting factors, and toxicity with drugs that affects clotting, such as rat poison (warfarin) or NSAIDS. Since the list of possible underlying causes is rather broad, your veterinarian will need to obtain a detailed history and perform a complete physical examination. The diagnosis can be established by ordering tests that check clotting or platelet numbers.
As mentioned already, rat poison can lead to hematemesis by affecting clotting factors. Other chemicals can be corrosive and irritate a dog’s esophagus or stomach leading to gastric upset, vomiting and hematemesis. Likewise, some plants, like sago palms, are toxic to pets when ingested and can cause your dog to vomit blood.
An ulcer occurs when there is breakdown of the gastrointestinal lining. This can be due to a variety of reasons, such as medications (steroids, NSAIDS), inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic disorders that affect the liver, kidney, or adrenal glands, toxicity from heavy metal poisoning, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, and infections with helicobacter species.
Pancreatitis refers to inflammation of the pancreas. In dogs, the most common cause for pancreatitis is dietary indiscretion, which is the medical term for eating something that they should not. Unlike their wild relatives, domestic dogs are not used to eating fatty foods. When dogs eat human food or trash, it can cause inflammation of the pancreas. The symptoms of pancreatitis are abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and lack of appetite. Pancreatitis is diagnosed by ordering blood work that measures the levels of pancreatic enzymes, like amylase, lipase, and trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI) and/or an abdominal ultrasound.
Some types of parasites like hookworms and whipworms attach to the intestinal lining and suck blood. These parasites have anticoagulants in their saliva to prevent blood from clotting. Although hookworm and whipworm infestations typically cause anemia, hematemesis may occasionally be seen.
Vomiting blood is a serious problem. If you see blood in your dog’s vomit, take your dog to the veterinarian. Your veterinarian will examine your dog and order tests to find the underlying cause of the problem. Your veterinarian needs to identify the reason for hematemesis before they can initiate treatment.
After examining your dog, your veterinarian will likely recommend diagnostic testing to help determine the cause of your dog’s vomiting. Here are a few of the tests your veterinarian might recommend and how they can help them determine the cause.
In order to determine the cause of bloody vomit, your veterinarian will likely recommend a complete blood work panel that includes a blood count to determine if your pet is anemic and also a chemistry panel to look for organ function, electrolytes and more. In addition, they may want to do special blood tests that determine if your pet may have a bleeding disorder, also known as coagulopathy. Additional tests, like a pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity test, to determine if your pet has pancreatitis, serum gastrin to determine if your dog has a gastrinoma, and bile acid tests (pre and post-prandial) to look for liver issues.
If your veterinarian suspects parasites, they will order a fecal test. A fecal test requires a fresh stool sample. Using a microscope, your veterinarian will look for parasite eggs and larvae.
Your veterinarian will likely want to do abdominal radiographs to look for foreign objects, fluid or masses in the abdomen, and more. Sometimes they might need to do a series of radiographs using contrast to improve the sensitivity of the study. Veterinarians can also use abdominal ultrasound to get more information about your dog’s gastrointestinal tract and why they are vomiting up blood. If there is a concern that the blood is coming from the esophagus, they may need to take radiographs of the neck and chest as well. Endoscopy, which involves inserting a long flexible tube with a video camera to examine the esophagus, stomach and small intestine, may also be necessary. During this procedure, your veterinarian may take small samples, or biopsies, to diagnose cancer, ulcers, and more. In dogs, MRI and CT scans are rarely done for abdominal problems due to the need for anesthesia and their expense.
Treatment varies based on cause!
Since the causes of hematemesis are extensive, the treatment depends on the underlying cause. Your veterinarian will take a history, perform a physical examination, and likely need to order imaging and blood work to establish the diagnosis. The urgency for the treatment also depends on the cause and extent of the bleeding.
For example, hematemesis due to eating rat poison (warfarin), is an emergency and can be fatal if not promptly treated. Warfarin poisoning is treated by giving vitamin K which reverses the effect of warfarin. Likewise, hematemesis from a foreign body can be an emergency if the foreign body causes an obstruction or perforation. In this case, the treatment is emergency surgery to remove the foreign body and/or repair the perforation. Other causes of hematemesis may require chronic medical treatment.
For example, treatment for inflammatory bowel disease may include diet changes and medications, like steroids. Hematemesis due to bacterial or parasitic infections is treated with antimicrobials. Pancreatitis may require hospitalization and is often treated with supportive care (IV fluids), antiemetics (vomiting medications), and possibly antibiotics. Despite the various treatments (depending on the cause), the first goal of treatment is always to stop the bleeding. The next goal is to stop symptoms your dog may have like vomiting, nausea, pain and inappetence.
Of course, the best treatment is always prevention. One of the most common causes of hematemesis in dogs is due to giving pets human medications. Many people do not realize that dogs are more sensitive to common over-the-counter human medications. Unfortunately, people often give their pet human medication thinking they are doing something to help their pet. For example, if their dog has arthritis, they may give them ibuprofen, thinking it will help alleviate their pet’s pain. Unfortunately, if not properly dosed for their dog, ibuprofen can cause a gastric ulcer and hematemesis. Likewise, giving your pet another pet’s medication can also be dangerous. Medications are dosed based on weight and health. Giving an older chihuahua in kidney failure your 90 lb. Doberman’s medication can be deadly.
To be safe, never give your dog human medications, even over-the-counter medications, or another pet’s medications without consulting with your veterinarian first.
Poisons like rodenticides or rat poison are a major cause of hematemesis in dogs and a very preventable one. Be sure to keep all poisons, especially deadly chemicals like rat poison, locked away from pets. If you have dogs or cats, ideally avoid using these types of poisons as curious pets often get into poison or may come in contact with a poisoned rat. Likewise keep all chemicals safely out of reach of pets.
If you have pets, check your house and yard to ensure that you do not have any plants that are toxic to pets. The list of poisonous plants is extensive. For a list of toxic plants, consult the ASPCA’s pet poison control. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
If you have a puppy or dog that chews up things, the best way to keep them safe is to puppy proof your house. Keep items that can be ingested like shoes, clothing, rocks, sticks away from pets. Fence off areas in your yard that have rocks and sticks and put away stuff in the house or crate your dog to make ingestion of foreign bodies less likely.
Parasitic infections are easy to prevent by keeping your pet on year-round parasite preventatives. Depending on the year-round preventative, it can also keep your dog free from heartworm, fleas and ticks.
While not all causes of hematemesis are preventable, routine wellness visits are the best way to detect illnesses early. Early detection generally leads to early intervention and better outcomes.
Hopefully, this blog has given you some idea of why your dog might be vomiting blood and some ways to prevent this scary thing from happening in the first place. Most importantly, remember that if your dog vomits blood, any amount, call your veterinarian right away for advice or bring them in to your veterinarian or your local veterinary emergency clinic.
Panting is normal dog behavior. They may pant after a walk, on a hot day, or sometimes even when they're relaxed. But if excessive panting is disrupting your sleep or theirs, it might cause concern.
Now there are many reasons why dogs pant at night, and we’ll explore each one of them in this article. We’ll also help you understand what you can do to help your dog if you notice excessive panting.
So let’s dive in!
Usually, dogs pant to help regulate their body temperature. Unlike humans, our dogs don’t have sweat glands all over their bodies. It’s because their entire body is covered in fur, which wouldn’t allow their sweat to evaporate if the sweat glands were located on their bodies. Hence, their sweat glands are located in a much more efficient location, i.e., their paw pads.
But unfortunately, sweating through paw pads alone is not enough to cool down their body and release heat. Therefore, they pant to allow moisture to evaporate from their tongue, mouth, and respiratory tract. This helps to prevent overheating and maintain a healthy body temperature.
Interestingly, dogs can also use panting as a way to calm themselves when they feel excited, scared, or even anxious. However, excessive panting can also be a symptom of an underlying medical condition.
Below we have outlined the various reasons that can lead to excessive panting at night. We have also included some tips on what you should do to help your dog find relief in such situations.
Overheating or heatstroke is one of the most common reasons for excessive panting. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including environmental conditions that are hot and humid, excessive physical activity, and underlying health conditions such as obesity.
Additionally, some dog breeds, like pugs and bulldogs, find it difficult to breathe and pant because of the structure of their faces, making them more susceptible to heatstroke.
If your dog is having a heatstroke, you might also notice other signs like:
What should you do?
It’s important to act fast in such situations as a heat stroke can have severe consequences, including organ damage and even death. So if you suspect your dog is having a heatstroke, follow these steps:
1. Move them into an air-conditioned room or a room with a fan.
2. If they’re sleeping with you on your bed, move them to a tiled or concrete floor, as your bedding might be the reason they’re feeling hot.
3. Offer them cool water to drink.
4. Put cool, wet towels on your dog's head, neck, and chest to bring down their body temperature.
5. You can also pour cool water on their body to help lower their body temperature. But make sure the water is cool and not icy cold.
If, even after doing all this, your dog is still panting excessively and their body temperature continues to rise, you should seek medical treatment from a veterinarian to prevent any potential complications.
How to avoid this situation?
No pet parent wants to handle this kind of situation, thus we’d recommend you follow these tips to prevent heatstroke in your dogs:
Just like humans, dogs can also feel anxious and stressed, which can lead to excessive panting. It can happen in response to various factors, such as changes in their environment or routine, loud noises, fear of separation, or some kind of past trauma or abuse. Sometimes, they might even feel anxious after a bad dream.
In addition to excessive panting, when a dog is experiencing stress or anxiety, you may notice other signs, like:
What should you do?
In such situations, you might be able to provide relief to your dog by identifying and eliminating the root cause of their anxiety. For example, if they’re getting scared of loud noises, you can either eliminate the source of the noise or bring them into a separate room away from that noise.
Similarly, if they’re anxious due to a bad dream, you can bring them to your bed to cuddle and make them feel safe and secure.
But if there is a bigger underlying cause of your dog’s anxiety, you should provide them with appropriate care and support. This could involve positive reinforcement techniques, anxiety relief vests, therapies, supplements, behavioral training, and proper veterinary care.
How to avoid this situation?
Anxiety and stress are very common in dogs, and in some cases, it’s recommended to seek professional help. However, you can also make small changes to help prevent anxiety and stress in your dog:
You should also consider consulting your veterinarian to better understand and address your dog’s anxiety and stress situation. It’ll help you provide them with a happy and healthy life.
Dogs have a natural instinct to hide pain, which makes it harder for us to detect their distress. But while they can hide pain, they aren’t very good at hiding their symptoms which include excessive panting to reduce discomfort and stress.
Some other common signs that might indicate your dog is in pain include:
What should you do?
If there aren’t any noticeable signs of injury, you probably won’t be able to determine the cause of your dog’s pain. They might have some internal injury, dental problems, infections, or digestive issues. The pain can also be a sign of other health problems like arthritis or pancreatitis.
Therefore, the best course of action in such situations is to consult with a veterinarian. They’ll help you identify the root cause of your dog's pain and provide them relief.
How to avoid this situation?
It won’t be possible to prevent pain in dogs, especially if it’s caused due to another health problem. But it is recommended you take the following precautions to avoid something unexpected:
Dogs have a curious nature, and they do tend to put random things in their mouths just to learn about the objects. If you aren’t careful, they might ingest something poisonous, like a toxic food ingredient, certain plants, or human medications. It can lead to poisoning, which can result in excessive panting.
But in almost every case of poisoning, your dog will exhibit other symptoms like:
What should you do?
If you suspect your dog has been exposed to something poisonous, you should act promptly. Since you cannot be sure what caused the poisoning, you cannot predict how it will affect your dog. It can either lead to some minor digestive problems or a life-threatening complication.
The first course of action should be to either call your veterinarian or the animal poison control helpline. They’ll guide you on how to proceed depending on your dog’s condition.
How to avoid this situation?
Below are a few things you can do to help prevent your dog from getting exposed to something poisonous or toxic.
Various medical conditions, including heart disease and respiratory problems, and medications like steroids and painkillers can also cause dogs to pant excessively. If your dog is experiencing this symptom from their medication, you can talk to your veterinarian to adjust their medications to provide them relief.
But if their disease isn’t yet diagnosed, you should get them examined by a veterinarian to find the underlying cause of the excessive panting.
Panting is normal for dogs, especially when they’re hot or excited. But if there is excessive panting, it can be a sign of an underlying problem.
We’d recommend you call your veterinarian if:
There can be a number of reasons why your dog is panting at night. It can happen due to something small, like a bad dream, but it can also happen due to heatstroke or an underlying medical condition. You should be attentive and look out for additional symptoms that might indicate a bigger problem.
Furthermore, we recommend you consult with your veterinarian to understand what’s happening. This will not only help you prevent any unforeseen situations but also provide the fastest relief to your little pup.
