Aside from the well-known fact that dogs cannot eat chocolates, some vegetables and fruits can be dangerous to them when consumed. Summer fruits and veggies offer a wide variety of treats for your dog, but are all of them safe for consumption?
Here is a list of fruits and vegetables you’ll likely find in your garden, accompanied by short evaluations of whether they’re good snacks for your dog, their nutritional content, and the risks they pose if there are any.
VEGGIES
Corn: Corn is filled with protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and antioxidants, making them a good snack for your dog. Cooking them also ensures better digestion. Overall, they’re excellent food for your furry friends despite getting a bad reputation as a filler in the past, which is a total misconception.
Squash: All squash varieties are totally safe for dog consumption. They’re great when steamed or cooked and given to pups, but make sure to remove the skin and the seeds.
Green Beans: Green beans, whether raw, canned, or steamed, are an excellent food for dogs. However, overconsumption can result in gas and diarrhea.
Cucumber: Cucumbers are crunchy veggies with low calories, making them an excellent snack for your furry friends. Cut them into small pieces that your dog can easily chew, but avoid letting them overeat cucumbers since it can cause gastrointestinal symptoms.
Bell Peppers: Red bell peppers are packed nine times the amount of beta carotene found in yellow and green peppers. They’re also full of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as antioxidants that are excellent for your furry friend’s diet. Have them steamed and unseasoned as extra food in your pup’s diet.
FRUITS
Peach: Peaches are filled with vitamin A and fiber, and they’re a good source of calories and sugar. You can offer them as a treat, but more than three slices can result in sugar overload. Also, remove the peach pit.
Watermelon: This fruit is a healthy, hydrating, and delicious snack that all dogs love. They’re filled with vitamin A, B6, C, and potassium. Before feeding your dog with watermelons, remove the seeds and rind since they can cause intestinal upset.
Blueberries: This fruit is low in calories but high in fiber, vitamins C and K, and antioxidants making it excellent for dogs.
Kiwi: The meat of the kiwi fruit is healthy for dogs, but the skin should not be chewed, and the seeds are toxic when ingested in large amounts. Avoid serving kiwi whole to your dog; skin and deseed them instead.
Tomatoes: Ripe tomatoes are highly beneficial to dogs, but unripe ones contain the toxin solanine, which can be risky when ingested in enormous amounts.
Apricots: Offer your furry friend raw or dried apricots to boost their fiber and potassium intake. However, be sure to remove the dangerous bits, which are the pits, stems, and leaves, which all contain small amounts of cyanide.
Plum: Plums should never be given to dogs since they contain cyanide, which is highly toxic. When ingested, the sharp pit can also cause damage to your dog’s stomach, esophagus, and intestines.
Conclusion
Most of the summer fruits you can find in your garden are actually great for your furry friend! However, a few of them, like plums, must be avoided at all costs to prevent jeopardizing your dog’s health.
This short guide should help you identify the best fruits and vegetables to feed your dog and avoid the fruits or parts of them that can put your dog’s health at risk. Also, remember that with every food you introduce, take it slow.
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