September 10th, 2020 by Amy Varley

With all the emphasis we hear regularly regarding healthy eating, you might be wondering if there are any staples you could be adding to your dog’s diet to help keep them in tip-top condition. Giving your dog some fresh fruit and veg, either with their food or as a tasty snack, can be a great way of providing extra nutrition for your pooch, so we’ve put together a handy guide as to which fruits and vegetables can be of benefit to your dog – and which ones you should avoid!

Do dogs actually need fruit and vegetables?

In a word – no. To which you may be wondering the point of this blog! While dog’s don’t need vegetables and fruit in their diet to keep them alive and healthy, there’s nothing to suggest that adding in some extras could harm your pet, and many vegetables provide our dogs with essential nutrients that typically come from rice and grain – which is often used as a ‘filler’ in many commercial pet foods. Potatoes give our dogs carbohydrates for energy, along with minerals and fibre, so providing our pets with veg instead of grains is a brilliant way to keep them healthy, especially if your dog is allergic to grains, which seems to be a rising problem amongst many dogs today.

Carrots

Carrots are a great low-calorie snack that you can feed your dogs, either raw or cooked. Carrots contain both vitamins and minerals that could be of benefit for your pooch, however, you shouldn’t be relying on carrots alone to provide these. Most dogs like the taste and crunch of carrots, and you can even freeze them before giving them to your dog, which makes them last longer. Carrots are high in natural sugar, and therefore should be limited to one per day or smaller depending on the size of your dog.

Apples

Apples are a good source of vitamins A and C and are also low in protein and fat, which makes them a great snack for your dog. You must ensure the core and seeds are removed, only giving the flesh and skin to your dog. Apple chunks can also be fed to your pooch frozen, making them perfect for hot summer day snacks!

Bananas

In moderation, bananas can be a great treat for dogs. Bananas are high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fibre and copper – and low in cholesterol and sodium. Bananas can be mushed up and used to fill enrichment toys, such as Kongs, or used as a spread on lickimats – and can again be frozen to make it last longer.

Cucumber

Dogs can enjoy cucumber as a snack and contain almost no carbohydrates, fats, or oils – making them perfect for overweight or dieting dogs. Cucumber is also loaded with vitamins K, C and B1 and can help to boost energy levels in your dog.

Celery

Celery is another brilliant low-calorie snack you can offer your furry friend, with it containing vitamins A, B, and C – plus nutrients that promote a healthy heart and even fight cancer! Celery can also freshen doggy breath, and it can be fun for your dog to eat because it’s crunchy.

Green Beans

All types of green beans are safe for your pooch to eat; steamed, raw, canned, or chopped – as long as they are plain. Green beans are full of vitamins and minerals and fibre. Green beans can be fed as a snack or mixed in with your dog’s main meal as a tasty filler. This is especially handy if your dog is on a diet – they will think their bowl is full, but little do they know their replacement food is very low in calories!

Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage

Sprouts are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients, making them brilliant for both humans and dogs. Cabbage is also safe for dogs and is good for both your dog’s skin and their digestive system. We’ve grouped these together because they both come with the same warning! You should make sure you don’t overfeed sprouts or cabbage to your pet because just like in humans they can cause lots of gas – I’m sure you know what we mean! Because of this, they should also be introduced slowly into your dog’s diet.

Melon

Both cantaloupe melon and watermelon are safe for dogs, so long as you ensure the rind and seeds are removed first to prevent the risk of intestinal blockage. Watermelon flesh is full of vitamins A, B-6 and C, plus potassium. Because it is made up of 92% water, it is also a great way to keep your dog hydrated on hot summer days. Cantaloupe melon is also a great source of water, as well as being a source of fibre and other essential nutrients. Cantaloupe especially is very high in sugar so it should only be enjoyed by our dogs in moderation.

Blueberries

Blueberries are a superfood – rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals, which can prevent cell damage in us humans and our dogs! Blueberries also provide our pet with fibre, which is good if your dog is having trouble toileting or for some dogs that suffer from compacted anal glands. Extra fibre in their diet can aid these problems, and giving your dog fibre in form of tasty snacks such as blueberries is easy and fun for our pooches.