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about why dogs pant at night:
1. Why is my dog panting at night?
Panting is normal for dogs, but excessive panting at night can be a cause of concern. It can happen due to a variety of reasons, including overheating, excitement, anxiety, stress, pain, or a medical condition. You should consult with a veterinarian to determine the underlying cause of your dog’s excessive panting.
2. Should I take my dog to a veterinarian if they’re panting at night?
Excessive panting can be due to a number of reasons, including anxiety and stress. You can try to calm your dog by providing them some water and taking them to a more comfortable place in your home. But if their panting continues, you should take them to a veterinarian.
Additionally, if your dog is showing other symptoms like fever, refusing to eat or drink, lethargy, or even aggression, you should call your veterinarian immediately.
3. How to calm a dog panting at night?
How you approach the situation will depend on the specific circumstances surrounding your dog. If they’re panting without any other symptoms, they might be anxious or stressed about something, and you should make them feel safe and secure.
Whereas if they’re panting with visible signs of discomfort and pain, you should take them to a veterinarian to seek proper treatment.
Sources:
https://www.santacruzveterinaryhospital.com/site/blog/2022/02/28/why-is-my-dog-panting-at-night
Potatoes are a beloved comfort food. They’re consumed in many ways, including mashed, roasted, fried, and even baked. But the question that every pet owner wants answers to is whether or not potatoes are safe for dogs.
The answer is not as simple and straightforward as a "yes" or "no," which can be a little confusing. But don’t worry, in this article, we’ll try our best to cover all aspects and talk about the dos and don'ts of feeding potatoes to your furry friend. So, let's dive in…
It depends on how you have prepared the potatoes - dogs can eat cooked, unseasoned potatoes in small amounts. But if the potatoes are prepared with other ingredients and toppings like salt and butter, they won’t be so healthy for your little pup.
Also, you shouldn’t feed raw potatoes to your dog as they contain solanine which is a natural toxin (we’ll talk more about this later in the article). It’s recommended to cook the potatoes as that will reduce the amount of solanine and makes the vegetable safe for consumption.
Additionally, if your dog has any health problems like diabetes or obesity, you should refrain from adding potatoes to their diet and talk to your veterinarian about other healthy food options.
Potatoes have an impressive nutrient profile which makes them a staple in many dishes around the world. Some of the key nutrients that can be found in potatoes include:
1. Carbohydrates
Potatoes are a rich source of carbohydrates, which can be a great source of energy for active outdoor dogs that love running and other physical exercises. This nutrient also helps support digestive health and brain function in dogs.
2. Fiber
Potatoes contain dietary fiber that can help support your dog’s digestive health. It can help keep the food moving through the digestive tract and absorbs excess water in the stomach, which prevents irregular bowel movements, constipation, and diarrhea. Fiber can also help promote the growth of good bacteria and prevent the overgrowth of bad bacteria in your dog’s gut.
3. Vitamins
Potatoes contain a variety of vitamins, including immune-boosting vitamin C, which is also a powerful antioxidant, and vitamin B3, which is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. They also contain small amounts of vitamin B6, which is required for healthy brain function and the synthesis of DNA.
4. Minerals
Potatoes also contain several minerals, including calcium, which helps in building strong bones and teeth, iron which is required for the formation of red blood cells, and magnesium which supports proper muscle movement. They’re especially rich in potassium which helps maintain proper nerve function and heart health.
5. Antioxidants
Potatoes contain carotenoids and polyphenols, which are strong antioxidants. They help protect a dog’s body against the harmful effects of free radicals that can lead to oxidative stress and cause damage to cells, proteins, and DNA. These antioxidants can also help prevent various inflammatory diseases like pancreatitis and IBD.
Potatoes are an incredibly versatile vegetable, and you can cook them in so many different ways, but not every way is safe for dogs. Below we have briefly discussed the best ways to feed potatoes to a dog:
You should never feed raw potatoes to your dog because they contain solanine. It’s a natural toxin that the potato plant uses as a defense mechanism against pests and predators. This toxic chemical is found in varying amounts in different parts of the potato plant, including the leaves, stems, and skin.
You should also know that a damaged potato plant produces more solanine, which often results in green patches or sprouts in a potato. This makes them more harmful than regular raw potatoes.
Now in small amounts, solanine won’t cause any adverse reaction in your dog. So if you have a healthy dog who has accidentally eaten some raw potato, there’s nothing to panic about. You just need to monitor their condition and look out for signs of digestive distress, like vomiting or diarrhea. You should contact your veterinarian for advice only if you notice anything unusual.
But to avoid any risks and unforeseen consequences, keep your dog away from raw potatoes and especially avoid potatoes that are visibly green or sprouted.
Cooking potato breaks down solanine and makes it less harmful to dogs. Thus it’s always recommended to feed your dog cooked potatoes, and mashed ones are the best option. All you have to do is boil and mash a small potato without adding any other ingredients like milk or butter. You should also refrain from adding any seasoning, like salt, pepper, garlic, and onion.
Your dog doesn’t need these seasonings to add flavor to their food. Also, these additional ingredients and seasonings can be harmful to their health as they can lead to many digestive problems, vomiting, diarrhea, and other health complications.
Fried potato dishes like french fries, potato wedges, and hash browns are popular human foods. But it’s not recommended to share these treats with your dog as they’re cooked in a lot of oil and may contain seasonings, which can be harmful to dogs if consumed in excess.
Moreover, fried foods can lead to gastrointestinal upset, including vomiting and diarrhea in some dogs. In the long run, these kinds of foods can also cause weight gain, pancreatitis, and other major health problems.
Roasted potatoes made for humans aren’t considered healthy for dogs as they contain excessive oil or butter. But you can make dry roasted or air-fried potatoes for your dog without any oils. You just need to be careful about not adding any seasoning like salt and pepper and feed only a small amount of these roasted potatoes as an occasional treat.
Dogs can eat plain baked potatoes in moderation. But you have to make sure these potatoes don’t contain any toppings like butter, sour cream, cheese, or other seasonings, as that can be harmful to a dog’s health.
Packaged potato products like chips are also not considered healthy for dogs. They contain a lot of preservations, fats, and seasonings that can wreak havoc on your dog’s digestive system. Some of these treats also contain onion and garlic, which can be toxic for dogs.
Potato salad contains boiled potatoes, so are they safe for dogs? The answer depends on your salad recipe. A typical potato salad might contain ingredients like onion, garlic, or mayonnaise, which aren’t considered safe for a dog. But if you have prepared a potato salad with dog-safe ingredients, you can share a spoon full with them.
In small amounts, cooked potatoes are safe for dogs. But before going ahead, let's discuss a few caveats about adding this vegetable to your dog’s diet:
The biggest danger with potatoes is overeating. This vegetable contains high amounts of carbohydrates and starch, which can lead to weight gain, blood sugar spikes, and digestive problems. They can also cause nutritional imbalance or malnutrition in dogs.
Therefore, you should consider potatoes an occasional treat only. Also, if you’re trying to figure out the appropriate serving size of potatoes for your dog, try to follow the 90/10 rule that states 90% of your dog’s daily calories should come from a healthy and well-balanced diet while the remaining 10% of their daily calories can come from treats like potatoes.
Furthermore, you can also talk to your veterinarian to determine the exact amount of potatoes to add to your dog's diet.
Dogs can eat potato peels, but it’s generally not recommended as they can cause some digestive distress. Also, potato peel contains oxalates, which are fine in small amounts, but when eaten in large amounts, it can lead to kidney problems in dogs.
To avoid anything unforeseen, we’ll recommend you remove the peel of the potatoes before feeding the vegetable to your little pup.
While it’s not that common, your dog can still get poisoning from raw potatoes as it contains solanine. If, in case, they have accidentally eaten a large number of raw potatoes, they might show symptoms like:
If your dog shows any of these symptoms of solanine poisoning after eating potatoes, take them to a veterinarian immediately.
Although it’s rare, dogs can have an allergic reaction to potatoes. Thus it’s best to gradually introduce them to new foods and keep a close eye for any signs of an allergic reaction, including:
If you notice any of these signs of potato poisoning, consult with a veterinarian immediately.
Dogs can eat potatoes if they’re cooked without any seasoning or additional ingredients. They contain high amounts of dietary fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that can perfectly supplement your dog's diet.
You just need to be cautious about portion sizes, as potatoes contain high amounts of carbohydrates and starch. Consider them as an occasional treat, and make sure it doesn’t exceed 10% of your dog's daily caloric intake.
If you have any further doubts or questions, feel free to consult with a veterinarian before adding potatoes to your dog’s diet.
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about feeding potatoes to a dog:
1. Can dogs eat potatoes?
Yes, dogs can eat plain cooked potatoes but in moderation. This vegetable contains many nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and antioxidants. The only thing you need to be careful about is that the potatoes are cooked completely, as raw potatoes contain solanine, a natural toxin. Also, avoid adding any seasonings or topping to the potatoes before feeding them to your dog.
2. How much potato can I feed my dog?
A potato should be an occasional treat in your dog’s diet. Ideally, the appropriate serving size will depend on your dog’s size and health condition, but you can also follow the 90/10 rule that states 90% of your dog’s daily calories should come from a healthy and well-balanced diet while the remaining 10% of their daily calories can come from treats like potatoes.
Do make sure your dog isn’t overindulging, as potatoes contain high amounts of carbohydrates and starch, which can lead to weight gain, blood sugar spikes, and digestive problems. They can also cause nutritional imbalance or malnutrition in dogs.
3. Can dogs eat potato chips?
Potato chips aren’t considered healthy for a dog as they contain a lot of preservations, fats, and seasonings which can lead to many health issues, including obesity, blood pressure, and even pancreatitis in dogs.
If your dog accidentally eats one or two potato chips, there won’t be any immediate harm. But in the long run, it’s best to avoid feeding your dog potato chips or any other processed human food.
4. Can dogs eat potato skin?
Dogs can eat potato peels, but it can cause some digestive distress. It also contains small amounts of oxalates, which, when eaten in large amounts, can lead to kidney problems. To avoid any unforeseen situation, it’s recommended to remove the peel of the potatoes before feeding the vegetable to your dog.
5. Can dogs with diabetes eat potatoes?
Potatoes contain a high amount of carbohydrates, which can result in blood sugar spikes. Therefore it’s best to avoid feeding them potatoes and consult with a veterinarian before making any changes to their diet.
You can also talk to your veterinarian about other healthy treat options for your sick pup.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-potatoes/
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Every dog owner has had to clean up after their pet’s diarrhea. Besides being messy, the problem with your pet having diarrhea is that the causes range from mild to medical emergency.
To make matters harder for pet parents, what do you do if your dog has diarrhea but seem fine? Do you wait for it to get better on its own or rush to the ER?
This blog will list the various causes of diarrhea in dogs and with the goal of helping pet parents learn when it is safe to watch and wait, and when they should contact their veterinarian or go to the ER.
As previously mentioned, the causes of diarrhea in dogs range from mild conditions that usually resolve on their own, to life-threatening conditions that require emergency surgery. Here are some of the most common causes of diarrhea in dogs:
1. Dietary indiscretionDietary indiscretion is the most common cause of diarrhea in dogs. Dietary indiscretion is the fancy medical way of saying your dog ate something they shouldn’t have. For example, eating garbage, cat litter, cat food, or a big helping of human food can upset your dog’s stomach and lead to diarrhea, lack of appetite, and even vomiting.
2. OvereatingOvereating even their normal healthy diet can put a lot of stress on your dog’s digestive system. As a result, their body struggles to digest the extra food and ends up expelling “surplus food” as diarrhea.
Eating contaminated food or drink, such as uncooked food, garbage, old eggs, etc. can lead to food poisoning and an upset stomach.
Diarrhea can be a common symptom if your dog has food allergies or any type of food intolerance.
5. PoisoningYour dog can eat poisonous toxins, plants, and chemicals from the backyard or even during their walk in the park. In most cases, an upset stomach and diarrhea will be the first few symptoms of poisoning in your dog.
6. Eating Human FoodNot every human food is safe or healthy for a dog. In fact, they can even get diarrhea by eating oily and fatty human food.
Any abrupt changes in your dog’s diet will disturb their digestive system and lead to diarrhea. When changing your dog’s diet, it is always a good idea to gradually mix-in their new food.
8. Side Effects of the MedicineA lot of medicines can have unwanted side effects. If you recently started a new medication, check with your veterinarian if it could be a cause of their diarrhea.
9. VirusMany viruses including parvovirus, distemper, herpesvirus, and rotavirus cause diarrhea in dogs.
10. BacteriaSimilar to viruses, many bacteria, such as clostridium, helicobacter, and campylobacter can cause diarrhea.
11. Intestinal BlockageIntestinal blockage occurs when your dog eats a foreign object that is unable to pass through their intestines. The usual symptoms are vomiting, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, and lack of bowel movements. Initially, with a partial obstruction, diarrhea can be seen. Intestinal blockage is a life-threatening condition that requires surgery.
