WHAT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES CAN YOUR DOG EAT

FROM AKC.ORG  NUTRITION  DECEMBER, 2015

​ACCORDING TO AKC THERE ARE SEVERAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES YOUR DOG CAN EAT HOWEVER DO NOT GIVE THEM STEMS, SEEDS OR THE CORE OF THE FRUIT OR VEGGIE. WHILE THE FLESH OF THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE HEALTY SOME SEEDS, CORES AND STEMS CONTAIN POISONS YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR DOG TO HAVE.  

THE VEGETABLES AND FRUITS LISTED BELOW IS NOT THE COMPLETE LIST FROM AKC BUT WILL CERTAINLY GET YOU STARTED.

APPLES – YES. APPLES ARE AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF VITAMINS A AND C, AS WELL AS FIBER FOR YOUR DOG. THEY ARE LOW IN PROTEIN AND FAT, MAKING THEM THE PERFECT SNACK FOR SENIOR DOGS. JUST BE SURE TO REMOVE THE SEEDS AND CORE FIRST. TRY THEM FROZEN FOR AN ICY WARM WEATHER SNACK.

BANANAS – YES. IN MODERATION, BANANAS ARE A GREAT LOW-CALORIE TREAT FOR DOGS. THEY’RE HIGH IN POTASSIUM, VITAMINS, BIOTIN, FIBER, AND COPPER. THEY ARE LOW IN CHOLESTEROL AND SODIUM, BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH SUGAR CONTENT, BANANAS SHOULD BE GIVEN AS A TREAT, NOT PART OF YOUR DOG’S REGULAR DIET. 

PEARS – YES. PEARS ARE A GREAT SNACK BECAUSE THEY’RE HIGH IN COPPER, VITAMINS C AND K, AND FIBER. IT’S BEEN SUGGESTED THAT EATING THE FRUIT CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF HAVING A STROKE BY 50 PERCENT. JUST BE SURE TO CUT PEARS INTO BITE-SIZE CHUNKS AND REMOVE THE PIT AND SEEDS FIRST, AS THE SEEDS CONTAIN TRACES OF CYANIDE.

WATERMELON – YES. IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMOVE THE RIND AND SEEDS FIRST, AS THEY CAN CAUSE INTESTINAL BLOCKAGE, BUT WATERMELON IS OTHERWISE SAFE FOR DOGS. IT’S FULL OF VITAMIN A, B-6, AND C, AS WELL AS POTASSIUM. WATERMELON IS 92 PERCENT WATER, SO IT’S A GREAT WAY TO KEEP YOUR DOG HYDRATED ON HOT SUMMER DAYS. 

GRAPES – NO. GRAPES AND RAISINS HAVE PROVED TO BE VERY TOXIC FOR DOGS NO MATTER THE DOG’S BREED, SEX, OR AGE. IN FACT, GRAPES ARE SO TOXIC  THEY CAN LEAD TO ACUTE SUDDEN KIDNEY FAILURE. DEFINITELY SKIP THIS DANGEROUS TREAT. 

STRAWBERRIES – YES. STRAWBERRIES ARE FULL OF FIBER AND VITAMIN C. ALONG WITH THAT, THEY ALSO CONTAIN AN ENZYME THAT CAN HELP WHITEN YOUR DOG’S TEETH AS HE OR SHE EATS THEM. THEY ARE HIGH IN SUGAR THOUGH, SO BE SURE TO GIVE THEM IN MODERATION. 

BLUEBERRIES – YES. BLUEBERRIES ARE A SUPERFOOD RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS, WHICH PREVENT CELL DAMAGE IN HUMANS AND CANINES ALIKE. THEY’RE PACKED WITH FIBER AND PHYTOCHEMICALS AS WELL. TRY BLUEBERRIES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO STORE-BOUGHT TREATS. 

CARROTS – YES. CARROTS ARE AN EXCELLENT LOW-CALORIE SNACK THAT IS HIGH IN FIBER AND BETA-CAROTENE, WHICH PRODUCES VITAMIN A. PLUS, CRUNCHING ON THE ORANGE SNACK IS GREAT FOR YOUR DOG’S TEETH.