Can dogs eat cucumbers? Cucumbers are low in calories and nutritious, and even dogs love to eat them when cut into cubes.
We all know that we cannot feed dogs random human food, because there are many human foods that cannot be fed to dogs. However, there are also human foods that dogs can eat, and cucumber is one of the more suitable ones for dogs to eat. Moreover, cucumbers are crunchy and sweet, and most dogs like them very much.
Can dogs eat cucumbers?
Cucumber is a low-calorie, low-fat, low-sugar, and low-sodium healthy food. It is 96% water and also contains vitamins K, C, B1, B5 and B6, molybdenum, potassium, manganese, copper and other vitamins and minerals. substance. Cucumbers also contain trace amounts of calcium, iron and zinc and are an excellent source of fiber. Cucumber does not contain elements that are harmful to dogs, and dogs like its crispy texture. It is an ideal dog snack.
Benefits of cucumber
The nutrients in cucumbers are beneficial to human health, and dogs can also benefit from eating them in small amounts. Cucumbers contain vitamin K and calcium, which have been found to improve joint health and promote bone growth in dogs. And eating pumpkin and cucumber can help stimulate the release of insulin and reduce blood sugar spikes. In addition, the fiber and potassium in cucumbers are also related to dogs’ heart health. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and is often used in skin care treatments.
In addition to providing regular nutrition, cucumbers can also improve your dog’s bad breath problem. Cucumbers are rich in phytochemicals and phytonutrients that can help freshen your dog's breath and destroy odor-causing bacteria in the mouth. However, it can only be regarded as a small snack to alleviate the dog's bad breath problem. It still cannot replace toothpaste. Regardless of whether the dog eats cucumber or not, the owner still needs to remember to brush the dog’s teeth regularly.
Things to note when feeding cucumbers to dogs
1. Feed a small mouth first
Every dog's immune system may be different, and we can't know for sure if our dog is allergic to cucumber. Therefore, when feeding cucumber to a dog for the first time, it is best for the owner to cut a small piece and give it to the dog to try to check whether the dog has any allergic symptoms. If everything is normal, give the dog more dosage next time.
2. It is best to cut into small pieces and peel them
Although the skin of cucumbers, like most fruits and vegetables, contains most of the vitamins and nutrients, cucumber skin can be difficult for dogs to digest. Moreover, there may be residual insecticides and pesticides on the cucumber skin, which are also very dangerous for dogs. Therefore, when feeding cucumber to your dog, it is best to peel it first and then cut it into small pieces for your dog to eat. If you really don’t want to peel the cucumber, you can cut the cucumber into thin slices to prevent your dog from choking.
3. Don’t feed your dog pickled cucumbers
Although they are both cucumbers, pickled cucumbers have almost no health benefits for dogs except that they taste better. Pickled cucumbers have a lot of spices and salt added to them, which can easily cause skin problems for dogs if they eat them.
4. Control portions
Although cucumbers are rich in nutrients, they can only serve as snacks for dogs. Veterinarians recommend that snacks should only account for 10% of a dog's daily diet, so owners who feed cucumbers to dogs should do so in moderation based on the dog's size and age. Especially for dogs with poor gastrointestinal problems, feeding a large amount of cucumbers will aggravate gastrointestinal discomfort.
However, as long as you pay a little attention before feeding, cucumbers are still a very healthy snack. Especially now that summer is here, wouldn’t you consider giving your dog some cucumber to cool down?
Vet doctor recommends:
Cucumbers are edible. They are rich in vitamins, dietary fiber, carotene and other nutrients. They are a good source of nutritional supplements for dogs.
Usually, if dogs like to eat, you can give them a small amount. However, dogs who like to eat fruits and vegetables are still relatively rare. Dogs usually prefer meat.
For these non-staple foods for dogs and not specifically for dogs, after the dog eats them for the first time, you must pay attention to observe whether the dog has other abnormal behaviors.
Because after many dogs eat human food for the first time, some will show different symptoms depending on the situation, such as vomiting and diarrhea, or some symptoms of itching and allergies. You can choose to feed a small amount at the beginning. If the dog has no abnormality, the dosage can be increased appropriately.