Parasites including intestinal worms and protozoal parasites, like giardia, can attach to the intestinal wall and cause diarrhea in dogs.
13. Stress
Any change in the physical environment, like loud outside noises, boarding, or even meeting new people can make your dog stressed and trigger “stress diarrhea.”
14. Ulcers
Ulcers can form due to various reasons. Ulcers can damage the protective lining of your dog’s digestive tract leading to many health issues including diarrhea.
Various bowel diseases like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can affect your dog's intestines and cause chronic diarrhea.
16. Metabolic DiseaseDifferent types of metabolic disorders can cause diarrhea in pets. Liver diseases in dogs can cause various gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms including diarrhea. Kidney disease can also cause diarrhea. Diarrhea is one of the clinical signs of advance kidney failure in dogs. Lastly, hyperthyroidism is a common metabolic cause of diarrhea.
17. Exocrine Pancreatic insufficiencyExocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) occurs when the pancreas no longer produces the enzymes necessary to break down food in the intestine. Since the food cannot be absorbs, EPI causes chronic diarrhea due to malabsorption.
18. NeoplasiaCancer, such as lymphosarcoma, primary intestinal cancer, or metastatic cancer affecting the GI tract can cause diarrhea.
Diarrhea is a common problem that affects our pets. The challenge is knowing when you should worry about it. Although diarrhea it is not normal, just like with humans, diarrhea can be transient and resolve on its own. If your pet has one episode of diarrhea but is eating, drinking, and otherwise acting normally, you can wait and see if it goes away on its own.
However, if your pet continues to have loose stool, or has other symptoms like vomiting, is not eating, or is acting lethargic, you should take them to their veterinarian as soon as possible and remember to bring a fresh stool sample with you if possible.
Below are a few more things that’ll help you decide what you should do when your dog has diarrhea:
Diarrhea often occurs suddenly and can last for days to weeks. Acute diarrhea generally lasts 1-2 days and often goes away on its own. On the other hand, chronic diarrhea can last weeks and typically requires treatment. Chronic diarrhea can lead to weight loss, dry skin, and lack of energy.
If your dog’s diarrhea lasts more than 2 days, or they have other symptoms such as vomiting, lack of appetite, lethargy, or abdominal pain, you should take your dog to your veterinarian. Left untreated, diarrhea can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and even death.
The color of your dog’s stool can tell a lot about their overall health. In general, a healthy bowel movement is brown in color, but let’s also discuss what other stool colors could indicate:
However, sometimes the color of your dog’s stool may be due to the food they ate and mean nothing! Let your veterinarian know if you are seeing changes in your pet’s stool color.
When you’re not looking, your dog can swallow many inedible things including toilet paper, a small piece of cloth, sharp sticks, food wrappers, rocks, socks, and many other foreign objects. These objects can get lodged into their digestive tract causing an internal blockage. Diarrhea is usually not a symptom of a foreign body obstruction. The typical symptoms of an obstruction are vomiting, abdominal pain, and lack of eating. However, a partial obstruction can be associated with diarrhea and should be suspected if your dog has a tendency to chew things they shouldn’t. If you think your dog may have eaten something it shouldn’t have, contact your veterinarian right away. Left untreated a foreign body can be fatal.
Depending on the cause, diarrhea can either present itself alone or can be accompanied by other symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Vomiting in combination with diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that require you to take your dog to the veterinarian for intravenous fluids and medications to stop the vomiting and diarrhea.
Furthermore, when diarrhea is accompanied by other clinical signs it could be an indication of a more serious underlying health issue.
Acute diarrhea generally lasts 1-2 days and often goes away on its own. If your dog appears otherwise healthy and does not have other symptoms, like vomiting, or lack of appetite, you can observe them at home and feed them a bland diet. Be sure they are drinking plenty of water.
On the other hand, chronic diarrhea can last weeks and lead to weight loss, dry skin, and lack of energy. If your dog has diarrhea that does not improve after one week, they may need medical attention and you should make an appointment to see your veterinarian.
Again, do not wait a week if your dog has other symptoms besides diarrhea, like vomiting, not eating or is acting lethargic. If you pet has other symptoms besides diarrhea, they should be seen by your veterinarian right away.
While these two terms are used interchangeably, they don’t always mean the same thing. Loose stool just means watery stool, while diarrhea means loose stools with increased frequency of bowel movements, like 3 or more per day, or with high volume of water stool.
Nonetheless, both these conditions should not last for more than 1-2 days.
If your dog is passing large volumes of watery stool, they are suffering from explosive diarrhea. This can quickly result in dehydration.
In such cases, you’ll have to make sure they are drinking plenty of water and if after 24 hours their condition doesn’t improve, you should call your veterinarian. If they are not drinking water, see your veterinarian right away.
Sometimes, your dog can pass watery stool due to changes in their diet or overeating. When this happens more than once a day it means they have diarrhea. And as stated above, this can either resolve on its own or they might need medical care depending on the duration and other symptoms.
Finding the cause of your dog’s diarrhea can be challenging. Your veterinarian has the training and tools to help you find and treat the underlying cause of your pet’s diarrhea.
Since there are many different reasons for diarrhea, they’ll likely suggest diagnostic tests to determine the exact cause. Most likely your veterinarian will want a fecal test. Fecal tests allow them to determine if your pet has intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, coccidia, and giardia.
Since intestinal parasites live in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract, they are usually hidden from view. The only way to detect and identify most intestinal parasites is by doing a fecal test.
Depending on your dog’s other symptoms and examination findings, your veterinarian may also want to do radiographs, also called x-rays, to look for signs of obstruction, cancer, or a foreign body. Finally, your veterinarian may order bloodwork to look for metabolic diseases like liver disease, diabetes, pancreatitis, and more.
Treatment for diarrhea depends on the cause. Mild cases of diarrhea may resolve on their own. If the cause is dietary indiscretion, your veterinarian may recommend a bland diet and avoiding the offending food. If your dog has intestinal parasites, your veterinarian will prescribe anti-parasitic medications targeting the parasite.
On the other hand, metabolic diseases, such as liver disease, diabetes, or pancreatitis may require more extensive treatment, and more serious causes, like intestinal obstruction, may require emergency surgery.
Your veterinarian may also prescribe anti-diarrheal medications and/or a prescription diet to treat your dog’s diarrhea.
Although there’s no way to prevent diarrhea, there are some precautions you can take to make it less likely to happen.
First, never change your dog’s diet abruptly. This is one of the most common causes of diarrhea. If you want to change their food, make the change by gradually mixing increasingly larger proportions of the new food over the course of a week until the old food is completely replaced.
Second, avoid sharing your food with your pets. Some dogs have sensitive stomachs and human food is often too rich for their GI tracts. Our good intentions can unfortunately make our pets sick.
Also, keep your pet healthy by taking them to the veterinarian for annual check-ups and make sure your pet is on year-round parasite preventatives.
Lastly, keep your dog away from trash, poisons, and chemicals, and never give them any medication (even over the counter medication) without first checking with your veterinarian. Many medications that are safe for us can be toxic and even deadly to our pets.
If your dog has one episode of diarrhea and otherwise has no other symptoms and appears normal, taking them to the ER may not be necessary as the first course of action. Under these circumstances, it may be reasonable to wait for a day or so to see whether their diarrhea stops on its own.
During this time, you can try some of the following at-home remedies to settle your dog’s stomach and help resolve their diarrhea.
1. Bland DietFeeding your dog a bland diet when they have diarrhea is one of the most common treatments when they’re suffering from diarrhea. Plain white rice, unseasoned boiled chicken, low-fat ground turkey, or egg are a few great options to serve to your dog.
2. Reduce quantitySometimes overeating can result in diarrhea. If you think your dog has diarrhea from overeating, reduce the amount of food you feed them.
3. FastingSome veterinarians recommend skipping a meal or two in order for your dog’s gastrointestinal tract to settle down. Then start your dog on a bland diet. Remember not to withhold water. Be sure your pet is drinking plenty of water as diarrhea causes them to loss fluids and they can become dehydrated quickly. This method is not recommended for puppies and older dogs. To find out if this method is appropriate for your dog, check with your veterinarian first.
Starchy food like boiled potatoes and rice can help reduce diarrhea by binding your dog’s stool and making it firmer.
5. Fibrous DietA high-fiber diet can also help with diarrhea. A high-fiber diet can help remove excess fluid, add bulk to the stool, and promote bowel regularity in dogs. You can add unsweetened canned pumpkin to your dog’s food to increase the amount of fiber they are getting.
6. ProbioticsProbiotics can help prevent and treat diarrhea in dogs. You can either consult with your veterinarian about adding probiotic supplements to your dog’s diet or you can feed them food like yogurt that act as natural probiotics.
7. PrebioticsPrebiotics are the food for probiotics. They work together to support the growth of good bacteria in the dog’s gut which improves digestion and treats diarrhea.
Like probiotics, you can either buy supplements of prebiotics or feed your dog foods like apple, chicory root, oats and bananas that are a rich source of prebiotics. In addition to containing prebiotics, bananas are also a fiber-rich food making them great for the gut.
8. HydrationWhen a dog has diarrhea, their body loses excessive fluid which can result in dehydration if they are not drinking enough water to compensate for the fluid loss. Left untreated dehydration can be fatal. If your pet has diarrhea, be sure they are drinking plenty of water. You can add water to their food and give them ice chips. If they are not drinking contact your veterinarian right away.
Diarrhea is a very common digestive problem seen from time to time in dogs. Hopefully these tips will help you decide if your dog with diarrhea needs to see their veterinarian right away or can wait. Remember, your veterinarian is your best resource to keep your pet healthy. When in doubt give your veterinarian a call. They will help you decide if your dog needs to be seen and can also suggest the best home remedies for your pet.
Peaches are a delicious and versatile fruit that is in the same family as plums, apricots, and cherries. They are often enjoyed fresh as a snack, in baked goods like a cobbler, or as part of a frozen dessert like ice cream.
More importantly, peaches offer a wide variety of health benefits, from improved digestion to reduced inflammation. But are these exclusive to humans, or are peaches safe for our furry friends? And are there any risks that might outweigh the benefits of peaches for our dogs?
Let’s find answers to all these questions in this article.
Yes, dogs can eat peaches but with some caution. This means that while the soft peach flesh is totally safe for dogs, you should be careful about the peach pit and stem as they pose a risk of choking and intestinal blockage, especially for smaller dogs.
You should also know that the peach pit and stem contain a small amount of cyanide known as amygdalin. Although a dog would have to consume a significant number of peach pits and stems to get cyanide poisoning, it is still advisable to remove them before feeding peaches to your dog due to the choking risk.
In small amounts, peaches can be a healthy and nutritious snack for our dog. Below we have discussed 5 reasons why you should consider adding this fruit to their diet.
Peaches contain dietary fiber that can help improve your dog’s digestive health. It can regulate their bowel movements, preventing constipation, bloating, and diarrhea. It can also help promote their gut health by preventing the overgrowth of any bad bacteria, supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria, and providing energy to the cells lining your dog’s colon.
Another lesser-known benefit of fiber is that it helps to regulate blood sugar levels by slowing down glucose absorption into the bloodstream. It prevents sudden spikes in blood sugar levels and many other health conditions.
You should also note that fiber is good for your dog, but only when eaten in the right amounts. If your dog is eating too much fiber, it can lead to diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems. Thus you should monitor their fiber intake and feed them fiber-rich fruits like peaches in small amounts as an occasional treat.
Peaches have anti-inflammatory properties that can prevent chronic inflammation in your dog’s body. They contain a range of antioxidants, such as polyphenols and vitamin C, that can help neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals. These are the unstable molecules that can cause oxidative stress and damage your dog’s cells, proteins, and DNA.
Furthermore, antioxidants are also known to reduce the risk of various chronic health complications, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, arthritis, skin allergies, respiratory diseases, and vision-related problems.
Peaches are chock-full of essential minerals that help support many bodily functions, from building strong bones to ensuring proper digestion and other metabolic processes. Here’s a breakdown of all the minerals in peaches and their health benefits:
Peaches contain beta-carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A. It’s an important nutrient that helps in repairing skin cells and regulating body oil and sweat in dogs, which prevents dry, flaky skin, dandruff, and excessive shedding.
Vitamin A also helps in improving eyesight by supporting the formation of cells that make up the retina and by producing tears that lubricate the eyes, preventing eye infections.
Furthermore, peaches contain vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant with immune-boosting properties. It helps protects a dog’s body against oxidative damage and prevents various skin allergies and infections.
