When you have a dog, often you are faced with the challenge of picking out a healthy snack for your furry friend. You don’t want to feed your pet with foods rich in artificial additives that can result in health problems. In cases like these, a lot of dog owners prefer to feed their little companions with fruits and vegetables. Not all should be listed in the menu, but fruits like bananas, apples, blueberries, and vegetables like zucchini and carrots are known to be safe for dogs. But can dogs have cucumbers? Is the skin safe for them? These are the questions we are going to answer for you today.
Can dogs have cucumbers?
Yes, dogs can have cucumbers! This fruit (although mostly believe it is a vegetable) is a great snack choice for your puppy, as it is rich in many healthy properties. It’s crunchy and low in calories, as opposed to the biscuits we often feed to our dogs with. When you give your dog cucumbers, make sure they are cut in small pieces to prevent choking. Never feed your dog a whole cucumber. But how much cucumbers can a dog have? And what benefits does eating this fruit offer?
Can dogs eat cucumber with skin?
Yes, they can! The skin/peel of the cucumber is perfectly safe for your dog. In fact, most of the nutrition benefits of cucumbers are in the skin itself. As long as you feed your pet with organic cucumbers, you shouldn’t worry about the peel/skin.
How much cucumbers can dogs eat?
Cucumbers really are a great healthy treat for your dog, but as with any food, you shouldn’t overdo it. Veterinarians say that if you prefer to feed your dog with cucumbers, the fruit should take up not more than 10% of their daily diet. Anything over that can upset the dog’s stomach and result in diarrhoea.
What benefits can cucumbers have for dogs?
Now that you know that cucumbers are safe for your dog, do you want to find out how they can positively affect your furry friend?
A dog treat low in calories
As already mentioned, cucumbers have very little calories, so they are a great alternative to dog biscuits. This is because this fruit is 96% water. Cucumber treats won’t result in weight gain for your dog, but just the opposite. Veterinarians often offer them to dog owners when the dog is put on a weight loss diet.
Cucumbers will keep your dog hydrated
When you have a dog, you may sometimes face problems when it comes to your pet drinking enough water. Even if you frequently change it, your dog still doesn’t seem to go near it. As cucumbers are made from 96% water, they are a great snack to keep your puppy hydrated. You can even place some chopped cucumber pieces in the water bowl to encourage your dog to drink it.
Cucumbers are full of antioxidants
This fruit is known to be rich in antioxidant compounds known as flavonoids. They occur naturally in foods. These antioxidants can help your dog control the harmful free radicals in their body. What are free radicals, you ask? They are damaged cells which arise from normal metabolic processes in your pet’s body. Free radicals are also the outcome of toxins like drugs or pesticides. They can be the reason for diseases like cancer or kidney and joint disease. Feeding your dog cucumbers can help prevent them.
Can lower the risks of cancer for your dogs
Cucumbers contain polyphenols. These are called lignans and are micronutrients found in plants. Lignans can lower the risks of cancer. Research is still being conducted on the subject, but lignans can help protect your pet from certain cancer types. This can be done by lignans working with the dog’s bacteria of the digestive tract. The bacteria can convert lignans into compounds which can help with lowering the risks of ovarian, breast, prostate and endometria cancer.
Cucumbers have anti-inflammatory properties
We mentioned that cucumbers are rich in flavonoids. One of these flavonoids, fisetin, has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Fisetin can prevent the activity of COX-2, which is an enzyme that causes inflammation and pain. What’s more, fisetin’s anti-inflammatory characteristics can help with fighting diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
Do you by any chance also have a pet cat at home? To be safe, why not read our article about which foods are toxic for cats. You might be suprised!