Potato and Sweet Potato

Cooked potatoes are a good source of potassium, and provide our dogs with much-needed carbohydrates. You may find if you look at the ingredients of your dog’s food it may already contain potato – as it is often used in commercial dog food to provide the carbs our dogs need. Potatoes with any green bits of skin should be avoided, however, as these contain the poison solanine which can upset our dog’s tummies! Sweet Potatoes are probably one of the best vegetables you can add into your pooch’s diet, as they contain one of the best dietary sources of vitamin A, plus they are rich in fibre, vitamins C and B-6, potassium, calcium and iron. Sweet potatoes should be boiled or steamed before feeding them to your dog and can be given as a treat or mixed in with their main meals.

Other Safe Fruit and Vegetables

Other fruits and vegetables that are safe for your pet to enjoy include; broccoli, cranberries, mango, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapple, raspberries, and strawberries. All should only be given in moderation, and before giving your pet any new foodstuff it’s always best to only give a very small amount to start with to ensure there are no tummy upsets.

Which Fruit and Vegetables should I not give my dog?

There are a number of fruits and vegetables that can pose real harm to our pets if ingested, with some even only needing a tiny amount to prove fatal to our pooches, so it’s best to double-check with any new food that you want to give your dog that it is suitable for them to eat. Here are the most common fruits or veg that should be avoided.

Avocado

Avocado contains the toxin called persin, which causes sickness and diarrhoea in dogs. The toxin is not only found in the flesh of the avocado but also in the skin, the pit and even the leaves – so avocado is best avoided for our four-legged friends.

Onions

Onions are part of a family of plants called Allium that unfortunately is poisonous to most pets. Eating onions can cause your dog’s red blood cells to rupture, and can also cause vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea. All dog breeds are susceptible to this, but it’s found that Japanese breeds such as Shiba Inus and Akitas suffer even more seriously than other breeds.

Mushrooms

Dogs should avoid mushrooms because they can be so toxic, they can lead to serious illness or even death. There are over 50,000 known species of mushroom worldwide, and even though only 50-100 of these are known to be toxic, they can affect our pooch so badly it’s best to avoid them altogether! Mushroom poisoning can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, disorientation, neurological issues and jaundice. If you suspect your pet has eaten a rogue wild mushroom you should contact your veterinarian straight away. Strictly speaking, store-bought plain mushrooms should be ok for your dog to eat in small amounts, but it’s important to know that not all mushrooms that are safe for humans are automatically safe for dogs.

Grapes and Raisins

Grapes and raisins (dried grapes) are not safe for our dogs in ANY amount, and possibly what is most worrying is the fact that despite extensive research, no one has been able to find out the exact cause of toxicity in dogs, nor has the amount been found out. Some dogs will suffer more serious reactions than others, and smaller dogs are probably more at risk than larger ones, as eating one grape will probably not affect say, a Great Dane, however, it could seriously put the life of a Chihuahua at risk. Grape or Raisin poisoning, if left untreated, can cause kidney failure in your dog, which can prove fatal – so if you suspect your pet has eaten a grape or raisin then you should contact your veterinarian immediately. Symptoms of grape toxicity include, lethargy, weakness, vomiting and/or diarrhoea (within a few hours of ingestion), dehydration, and either increased thirst and urine production or decreased or no urine production.

Unripe Tomatoes

Tomatoes can be toxic to dogs if they are not fully ripe, as any green bits contain the poison solanine. Solanine is found in the stem and leaves and young, green tomatoes, meaning that ripe tomatoes are generally safe to feed our dogs, however for those of us who keep tomato plants in the garden this can be a worry, that our dogs may fancy munching on the leaves or the fruit before it becomes ripe! Symptoms of tomatine poisoning include tummy upset, cardiac issues, tremors and seizures – however, the good news is that the prognosis for pets with tomatine poisoning is usually good as long as you get your dog to the vets pretty quickly. If you have tomato plants in your garden, it might be worth fencing them off or keeping them in an area that your dog doesn’t have access to.