Peaches contain 89% water which makes them a perfect hydrating treat for your dog. It’ll help keep their bodies replenished and re-energized, especially during a hot summer day. Moreover, peaches contain very few calories and zero fat, making them a healthy option for dogs who are either trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
But please make sure that apart from water-rich fruits like peaches, your dog has access to fresh drinking water at all times. It’ll help prevent dehydration, especially during summer.
Let’s discuss some helpful tips to ensure that you can safely and responsibly feed peaches to your dog.
Peaches, themselves, are a safe and healthy fruit for your dog. The danger lies in the peach pit (also called stone) and the stem because they pose a risk of choking and intestinal obstruction. If your dog swallows the whole pit, it might get lodged in their throat or the small intestine. They might even need surgery to remove the pit from their body safely.
If, in case, your dog has accidentally eaten the peach pit or stem, you should watch out for any of the following signs of intestinal obstruction:
If you see any of these signs of intestinal obstruction, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Additionally, you should also know that the peach pit and stem contain a small amount of cyanide, known as amygdalin. Although your dog will have to eat a lot of peach pits and stems to get affected by cyanide poisoning, it’s still wise to keep them away from your dog.
Peaches are a popular fruit, and it is sold in various ways, including canned, dried, preserved, and juiced. Although a fresh and ripe peach is the ideal choice for dogs, you can feed them other peach products if they’re made with dog-friendly ingredients.
For example, typical canned peaches made for human consumption contain a lot of sugar, preservatives, and artificial additives that can lead to various health problems if fed regularly, including digestive issues, obesity, and diabetes. The same goes for every other product made from peaches, including dried peaches, preserves, and peach juices.
Therefore, before feeding anything to your dog, it’s always a good idea to read the labels and ingredients to understand whether the product is safe for your dog.
Peaches, just like every other treat, should be fed in moderation. You shouldn’t allow your dog to overindulge, as this fruit contains high amounts of fiber and sugar that can lead to many health complications and nutritional imbalances.
Ideally, you should consider your dog’s age, weight, dietary needs, health conditions, and nutritional requirements before feeding them peaches. As a general guideline, it's recommended that you follow the 90/10 rule that states 90% of your dog’s daily calories should come from a healthy and well-balanced diet, while the remaining 10% can come from treats like peaches.
You can also talk to your veterinarian before introducing any new food to their diet.
You can easily wash and chop peaches into small pieces for your dog. Most dogs will love the sweet and juicy taste of this fruit. But if you want to take things further and experiment with some recipes, you can try the following ideas:
When introducing new food to your dog, you should always start small. Especially if your dog has never eaten peaches, feed them just a slice and see how they react. Although a peach allergy is rare, look out for any of these signs of an allergic reaction:
If you notice any of these symptoms after feeding a new food for the first time, take your dog to a veterinarian immediately.
Peaches are a safe and nutritious fruit for a dog. They contain dietary fibers that can help support your dog’s digestive health, antioxidants that prevent oxidative stress, and various vitamins and minerals that’ll help support their overall health and well-being.
You should be careful about the peach pit and stem, as they pose a risk of choking and intestinal blockage. They also contain small amounts of cyanide that can be harmful if eaten in large quantities.
If you have any more concerns or you’re unsure about how much peach you should feed to your dog, you should consult with your veterinarian.
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about feeding peaches to a dog:
Yes, dogs can eat peaches as a healthy and nutritious snack. Just remember to only give them the peach flesh and remove the pit and stem, as they pose a risk of choking.
Canned peaches contain a lot of sugar, preservatives, and artificial additives that can lead to various health problems if fed frequently, including digestive issues, obesity, and diabetes. If you want to give your dog peaches as a treat, it's best to stick with fresh peaches that are free from artificial sugars and preservatives.
Yes, peach pits (also called stone) can be toxic for dogs as it contains a small amount of cyanide known as amygdalin. They pose a greater risk of choking and intestinal blockage, especially in small dogs.
If you suspect your dog has accidentally swallowed a peach pit, you should keep an eye out for signs of an intentional blockage like loss of appetite, digestive issues, or abdominal pain. In case anything unusual happens, take your dog to a veterinarian immediately.
It’ll depend on various factors, including your dog’s age, weight, dietary needs, health conditions, and nutritional requirements. But as a general guideline, it’s recommended that you follow the 90/10 rule that states 90% of your dog’s daily calories should come from a healthy and well-balanced diet, while the remaining 10% can come from treats like peaches.
Additionally, you can also talk to your veterinarian to determine the exact amount of peaches you can feed your dog.
Peaches contain a high amount of natural sugar, which can be problematic for diabetic dogs. Therefore, it is best to consult a veterinarian before feeding them this fruit.
Also, if your dog has any pre-existing health conditions, it is important to consult with a veterinarian before introducing a new food into their diet. They’ll help you understand whether peaches are a good fit for your dog and how many peaches would be safe for their health.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-peaches/
Cantaloupe is a nutritionally dense fruit that boasts a range of health benefits. It contains very few calories and a lot of vitamins and minerals, which makes it a perfect snack for summer.
But what about our furry friends? Can dogs eat cantaloupe safely? In this article, we'll find answers to this question while exploring the potential health benefits of adding this fruit to their diet.
The answer is yes, dogs can eat cantaloupe safely in small amounts. In fact, this sweet and juicy fruit is a great way to enhance their diet and provide them with some extra nutrients.
Let’s take a deep dive into the various health benefits of cantaloupe for a dog:
Cantaloupe is a great source of dietary fiber that helps support a dog's digestive health. It helps keep the food moving through the digestive tract, absorbs excess water in the stomach, and adds bulk to stool. This helps prevent irregular bowel movements, constipation, diarrhea, and bloating.
Fiber also plays an important role in your dog’s gut health. During digestion, it gets fermented into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that help to prevent the overgrowth of any bad bacteria, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, and provides energy to the cells lining your dog’s colon.
An important thing to note here is that fiber is good for your dog, but only when eaten in the right amounts. Too much fiber can cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems in dogs. You can easily avoid this situation by monitoring the amount of fiber they’re eating and feed them cantaloupe in small amounts as an occasional treat.
Cantaloupe contains various antioxidants, including flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C. These antioxidants help neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals that can cause oxidative stress and damage your dog’s cells. This, in turn, helps reduce inflammation and can help prevent various inflammatory diseases like IBD and pancreatitis.
Furthermore, antioxidants are also linked to various other health benefits. For example, carotenoids are known to help improve eyesight and support healthy skin and coat, whereas flavonoids can help support heart health and cognitive function in dogs.
Cantaloupes are an excellent source of essential minerals that support various bodily functions, from building bones to supporting metabolic processes. Below is a breakdown of all the minerals in cantaloupe and some of their health benefits:
Cantaloupes contain beta-carotene, a carotenoid that helps regulate body oil and sweat in dogs, which helps prevent dry, flaky skin, dandruff, and excessive shedding. It also helps support the growth and repair of skin cells and improve the overall quality of your dog’s skin and coat.
Beta-carotene is also a strong antioxidant that protects the dog’s skin from damage caused by free radicals and supports the immune system, which helps prevent skin allergies and infections.
Cantaloupe contains 90% water, zero fat, and very few calories, so you won’t have to worry about feeding it to dogs who are trying to lose weight or those who are maintaining a healthy weight. You can also share a few slices of this fruit with your dog on a hot summer day to keep their body hydrated and refreshed.
But please remember that cantaloupe is just a hydrating snack. You’ll still have to make sure your dog has access to fresh drinking water throughout the day to prevent dehydration.
Now that you’re aware of the various health benefits of cantaloupe, let’s also discuss how you can safely incorporate this fruit into your dog’s diet.
Your dog might love the sweet and juicy taste of cantaloupe, but you shouldn't go overboard when feeding them this treat. Remember that cantaloupes have high fiber content that can disrupt your dog's digestive system if fed in large quantities and lead to diarrhea.
Apart from that, cantaloupes also contain high amounts of natural sugar that can cause a variety of health problems for your dog if they're eating large amounts regularly.
So if you’re planning on adding this fruit to your dog’s diet, you should consider their age, weight, health conditions, and nutritional requirements. You can follow the 90/10 rule that states 90% of your dog’s daily calories should come from a complete and balanced diet, while the remaining 10% can come from treats like cantaloupe.
You can also talk to your veterinarian before you add any new foods to your dog's diet.
When feeding cantaloupe, pet owners are often confused about whether their dogs can eat the seeds and the rind of the fruit. The answer is complicated because neither of them are toxic to dogs, but they pose a risk of choking and intestinal obstruction.
The fibrous rind of cantaloupe is hard to chew, swallow, and digest for dogs. If they try to swallow it whole, it might cause severe obstructions, which might even require surgery. Even the small seeds might be harmless for big-breed dogs, but they can be a choking hazard for small dogs and puppies.
If, in case, your dog has accidentally eaten seeds or the rind of cantaloupe, you should watch out for any of the following signs of obstruction:
If you notice any of these signs of intestinal obstruction, contact your veterinarian immediately.
There are various ways in which you can safely feed the sweet and juicy orange flesh of cantaloupe to your dog, including:
Cantaloupe is a safe fruit, but you should take a few precautions before feeding it to your dog:
Just like with every other food, cantaloupe also carries some risk when you aren’t careful about how much cantaloupe your dog is eating.
The high fiber and sugar content of this fruit can have a negative effect on your dog’s health. It can cause many digestive issues like diarrhea, vomiting, or constipation. Excessive fiber intake can also affect the absorption of certain nutrients and minerals, which might lead to nutritional imbalance and deficiencies.
Similarly, eating too many sugary fruits can lead to tooth decay, obesity, diabetes, and many other serious health problems.
Thus, you should consider cantaloupe as an occasional treat and share them with your pooch in moderation. A good rule of thumb is to follow the 90/10 rule and make sure that treats like cantaloupe don’t exceed more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake. The remaining 90% of daily calories should come from a healthy and well-balanced meal.
You can also consult with your veterinarian to determine the exact amount of cantaloupe you can feed to your dog.
Cantaloupe allergies are rare in dogs, but it’s still advised to be cautious when introducing new food to your dog. Start small with just 1 or 2 small pieces and then monitor their reactions for the next 24-48 hours for any signs of food sensitivity or allergies.
You should look out for any of the following symptoms of fruit allergies:
If you notice any of these signs of allergy, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
Cantaloupe is a dog-friendly fruit that contains dietary fibers, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more good stuff. When fed in moderation, it can help improve your dog’s digestive health and prevent chronic inflammation while providing hydration and nourishment.
However, you should be careful about the rind and seeds of cantaloupe as they can become a choking hazard and can even cause intestinal blockages. It's also important that you slowly introduce a new food into your dog’s diet and monitor their reaction to make sure they don’t experience any negative side effects.
If you have more doubts or questions, you should consider consulting a veterinarian before feeding cantaloupe to your dog.
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about feeding cantaloupe to a dog:
Yes, dogs can eat cantaloupe in moderation. It contains dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and antioxidants. These nutrients can supplement your dog's diet and help support their overall health and well-being.
Cantaloupe rind isn’t toxic for dogs, but it’s hard to chew, swallow, and digest. If your dog tries to gulp it down, it can get stuck in their throat or the digestive system, causing a severe obstruction, which might even require surgery.
If your dog has accidentally swallowed a piece of cantaloupe rind, keep an eye out for how they are reacting. If you notice anything unusual, like loss of appetite or abdominal pain, take them to a veterinarian.
Cantaloupe seeds aren’t toxic for dogs, and they might even be harmless for big-breed dogs. But they do pose a choking risk for small dogs and puppies. Thus it’s best to remove the seeds before feeding cantaloupe to a dog.
If your dog has accidentally eaten cantaloupe seeds, see how they’re reacting. In most cases, the seeds will pass through their stool, but if you notice anything unusual, like loss of appetite or abdominal pain, take them to a veterinarian.
Your dog should eat cantaloupe in moderation and as an occasional treat. You can follow the 90/10 rule that states 90% of your dog’s daily calories should come from a complete and balanced diet, while the remaining 10% can come from treats like cantaloupe.
You can also talk to your veterinarian about how much cantaloupe you can feed your dog.
Cantaloupe contains high amounts of sugar, which can be harmful to diabetic dogs. They might not have any adverse reaction from eating a small piece of cantaloupe once in a while, but to be on the safe side, it’s best to steer clear of feeding them sugary fruits.
It’s also recommended that you talk to a veterinarian before making any changes to the diet of your dog if they’re suffering from any health condition.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-cantaloupe/
Bananas are a popular health fruit because they are full of nutrients. Plus they’re readily available, easy to carry around for a quick snack, and loaded with natural sugars. But are they great for sharing with your furry friends?
The good news is that bananas are safe for your dog. They’re a tasty treat that can provide dietary fiber, potassium, and other vitamins to your dogs. But you can go overboard as bananas also contain a lot of sugar.
So what is the right serving size for your dog? And are there any other precautions you need to take while feeding bananas to your dog? You’ll find answers to these questions in this article.
Let’s first start by discussing the nutritional value of bananas and how these benefit your dog's health:
Bananas contain both soluble and insoluble fibers that are essential for your dog’s digestive system. The soluble fiber absorbs water and gets fermented in the large intestine. It helps add bulk to the stool thus reducing diarrhea.
Also, their fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids that prevent the growth of bad bacteria in the gut and helps increase the body’s ability to absorb minerals.
Insoluble fibers on the other hand help soften the dog’s stool by attracting water into the intestines and preventing constipation.
Essentially bananas are rich in 3 types of vitamins - vitamin C, B6, and B7. All of which play a critical role in supporting your dog’s overall health.
Vitamin C is very important for your dog’s immune system as it supports the production of white blood cells that help the body fight against infection. Its also a powerful antioxidant that protects the cells against free radical damages, reduce inflammation and cognitive aging in dogs.
And although a dog’s body can synthesize vitamin C on its own, various environmental reasons like stress, growth, injuries, vaccinations, or illnesses can lead to its depletion. In such cases, fruits like bananas can help dogs fulfill their daily nutritional requirements.
Vitamin B6 also serves an important role in your dog’s body as it’s responsible for the production of red blood cells and healthy brain function. It also supports glucose generation, hormone regulation, and immune response in dogs. And unlike vitamin C, a dog’s body cannot make its own vitamin B6, hence you need to feed them supplements like bananas.
The third vitamin that’s found in bananas is B7 more commonly known as biotin. It benefits your dog’s body from the inside to the outside. It promotes healthy skin and coat, proper muscle formation, and supports digestion by metabolizing proteins and fatty acids.
Bananas are loaded with potassium which is a primary electrolyte for dogs. It aids in the transmission of nerve impulses from the brain to the body. This exchange is critical as it controls a majority of body functions including heartbeats and contracting and relaxing of muscles.
Potassium also supports muscle growth, kidney function, and absorption of nutrients in your dog's body. Furthermore, it works with sodium to prevent dehydration and move water in and out of the cells.
Although the dry dog food that you feed your dog contains potassium, it might not be enough for your dog's daily requirements. Especially if you have a very active dog, they might need more potassium which they can get from bananas.
Apart from potassium, bananas also contain manganese, magnesium, and copper.
Manganese which is an essential trace mineral is required by a dog’s body to activate many enzymes that support bodily functions including energy production, fat and protein metabolism, bone development, and nerve function.
Magnesium which is found in bone and soft tissues is required for multiple metabolic functions in a dog’s body. It acts as an activator or catalyst for various enzyme systems including the one that transports energy within cells for metabolism and helps build protein.
And lastly, copper aids in the absorption of iron and the formation of dogs' bones, collagen, and connective tissue. It also plays a major role in the creation of myelin, a membrane that protects the nerves in the dog’s body.
The fat content of bananas is very low, thus making them a perfect treat for your dog. You can feed it instead of other fatty and salty foods to manage their weight.
Now that you know all the potential benefits of feeding bananas, let’s move on to discussing the right ways to feed bananas to a dog.
The first few questions that’ll come to a pet owner's mind are how many bananas can dogs eat and how often can dogs eat a banana?
Truth be told, even though bananas are loaded with nutrients and fiber, overfeeding them can lead to various health issues like upset stomach or diarrhea due to the extra fiber content. Natural sugar can also pose a problem if eaten in large quantities.
It’s important that you use bananas as a treat that you serve in between meals. It should never replace their healthy and well-balanced meal.
Now to decide the right amount of bananas you can feed your dog, you should take into account various factors like their age, breed, weight, and existing health conditions. A general guideline is to offer up to half a banana to a large dog and 2-3 slices to smaller dogs.
Talking about the frequency, it’s safe to feed a dog bananas every day. But that could increase their fiber intake and blood sugar levels, so try sticking to 2-3 times a week only. You can alternatively switch between bananas and other healthy treats.
You can also follow the 90/10 rule here by making sure 90% of their daily calorie intake comes from a complete and balanced diet and 10% from treats like bananas.
If your dog suffers from sensitivities or other health conditions, consult with a veterinarian before feeding them bananas.
No, you shouldn’t feed banana peels to your dog. Even though they’re nontoxic, they contain too much fiber that can be hard to digest and cause an upset stomach. Plus the thick skin can cause an internal blockage.
If your dog accidentally eats the banana peel, they might experience vomiting or distress. In such cases, get in touch with your veterinarian just to be on the safe side.
Bananas are safe for puppies. You can feed them 2-3 slices of bananas a few times a week. But remember that puppies usually have a special diet that is made to support their growth. So chances are they are getting the nutrients that are available in a banana from their regular meal.
Hence, it would be ideal to first check with your veterinarian if you wish to add bananas to your puppy’s diet.
There are a few different ways in which you can safely feed bananas to your dog. But before discussing those, let's talk about the ripeness of bananas and what's the best stage to feed them.
The unripe bananas contain a high amount of resistant starch and low sugar content. If your dog suffers from diabetes, you can feed them unripe bananas. But the high amount of starch can make it a little hard to digest.
There’s also a chance that your dog might not like the taste of green bananas as they taste a little bitter.
This is a preferable option for dogs because a ripe banana is easier to digest as the resistant starch gets converted to simple sugar. It's also a rich source of potassium and contains many other essential vitamins and minerals. All of which can be beneficial for your dog's health.
An overripe banana contains many antioxidants that can help your dog fight inflammation but it also contains high sugar content that can be harmful to your dog especially if they have any preexisting health condition like diabetes.
The most convenient and healthy way to feed bananas to a dog is to simply peel and serve. Due to its sweet taste and smooshy texture, your dog will definitely enjoy this treat.
But if you want to take things up a notch, here’re some more popular ways of feeding bananas to a dog:
Bananas can be easily mashed and mixed into any food item. Some pet owners like to add it to their dog’s daily meal, while others like to mix it with dog-friendly peanut butter or yogurt to serve as a treat.
If you choose this option, make sure you use natural peanut butter as the store-bought options are made for humans and can contain artificial sweeteners like xylitol. It can be highly toxic to a dog.
If your veterinarian has recommended oatmeal for your dog, you can add banana to that recipe too.
You can simply freeze a few slices of banana in the freezer and serve them as treats on hot summer days. Or you can mash the banana and freeze it into a dog toy such as a kong. Your dog will enjoy licking the treat from the toy and it will keep them busy for awhile.
Banana chips are another safe treat option for your dog. But you have to be careful about the ones you buy from the store. They might contain artificial sweeteners, preservatives, salt, or some other seasoning added to increase the flavor. These can be toxic for your dog.
Buy dog-safe banana chips or make some at home by dehydrating banana slices. But remember to keep the recipe simple and not add any additional ingredients.
Banana bread made for human consumption contains a lot of butter, sugar, raisins, and vanilla extract, all of which can be harmful to a dog.
If you want to feed them banana bread you can make some at home using a dog-friendly recipe that contains ingredients that are safe for dogs.
If you’re a pet parent who loves cooking at home then you can definitely try making some delicious homemade dog-friendly treats using bananas.
You can search for dog-friendly recipes for banana cookies, muffins, ice cream, snack bars, etc.
But remember cooking or baking will affect the nutritional value of the fruit. If you’re feeding bananas only for the nutritional benefits, stick to raw ripe bananas.
It's perfectly safe to feed bananas to a dog but in moderation. The high amount of fiber and sugar can disturb your dog's digestive system and blood sugar level if eaten in large quantities.
Also if your dog is suffering from certain health conditions you might want to consult with a veterinarian before making any changes to their diet.
Unfortunately yes, some dogs can have a food intolerance and an allergy to bananas.
When feeding bananas for the first time, monitor their health for 24-48 hours for any signs of allergies. Look out for some or any of the following signs:
You should get emergency care for your dog if any of these symptoms appear after eating a banana.
Bananas are a safe and healthy treat for your dog. You can add an appropriate amount of this fruit as a treat to supplement their well-balanced diet. The fiber content will keep their digestive system healthy and the antioxidants like vitamin C will protect their immune systems. Plus the other vitamins and minerals will work together to promote the overall health of your dog.
If you still have any doubts, consider consulting with a veterinarian before adding bananas to your dog’s diet.
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about feeding bananas to a dog:
Yes, dogs can eat dried and dehydrated bananas. But make sure they don’t contain any additional ingredients like artificial sweeteners, preservatives, salt, or other seasonings. These can be harmful to a dog.
Yes, your dog can eat ripe bananas. In fact, it is the safest and healthiest way of feeding bananas to a dog.
The unripe bananas contain a high amount of resistant starch which makes them harder to digest and the overripe bananas contain a high amount of sugar which can increase your dog’s blood sugar level.
Yes, dogs can eat bananas for diarrhea. It contains high fiber content that can help the food move along the intestinal tract and add bulk to the stool.
But bananas are not a remedy, if your dog has severe diarrhea they’ll need proper medical care and assistance.
A banana's high amount of natural sugars can pose a problem for dogs already suffering from diabetes. It’s best that you consult with your veterinarian to decide whether or not to add bananas to your dog's diet.
Fried foods in general are unhealthy for a dog. They usually contain a lot of unhealthy fats that can lead to many health problems including weight gain or heart diseases.
You shouldn't feed banana bread made for human consumption to your dog. It might contain additional ingredients like raisins and vanilla extract which can be harmful to a dog.
If you want to feed banana bread to your dog, stick to a dog-friendly recipe that contains ingredients that are safe for dogs.
Bananas are easy to digest and their anti-inflammatory properties can be helpful for a dog who suffers from pancreatitis. But you shouldn’t make changes in their diet, without consulting with a veterinarian.
It’ll depend on the kind of sickness your dog is suffering from.
Banana peels are not toxic for a dog but they contain too much fiber that can be hard to digest for some dogs. It can cause an upset stomach and its thick skin can cause an internal blockage. Thus you should refrain from feeding banana peels to your dog.
Sources:
https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/can-dogs-eat-bananas
https://www.newsweek.com/can-dogs-eat-bananas-fruits-dogs-can-cannot-eat-1625828
https://www.pumpkin.care/blog/can-dogs-eat-bananas/
https://www.metlifepetinsurance.com/blog/pet-health/can-dogs-eat-bananas/
https://dogtime.com/dog-health/dog-food-dog-nutrition/58813-can-dogs-eat-bananas
Bone broth is a nourishing and restorative liquid that tastes delicious. It can be savored on its own or you can use it to make soups, sauces, or gravies. Health experts claim drinking bone broth can be beneficial for your joints and digestive system and celebrities swear it helps them keep their hair shiny and skin glowing.
But do you know this savory liquid is also beneficial for your dog? It contains many essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that can supplement a well-balanced diet. Let’s explore the many benefits of bone broth for your dog.
Conceptually the idea of feeding nutrients extracted from animals' bones sounds healthy. But how exactly does bone broth helps improve your dog's health and support their overall well-being? Let’s discuss this by exploring 5 benefits of bone broth for dogs:
Bone broth contains glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid. These are essential nutrients that help promote strength, elasticity, and flexibility in your dog's joints and promote collagen growth.
Collagen is a protein found in the connective tissues of your dog. Although it’s produced naturally in a dog's body, age can slow down the production of collagen. Hence bone broth is a great supplement for older dogs as it can help repair connective tissue in their body and relieve stiffness and discomfort in joints.
There are also certain dog breeds like Labrador retrievers, Golden retrievers, and German shepherds that are more prone to joint problems and arthritis. Bone broth can be a beneficial supplement in their diet.
Does your dog frequently suffer from digestive issues like gas, diarrhea, or bloating? These can be symptoms of poor gut health. Feeding them bone broth can help reduce gut inflammation as it contains gelatin, an ingredient derived from collagen. It also contains amino acids like glycine and proline which can help restore the gut lining.
If your dog suffers from a leaky gut syndrome, the gelatin from the bone broth can help heal the dog's intestinal lining and might reverse the leaky gut.
A dog is prone to consuming toxic substances as they’re continuously licking the floors, walls, and other objects in their surroundings. The liver helps the body filter out these toxins to make sure your dog stays happy and healthy.
But over time as the liver continuously gets overworked it can lose some efficacy. Bone broth can help support liver function by supplying an amino acid called glycine. It’s an acid that plays a crucial role in removing toxins built up in your dog’s liver. This detoxification can improve liver function and clean the dog's entire body.
The amino acid present in bone broth has another important role in your dog’s body. It can help reduce inflammation in your dog's respiratory system and helps improve their immune system’s ability to fight allergies, asthma, and arthritis.
If your dog is feeling under the weather and losing their appetite, feeding them bone broth will ensure they get proper nutrition and hydration. Plus the amino acids will support their immune system to fight off infections.
A healthy skin and coat can protect a dog from various external threats, help maintain a normal body temperature, and prevents water loss through the skin. Besides dry, flaky, and itchy skin can cause extreme discomfort to your dog.
Adding bone broth as a supplement to your dog's diet can help improve their skin and coat health. It contains collagen and gelatin that makes the skin more youthful, reduces the appearance of texture, and keeps the fur shiny.
Bone broth also contains Vitamin B-6, B-12, B-2, and B-1 which can help promote cell growth and division that leads to a healthy coat.
Bone broth is made by boiling bones and connective tissue of animals in the water. Although it’s gaining a lot of popularity these days, the use of bone broth dates back to prehistoric times. Hunters were known to make broth from the inedible animal parts including bones, hooves, and knuckles.
Even today you can make bone broth using the bones of many animals including chicken, pork, beef, turkey, lamb, or fish. You can also use marrow and connective tissues like the feet, hooves, or beaks of these animals to make a broth.
The recipe might look similar to animal stock but these are not the same terms—the difference in the amount of time taken to prepare them. Stock is usually made within 4-6 hours of slow cooking. Whereas the broth is simmered for 12-24 hours to extract more nutrients and minerals from the bones.
Cooking bone broth for your dog at home is very simple. All you need are raw bones with marrow. You can use the bones of any animal including chicken, turkey, beef, rabbit, or pork.
Place the bones in a soup pot, slow cooker, or instant pot, and add enough water to cover them by about an inch. Then add 2-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice as it’ll help pull all of the minerals and nutrients from bones.
Allow the mixture to simmer on low heat for 12-24 hours. Once it reaches a thick and golden consistency, strain the mixture to remove bones and immediately discard them. Don’t ever feed cooked bones to your dog as they splinter into shards that can be a choking hazard and cause serious damage to the dog’s body.
You can however remove the bone marrow from the bones and mix it in the broth to serve your dog. But first, allow the bone broth to cool down to room temperature before serving. Then you can either feed it to your dog as a soup or mix it in with kibble.
In summers, people also prefer to freeze bone broth in ice trays to serve as a treat on a hot day. If you're using home-cooked bone broth, you can refrigerate or freeze the leftover for almost a week.
This is a simple recipe for making bone broth, but you can always take things up a notch by adding more healthy ingredients to the pot. You can add vegetables like carrots, celery, and parsley, or other parts of an animal like feet, beaks, joints, or knuckles.
You can add many ingredients to your bone broth but avoid adding spices or seasonings like salt, pepper, or paprika as these can be toxic for your dog.
If cooking bone broth at home is not feasible, you can always use store-bought bone broth. But make sure you’re buying bone broth that’s made for dogs. The bone broth that’s made for human consumption often contains salt, pepper, preservatives, and onions that can be toxic for a dog.
The bone broth you’re buying for your dog shouldn’t contain any preservatives or artificial flavors. It’s better to buy from brands that make bone broth especially for dogs. You can choose from a variety of flavors available like beef bone broth, chicken bone broth, or even mushroom broth.
As long as you read the packaging properly and ensure the broth is suitable for dog’s all life stages and all dog breeds, buying store-bought bone broth can be beneficial and convenient.
Bone broth is a great source of nutrients and vitamins for your dog. But it’s only beneficial if you serve in moderation. Too much of any food item can be harmful to your dog’s health.
The right amount of bone broth to serve a dog will vary depending on their age, breed, and prior health conditions. Ideally, if your dog is under 20 pounds you can serve them 1 oz of bone broth in a day. If they weigh between 20-40 pounds, you can serve them 2 oz of bone broth in a day.
You can either feed them bone broth as a soup in a bowl, mix it in with dry kibble, or freeze them to make small popsicle treats.
If you use bone broth as a supplement to a well-balanced diet, it can provide the right amount of collagen, glucosamine, amino acids, and other nutrients that your dog needs. It can help improve their skin, coat, joints, and gut health.
But if your dog suffers from a pre-existing health condition, you can consult a veterinarian before adding bone broth to their diet.
Bone broth is usually safe for dogs but in rare cases, your dogs can have an allergic reaction to certain ingredients added to the broth. Hence it’s a good idea to first feed 2-3 tablespoons of bone broth to your dog and monitor their health for 24 hours. If there’s nothing unusual about their behavior, you can continue to feed them bone broth. If you notice a reaction, contact a veterinarian immediately.
Bone broth is a nutritious and flavourful dietary supplement for your dog. It’s chock-full of vitamins and minerals that can help improve your dog’s immune system, detoxify their liver, support gut health, and heal their joints.
You can easily buy bone broth in various flavors from a store or cook it at home and let your dog slurp the savory liquid. Just be cautious of the portion sizes. Even if your dog loves drinking bone broth, you shouldn’t overfeed them.
If you have any further questions, you can consult a veterinarian before feeding bone broth to your dog.
Let’s address some frequently asked questions about feeding bone broth to a dog:
Yes, chicken bone broth is a highly nutritious supplement for your dog. It’s packed with benefits that help support your dog’s overall well-being.
Yes, just like chicken bone broth, beef bone broth is a great dietary supplement for your dog.
Yes, the protein-rich bone broth can help support the growth of a puppy by supporting their gut health and immune system.
You can feed bone broth made using animals like chicken, pork, beef, turkey, lamb, or fish. Apart from bones, you can also use other parts of the animal-like their feet, hooves, or beaks to make a broth.
If you’re buying bone broth from the store, make sure it’s safe to consume for a dog. Many bone broths available in the grocery store contain artificial flavors, preservatives, salts, pepper, onion, etc. all these ingredients can be toxic for your dog. Read the ingredients before buying. It’s best to buy from brands that make bone broth especially for dogs.
Bone broth is a joint-supporting food that can help reduce pain and swelling in a dog’s joint. It might help slow down the progression of arthritis in dogs.
Bone broth can be a great addition to a diet of a dog who suffers from pancreatitis. But it’s recommended that you consult your veterinarian before adding any new food to your dog’s diet if they suffer from a health condition.
Water helps keep your dog's kidneys hydrated and working well. So if they’re suffering from kidney disease, the water from the broth can help their kidneys.
But this isn’t a cure or a replacement for proper medical care and assistance that’s required for a dog that’s suffering from kidney disease.
If your dog is suffering from diarrhea, it’s usually recommended that you feed them bland food that’s easy on their stomach. You can feed them bone broth in moderation. It’ll keep them hydrated while providing essential nutrients.
Sources:
https://www.thewildest.com/dog-nutrition/recipe-making-bone-broth-dogs
https://theheirloompantry.co/how-to-make-beef-bone-broth-for-dogs/
https://topdogtips.com/bone-broth-recipe-for-dogs/
https://www.thebonesandco.com/blog/bone-broth-for-dogs
https://firstvet.com/us/articles/can-dogs-drink-bone-broth
https://nativepet.com/blogs/health/bone-broth-for-dogs
https://iheartdogs.com/bone-broth-for-dogs-whats-the-big-deal/
Blueberries are found everywhere - in jellies, jams, muffins, pies, snacks, pancakes, and even breakfast cereals. But have you seen blueberries in dog food?
Don’t get surprised if you do because blueberries are actually safe and healthy for a dog. It’s often called the antioxidant superfood that’s also rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
But if you’re wondering how these nutrients work together to benefit your dog, then continue reading. In this article, we have discussed the many health benefits of feeding blueberries to your dog and some fun ways in which you can add this fruit to your dog’s diet.
Let’s first start by exploring 6 amazing health benefits of feeding blueberries to your dog:
Blueberries are low-calorie and vitamin-rich fruits. You can feed these to your dog without worrying about weight gain or obesity.
The vitamin break-down of a blueberry is as followed:
Vitamin A: This is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s essential for nearly every organ system in your dog’s body. It promotes healthy vision, skin, and fur and even supports the dog’s immune system by assisting in making white blood cells. These cells help the body fight against foreign invaders and cellular irregularities thus preventing infections.
Vitamin K: This vitamin is known to support healthy bone structure, heart health, and glucose metabolism in a dog’s body. It also supports calcium accumulation in the bones and prevents it from depositing in the soft tissues, heart, arteries, and other muscles.
Another very important function of this vitamin is that it supports healthy blood clotting or coagulation. This process prevents excessive blood loss. Without this ability, even the smallest wounds on your dog’s body would continue to bleed and can become fatal.
Vitamin C: This is an antioxidant that’s synthesized in a dog’s liver. But various environmental factors and stress can cause vitamin C depletion.
You need to ensure your dog meets their daily vitamin C requirement as it’s vital for their healthy growth. It helps fight inflammation and supports the immune system by increasing the activity of the white cells and the production of antibodies that protects a dog’s body.
If you have an older dog, vitamin C will help increase their collagen production that’ll benefit their joints and bone health.
Vitamin E: It is also a fat-soluble antioxidant that helps your dog’s body fight against the damage caused by free radicals. It also promotes a healthy gut, cell membranes, and supports eyes and skin health.
Blueberries are packed with antioxidants like vitamin C, E, polyphenols, anthocyanidins, etc. These help a dog’s body fight oxidation or damage caused by free radicals.
Now although free radicals are a natural by-product of metabolism when produced in excess they can cause many health problems including skin allergies, respiratory diseases, cataracts, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, other joint problems, and heart diseases.
The antioxidants in blueberries can prevent all these and help improve cognitive functions in aging dogs.
Fiber is an essential nutrient in your dog’s diet as it supports the proper functioning of their digestive system. Blueberries contain a high amount of fiber that works to aid digestion and promote bowel regularity.
If your dog often struggles with tummy issues like diarrhea or constipation, adding fiber-rich fruit like blueberries to their diet can be beneficial.
Apart from that, fiber is known to improve your dog’s gut health as it ferments into fatty acids that support the bacteria in your dog’s intestine. These acids prevent the overgrowth of any bad bacteria and protect the gut lining.
But if your dog isn’t used to a fiber-rich diet, feed them small amounts of blueberries first. Eating too much fiber abruptly can increase the chances of vomiting and diarrhea. Consult with a veterinarian to decide how much fiber your dog needs.
Cranberries are popularly used to prevent UTIs in dogs. But if your dog doesn’t like the sour taste of cranberries, you can instead feed them blueberries.
It prevents bacteria like E.coli from attaching to the lining of the urinary tract of a dog. Thus significantly reducing the chances of your dog getting an infection.
But remember that if your dog already has UTI, you cannot use blueberries as a remedy. They’ll need proper medical treatment by a veterinarian.
Apart from other vitamins, blueberries also contain many essential minerals that play an important role in promoting your dog’s overall health. The complete mineral breakdown of blueberries includes:
Manganese: It helps in the absorption and digestion of protein and carbohydrates to form fatty acids and energy. It’s also essential in the development of strong and healthy ligaments.
Calcium: It contributes to the growth of healthy bones, muscles, and teeth in your dog’s body.
Iron: It’s involved in the formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin in your dog’s body. It’s also responsible for transporting oxygen in hemoglobin throughout the body so it can produce energy.
Magnesium: It helps maintain a healthy nerve and muscle function and supports heart health.
Phosphorus: It works with other minerals especially calcium to promote healthy bones and teeth in your dog’s body. It’s also critical in maintaining kidney function.
Zinc: It’s a mineral and an antioxidant that supports healthy skin and coat, strengthens your dog’s immune system, and boosts cognitive function.
Potassium: It’s an electrolyte that’s needed for the transmission of nerve impulses from your dog’s brain to his body. These impulses control every bodily activity including muscle movement and heartbeats. Apart from that, potassium works with sodium to prevent dehydration and regulate the pH of the blood.
Blueberries consist of 84% water which can be beneficial for your pup, especially during summers. By adding this water-rich fruit you can help keep them hydrated. But it is recommended to always have clean, fresh water available.
Blueberries should be used as a healthy treat to supplement your dog’s well-balanced diet. Your veterinarian will be able to better guide you on how many blueberries you can safely feed your dog. Ideally, the number will depend on your dog’s breed, age, weight, activity level, and existing health conditions.
But it’s recommended that you follow a 90/10 rule while feeding blueberries to a dog. That means 90% of your dog’s daily calorie intake should come from a healthy well-balanced meal and the remaining 10% from treats like blueberries.
It is important to take the portion size seriously as blueberries are rich in fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. Exceeding the nutritional requirements of a dog can cause nutritional imbalance and many health problems like diarrhea, constipation, etc.
Blueberries are safe to eat for a puppy. You can feed them 5-7 blueberries a few times a week. But try to mash it before feeding it as a whole blueberry can be hard to chew and can be a choking hazard.
It’s also important to note that puppies usually have a planned diet that contains all the essential nutrients that support their growth and development. Hence they might be getting all the vitamins and minerals that are present in blueberries from other food supplements.
A few blueberries once in a while will not hurt them but if you wish to feed them blueberries regularly, check with your veterinarian first.
Blueberries are a no-hassle fruit as you can easily serve them raw to your dog. They will enjoy the sweet taste of this fruit while getting all the nutrients.
Just make sure to properly wash the blueberries to remove any dust or harmful chemicals sprayed on top.
If you want to try something different then let’s discuss some other popular methods of feeding blueberries to a dog:
You can either freeze some blueberries at home or buy a frozen blueberries pack from the store. But make sure it’s unsweetened and doesn’t contain any additional ingredients or seasonings. These might not be safe for your dog.
You can serve these frozen treats on a hot summer day or use them for some training activities.
If you have a puppy or a small bread dog, you should be careful as a whole blueberry can be a choking hazard. You can instead try mashing the fruit and add it to their food bowl to make sure it’s easy to chew and digest.
You can also freeze mashed blueberries into ice cubes or fill the mashed mixture into a kong to let them enjoy the fruit while having fun.
These are safe for a dog and they contain almost the same nutritional value as fresh blueberries. If you choose to feed your dog dried blueberries, buy the pack that’s safe for dogs and doesn’t contain additional ingredients/seasonings.
Blueberry yogurt that you buy for yourself may not be safe for your dog. It could contain many other ingredients, seasonings, preservatives, added flavors, and sugar. All of which can be harmful to a dog.
You can either buy blueberry yogurt that’s made for dogs or DIY at home. All you’ll have to do is mash the blueberries and mix them in with dog-safe unsweetened yogurt. Serve it as it is or freeze the mixture in silicone molds to make fun shapes.
Also note that if your dog is lactose intolerant, this isn’t a safe option for them.
Blueberry muffins and pancakes contain a lot of fat that isn’t healthy for a dog. If you are making them for yourself, you’ll probably add many other ingredients like butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, none of which are safe for a dog.
Also, remember that regularly feeding fatty foods to your dog can cause many health issues including obesity and pancreatitis.
If there’s a special occasion like their birthday you can make a blueberry muffin at home using a dog-friendly recipe. But monitor the portion sizes and don’t go overboard.
Blueberries are a safe and healthy fruit for a dog. But you need to take certain precautions while feeding them to ensure your dog gets the maximum benefits without any risks.
Every time you introduce a new food to your dog’s diet, do it gradually in small amounts. Start with feeding 1-2 blueberries and monitor your dog’s reaction. If they are reluctant to eat, don’t force them.
If possible, buy organic blueberries as they are free from pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals. Also before serving, wash them properly to remove the layer of dirt, germs, manure, or any pesticide residue.
If you buy snacks for your dog from the store, read the ingredients list. Some commercially available dog food brands add blueberries to their product.
If the product you are buying already contains blueberries, you should refrain from feeding more, or consult with your veterinarian.
Blueberries are healthy for a dog and it’s recommended that you always buy and feed them real blueberries. You might find packed food items that contain artificial blueberry flavors and although the flavoring isn't harmful to a dog, it has no nutritional value.
As also mentioned above, blueberries can be a choking hazard for small breed dogs and puppies. So try mashing or pureeing the blueberries before feeding it to them.
Just like any other fruit, blueberries also contain natural sugars. If you overfeed them it can lead to many health complications including high sugar levels, tooth decay, upset stomach, etc. To avoid this situation, stick to the recommended portion size and use it as a supplement to a well-balanced diet.
Although it’s rare, your dog can still be allergic to blueberries. When you introduce this fruit to their diet for the first time, monitor their reaction for 24-48 hours. Watch out for any sign of an allergic reaction like excessive licking, scratching, vomiting, diarrhea, swelling on the face, sneezing, inflamed skin, etc.
If you notice any one of these signs, stop feeding and consult a veterinarian immediately.
Blueberries can be a healthy addition to your dog’s diet. It’s a great source of antioxidants that can protect your dog’s body against various types of illness caused by free radicals. Furthermore, the fiber content of blueberries can support digestion and the vitamins can promote the overall health and wellbeing of your dog.
But remember to avoid overindulgence and serve in moderation. It’s a treat that should never replace your dog’s actual well-balanced diet.
If you still have any doubts, you can talk to your veterinarian before feeding blueberries to your dog.
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about feeding blueberries to a dog:
Blueberry muffins made for humans contain many additional ingredients like butter, salt, sugar, and vanilla extract that aren’t safe for a dog. Plus it contains a lot of fat that can cause various health complications including obesity and pancreatitis.
If you want to make a blueberry muffin for a special occasion, try using a dog-friendly recipe.
Yes, your dog can eat dried blueberries. It has almost the same nutritional value as of fresh blueberries. But make sure you buy dog-friendly unsweetened dried blueberries. The ones made for human consumption might contain additional ingredients, seasonings, sugar, and flavors that can be harmful to your dog.
Yes, fresh blueberries are a safe and healthy treat for a dog. They contain antioxidants, fibers, vitamins, and minerals that can perfectly supplement your dog’s diet.
The ideal amount of blueberries your dog can eat will depend on their age, breed, weight, and existing health condition. But since it’s a treat you should follow the 90/10 rule where 90% of your dog’s daily calorie intake comes from a healthy well-balanced meal and the rest 10% from treats like blueberries.
You can consult with a veterinarian to decide on how many blueberries you can feed your dog.
It depends on your dog's health conditions and nutritional requirements. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals but these nutrients are most likely available in the commercial dog food that you feed your dog.
A veterinarian will better guide you on how often you should feed blueberries to your dog.
Otherwise, a safe option is to feed blueberries 2-3 days a week only.
Blueberries contain natural sugar but it’s less compared to other fruits. Hence you can feed your dog blueberries if they have diabetes.
But it’s always recommended to consult a veterinarian before making changes to the diet of a dog who’s suffering from any health condition.
Sources:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-blueberries/
https://www.pumpkin.care/blog/can-dogs-eat-blueberries/
https://nativepet.com/blogs/health/can-my-dog-eat-blueberries
Spinach is a superfood that offers immense benefits for your dog's health. In this article, we’ll compare some positives and negatives of feeding spinach to a dog and the best ways of incorporating it into your dog’s diet.
Let’s look into what spinach is, why it’s controversial, and how it benefits your dog’s health.
There are some people who advocate that vegetables aren’t necessary for a dog’s diet. In reality, vegetables can provide many nutrients and vitamins that are required for proper growth and development.
Adding a few spinach leaves or finding dog food with it as an ingredient can have many amazing health benefits. Let’s explore 6 reasons that you may want to add spinach to your dog’s diet.
Spinach contains a rich amount of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Each of these has an important function in boosting your dog’s overall health.in nerve and muscle function, heart health, and blood pressure. It also contains copper which is associated with the growth of red blood cells and iron which is beneficial for anemia and helps the body use energy.
Spinach also contains many vitamins like vitamin C which can strengthen your dog’s immune system, beta-carotene which may help increase antibody levels in the blood, and vitamin A which can improve eyesight. It also contains vitamin K that can help support a healthy heart and calcium absorption.
Being a plant, spinach also contains phytochemicals that can protect your dog against chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Spinach is also rich in antioxidants that help fight the free radicals that cause oxidation in cells. These free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can easily weaken and destroy cells in your dog’s body.
Antioxidants can also help lower glucose levels, reduce inflammation, increase insulin sensitivity, boost the immune system, and prevent aging.
Spinach contains insoluble fiber that aids digestion. It doesn’t dissolve in water and stays intact. This assists the waste in the dog’s stomach to move through the digestive tract preventing constipation. It can also add bulk to your dog's stool which prevents diarrhea.
Another lesser-known benefit of fiber is that it makes your dog feel fuller for longer. Hence it might be a great option for dogs who are trying to lose some weight.
Apart from in-soluble fibers, spinach also contains soluble fibers like nitrates, kaempferol, quercetin, chlorophyll, and zeaxanthin. These fiber components turn into a gel-like substance after dissolving in water. This gel can help lower your dog’s bad cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
There are also many other benefits of soluble fibers as they can promote heart health, prevent chronic diseases, reduce inflammation, cleanse body cells, and boost the immune system.
Spinach can help to improve your dog’s eye health. While it contains vitamin A which is an antioxidant that supports eye health, spinach also includes soluble fibers like zeaxanthin, lutein, and chlorophyll. These can help in protecting the eyes against oxidation and sunlight damage, whilst enhancing the dog’s ability to interpret contrasts between light and dark.
The condition of your dog's skin is a great indicator of their health. Ideally, their skin should be shiny and smooth without any brittle, greasiness, or bumps.
Vitamin A present in spinach can help your dog get healthy skin. This vitamin plays many roles in your dog's health. It can support good vision, the formation of organs, immune function, and bone health. It also allows the skin follicles to produce oils that keep the skin and hair of a dog properly moisturized.
If your dog suffers from skin allergies or has sensitive skin, they might benefit from spinach in their diet.
Veterinarians recommend serving spinach with caution. That’s because, with some amazing benefits, spinach can have some negative effects if not served in moderation.
Due to it’s low protein content, spinach should be fed in moderate amounts. It's a supplement to a complete and balanced diet and hence doesn't contain all the necessary nutrients for the dog. It shouldn’t be fed as a diet substitution to your dog.
Pet owners can be reluctant to serve spinach to their dogs because it contains a high level of oxalic acid. It’s a compound that blocks the body from absorbing calcium and can cause kidney damage.
But it happens only when your dog eats an extremely large amount of spinach. If you moderate the amount of spinach you feed to your dog, it shouldn't cause any issues. But if you have any doubts, you can consult your vet before feeding spinach to your dog.
Furthermore, dogs with healthy kidneys will easily process small quantities of oxalates. On the other hand, it isn’t recommended that you feed your dog spinach if they have any preexisting kidney damage.
The exact amount of spinach a dog can eat depends on its breed, size, and age. But ideally, you should add only 1-3 tablespoons of chopped and cooked spinach to your dog’s diet and serve it once or twice a week.
Also, make sure your dog drinks lots of water after eating spinach. It’ll help their body flush out the oxalic acid and sodium from its system.
While spinach has many benefits for a dog, it can be harmful to a puppy. That’s because their kidneys are still developing and hence they struggle to eliminate calcium oxalates properly. As a result, they can get urinary health problems and kidney stones.
That's why instead of feeding raw or home-cooked spinach, you can feed them market-bought food that contains the right amount of spinach for a puppy - labeled as a puppy recipe or all life-stages.
Healthy food = happy puppy
For humans spinach is a versatile food, we can use it to make salads, pasta, soup, and so much more. But for our dogs, the options are more limited.
Some popular methods of feeding your dog spinach are:
You can simply serve raw spinach to your dog but make sure it's washed properly and chopped into small bite-sized pieces. And only feed the leaves of the spinach as the stem can be a little hard and fibrous for your dog.
This is a convenient method to feed spinach but it isn’t strongly recommended as raw spinach can be hard to digest for some dogs.
Raw spinach
Boiling spinach can help remove bacteria and other toxins but it can also destroy nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.
Boiled spinach
Steaming, blanching, or pureeing spinach is the best way to feed your dog. It makes the vegetable easier to digest while retaining all its nutrients. But make sure you serve bland spinach after steaming. Any additional ingredient like onion, garlic, herbs, salt, oil, butter, or spices can be toxic for your dog.
Streamed spinach
If your dog is a picky eater, it can be hard to feed them spinach. Like little kids they might turn up their nose to green healthy vegetables. In this case, you can search online for homemade dog treat recipes of baked treats or cookies to lure them into eating spinach.
Apart from these, there are many creative ways to feed spinach to your dog. In summers, you can use spinach and yogurt to make smoothies and in winter you can make a hot soup for your pup.
Also note that some market-bought dog foods already contain spinach. If that's the case, then you should refrain from feeding additional spinach to your dog. You should get in touch with your veterinarian before adding more spinach to their food.
Baked spinach
After analyzing all the pros and cons, we can say that spinach can be a good supplement to a complete and balanced diet. But it requires caution about a few things, like:
If you follow all these precautions, you can maximize the nutrient-dense properties of spinach for your dog. It’ll become a healthy addition that will supplement your dog's diet.
To avoid any potential health issues, always consult a vet before adding spinach to your dog’s diet.
If your dog eats spinach moderately (1-3 tablespoons once or twice a week) it probably won’t cause diarrhea. Spinach contains in-soluble fiber that can help add bulk to your dog's poop which can help prevent diarrhea.
Apart from spinach, carrots, peas, green beans, celery, broccoli, kale, beets, and cucumbers are good for dogs. These are rich in vitamins, fiber, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that contribute to the overall well-being of your dog.
If your dog is suffering from any pre-existing diseases including diabetes, you should consult a veterinarian before adding any new food to your dog's diet.
Raw spinach can be hard to digest for your dog. It’s recommended that you steam or blanch spinach before feeding it to your dog. Also while preparing make sure you don’t add any butter, oil, salt, or spices as they can be toxic for the dogs.
You shouldn’t feed raw or home-cooked spinach to a puppy. Instead, you can feed them market-bought food that contains the right amount of spinach for a puppy - labeled as a puppy recipe or all life-stages.
If your dog has a mildly sensitive stomach, you can start adding spinach to their diet in very small amounts. Feed them 1-2 tablespoons of steamed spinach leaves once or twice a week.
But if your dog has trouble managing their sensitive stomach or they suffer from any pre-existing health condition, it’s recommended that you contact your veterinarian before adding spinach to their diet.
Pineapples are one of the most versatile fruits you can roast, blend, saute, or enjoy fresh. But you might not know that pineapples are more than just a delicious tropical fruit as they offer a wide range of significant health benefits.
They’re loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that can help boost our immunity and reduce the risk of many diseases and health conditions. But is this super delicious and healthy fruit safe for our dog?
The good news is that it’s completely safe for dogs to eat pineapple in small amounts. But as a pet owner, you should be cautious about a few things before incorporating this fruit into your dog’s diet. We’ll discuss all these precautions and various ways in which you can feed pineapples to your dog, in this article.
But before that let’s start by understanding the various health benefits of feeding pineapples to our dogs.
Below are the 5 amazing health benefits of pineapples for a dog:
Pineapples are rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds that can boost a dog’s immune system and help them fight against the harmful effects of free radicals.
Additionally, pineapples exclusively contain bromelain which is a proteolytic enzyme that acts as an antioxidant.
It's important that you add such antioxidant-rich fruits to your dog's diet to protect their body from oxidation and various other health conditions including respiratory diseases, allergies, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, and heart diseases.
Pineapples contain a high amount of dietary fiber which can be good for a dog’s digestive system when fed in moderation. It can aid in bowel regularity and help prevent constipation.
Fiber is also helpful in improving the dog’s gut health by supporting the growth of good bacteria and inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria in your dog’s intestine.
But if your dog is already getting enough fiber from their current diet or they aren’t used to a fiber-rich diet, start with very small amounts of pineapple first. If they face any stomach-related issues like vomiting or diarrhea, stop immediately and talk to your veterinarian to determine your dog’s dietary needs.
Pineapples offer a wide variety of vitamins that can help support your dog’s overall health. It’s particularly rich in vitamin C which is also an important antioxidant that helps boost your dog’s immune health, support healthy aging, and reduce inflammation.
In addition to that, pineapples also contain B complex vitamins including Thiamine (B1), vitamin B6, Folate, Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), and Pantothenic acid (B5). They all affect different parts of a dog’s body and together help support proper nutrient absorption, immune health, brain function, and red blood cell production.
Pineapples are also rich in minerals, especially manganese. It’s a mineral required for the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates and it helps maintain healthy bones and cartilage in joints.
It’s also important to note that manganese isn’t produced naturally by a dog’s body and is therefore obtained through food or supplements. Thus fruits like pineapples can help fulfill your dog's manganese requirements.
Apart from that, pineapples can also provide a small amount of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.
Pineapples contain around 86% of water which makes them an ideal treat option for summer. You can serve raw pineapple chunks to your pup after a play session or a walk. It’ll help rehydrate their body while providing nourishment to their organs.
But remember that pineapples aren’t enough for your dog, you need to ensure they’re drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration, especially during summer.
Pineapples are an incredibly delicious fruit that has a sweet and tarty taste. It’s mostly loved by our dogs but it’s important not to go overboard as too much of this fruit (or almost anything) could be harmful to their health.
Remember that pineapples are rich in fiber and they contain a lot of natural sugars. Thus you need to be mindful of the portion sizes and serve only a few small chunks of pineapple to your pup.
Below are some simple and fun ways in which you can incorporate this fruit into your dog’s diet.
To determine how many pineapple chunks you can safely feed your dog either consult with your veterinarian or follow the 90/10 rule. It states that 90% of the calories your dog eats should come from a complete and balanced diet and the remaining 10% from treats like pineapple.
Pineapples are safe and nutritious fruit but you should be careful about a few things while introducing any new food into your dog’s diet.
Below are a few things you should be aware of before feeding pineapple to your dog.
Pineapple contains a lot of fiber and sugar which can be harmful in large amounts. If too much is eaten, it can have many immediate side effects like an upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting. While the sugar content can lead to obesity and diabetes in the long run.
To avoid such situations, stick to only a few chunks of pineapple occasionally. Also, keep an eye out for any unwanted reaction when feeding pineapples for the first time. If it causes any stomach issues, stop immediately and switch to a low-fiber dog-friendly fruit or treat.
Your dog cannot chew and digest the tough core of the pineapple. It can even be a choking hazard or cause severe obstructions in the digestive tract of a small pup. Thus it’s advised to avoid feeding the core to your dog and stick to the soft fleshy part of the fruit.
The same goes for the spikey skin and leaves of pineapples. They are tough and sharp and can easily cause tears or other major internal damage to the dog’s mouth, esophagus, or intestines.
Most vets advise that raw and fresh pineapples are the best for your dogs. Any other processed or packed alternatives especially canned pineapples contain unnaturally high sugar content which, in the long term, can be dangerous for our dog’s health.
You have the option to feed dried or dehydrated pineapples to your dog but make sure they’re tender and they don’t contain any additional ingredients. Dried pineapples made for human consumption often contain seasonings, artificial flavors, and sugars that can be harmful to a dog.
Although it’s rare, your dog can still be allergic or sensitive to pineapples. If you’re feeding them this fruit for the first time, start with a small quantity and monitor their reaction for 24-48 hours.
Look out for any of the following signs of an allergic reaction:
If you notice any of these signs of an allergic reaction, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Pineapple is a safe and delicious fruit that can provide many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to our dogs. Its high fiber content can also be extremely beneficial for dogs who suffer from digestive issues and constipation.
But to actually reap the benefits without any risks, you should monitor the portion sizes. You should consider pineapples as a treat that is occasionally served in small amounts.
If you still have any doubts, consider consulting with a veterinarian before adding pineapples to your dog’s diet.
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about feeding pineapples to a dog:
No, dogs shouldn’t eat canned pineapples as they contain unnaturally high levels of sugars which can be harmful to their health over a period of time but can cause immediate stomach aches.
The exact amount of pineapples a dog can eat depends on their age, weight, health conditions, and dietary requirements. Ideally, you should only feed a few small chunks of fresh pineapple to your dog occasionally.
Due to its high fiber and sugar content, most vets advise against feeding large amounts of pineapples every day.
If you’re skeptical, you should consult with a veterinarian to determine how much pineapple you can feed to your pup.
You shouldn’t feed pineapple to your dog when they have diarrhea as its high fiber content can make the situation worse.
Also, if the diarrhea is persistent you should consult with your veterinarian to find the underlying cause.
https://nativepet.com/blogs/health/can-dogs-eat-pineapple
https://www.pumpkin.care/blog/can-dogs-eat-pineapple/
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/is-pineapple-good-for-dogs
Mangos are known as the “king of fruits” because of their nutritional value. They are low in calories yet chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Above all, these sweet and delicious tropical fruits are also safe for our dogs.
If you love feeding your dog fruits as a snack in between meals, you can definitely add mango in the next rotation. But first, let’s take a deeper look into the various health benefits this fruit offers for our furry friends.
Below are the five amazing health benefits of feeding mangos to your dog.
Mangos contain both soluble and insoluble fibers that can be beneficial for healthy digestion and bowel regularities. The insoluble fiber prevents constipation by increasing the speed of food through the stomach and intestines. It also adds bulk to the stool.
Whereas soluble fiber prevents diarrhea by absorbing excess fluids inside the stomach. It also gets fermented to produce short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids then help support the growth of good bacteria and prevent the overgrowth of bad bacteria inside your dog's colon.
Adding high-fiber food items like mango to your dog’s diet can also help prevent sudden blood-sugar spikes and help reduce their cholesterol levels.
Mangos are a great source of vitamin C, which is known for its immune-boosting benefits. This vitamin can help increase the level of antibodies and the activity of the white blood cells that aid the dog’s body in fighting infections.
Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant that scavenges harmful free radicals and helps prevent chronic inflammation and arthritis in older dogs.
Mangos are full of vitamins and minerals. They’re especially rich in potassium, which is an electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signals.
Mangos also contain other minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. These minerals play many vital roles in a dog’s body as they help promote bone development, muscle health, proper kidney function, and heart health.
Additionally, mangos provide many vitamins, including vitamins A, B6, C, K, E, folate, and niacin. Each of these vitamins offers various benefits and helps keep our dog’s body functioning properly.
Mangos contain various antioxidants, including polyphenols, beta-carotene, carotenoid (lutein and zeaxanthin), and vitamin C. These antioxidants help the body fight against free radicals and prevent chronic inflammation.
They also help prevent various other health issues, including eye problems, skin allergies, respiratory diseases, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, and heart diseases in dogs.
A fresh mango consists of 84% water and almost no fat. You can feed them to your dog after a play session or a walk to help rehydrate and re-energize their body.
But please remember that mangos aren’t a substitute for drinking water. You should ensure that your dog has access to fresh drinking water to avoid dehydration, especially during the summer.
Now that you know mangos are safe and healthy for dogs, let’s discuss how you can add this delicious fruit to their diets.
Your dog will probably love mangos due to their sweet and juicy taste. But it’s important to avoid any overindulgence and consider mango as a special treat for your dog. It would be ideal to follow the 90/10 rule that states 90% of your dog’s daily calories come from a complete and balanced diet and the remaining 10% from treats like mangos.
You should also avoid feeding mangos to your dog every day as it contains a high amount of natural sugar. This fruit should be considered an occasional treat that your dog eats once or twice a week.
You can also consult with your veterinarian to determine the exact amount of mango to feed your dog. They’ll be able to better advise you based on your dog’s health conditions, nutritional requirements, age, and weight.
When it comes to feeding mango to your dog, the best thing is to start with fresh and ripe fruit. You should always remove the skin of the mango as it contains urushiol, a compound that can irritate the dog’s skin. The skin is also hard to chew and digest and can lead to an upset stomach or intestinal obstruction.
The pit of the mango is also not safe as it can be a choking hazard. It also contains a small amount of cyanide which can be toxic for dogs.
Thus you should remove and discard the skin and the pit of the mango before feeding the fruit to your dog.
You can simply chop the mango flesh into small bite-size pieces for your dog. If you want to try some more fun recipes, below are a few suggestions:
Mango is a safe and healthy snack for a dog but in moderation. The biggest danger about the fruit is the high sugar content which can be problematic when eaten in large quantities. It can lead to various health complications like obesity, diabetes, and digestive issues and can also compromise their oral health.
To avoid this, make sure that mangos only make up 10% of your dog’s daily diet. Also, avoid feeding mangos to your dog every day. Consider the fruit as an occasional treat for your dog.
Furthermore, if your dog is suffering from any prior health conditions like obesity or diabetes, consider consulting your veterinarian before adding new fruits into their diet.
There are no documented cases of a mango allergy in dogs, but you should still be careful when feeding mango for the first time. Your dog might not react well to mango due to the high fiber or the natural sugar content.
Start by feeding them a small bite-size piece of mango and monitor their reaction for 24-48 hours. If you notice any signs of digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, or vomiting, don’t feed them any more mango.
In such cases, you should consult with a veterinarian to talk about your dog's intolerances and health complications.
Mangos are a delicious and refreshing tropical fruit that can be a great treat for your dog. The high fiber content and antioxidant properties of mangos can enrich your dog’s daily diet, and the vitamins and minerals can help support their overall health.
Just be cautious about the portion sizes and feed your dog a few slices of mango as an occasional treat. Also, remember to safely remove and discard the skin and pit of the mango before feeding the fruit to your pup.
If you have any further doubts, you can consult with your veterinarian before feeding mango to your dog.
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about feeding mangos to a dog.
Ideally, you should follow the 90/10 rule that states 90% of your dog’s daily calories come from complete and balanced meals and the remaining 10% from treats like mangos. You should also ensure that your dog isn’t eating a mango every day. It should be considered an occasional treat.
If you’re confused about the portion sizes, you can consult with a veterinarian to determine the exact amount of mango to feed your dog.
No, dogs shouldn’t eat a mango pit as it contains a small amount of cyanide which can be toxic to their health. The pit can also be a potential choking hazard.
No, dogs shouldn’t eat mango skin as it contains urushiol, a compound that can irritate their skin. Also, the mango skin can be hard to chew and digest and can lead to an upset stomach or intestinal obstruction.
You can feed your dog dried mango but in small amounts. It is high in sugar and can lead to various health problems when eaten in large amounts.
If you’re buying dried mango from the store, make sure it doesn’t contain any other ingredients or seasoning which can be harmful to your dog.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-mango/
