who doesn’t like summer? All the fresh air, the warm beach, the great tan! Not mentioning all those sweet fruits that we get to eat only in summer, for instance, watermelon!
BUT what about our dogs at home? Do they like summer as we do? And most of all can we share with them the joy of eating fruits like watermelon? That is what today’s article is about.
This type of fruit is super healthy for humans because it keeps them hydrated during the day, and it can also repair damaged skin through constant consumption. Of course, that is for human beings, but when it comes to little pets, like dogs, all sorts of questions pop out, questions like:
- Can Dogs Eat Watermelon?
- Is it safe for Dogs to eat watermelon?
- What nutrition values Does watermelon possess?
- Are there any side effects for feeding dogs watermelon?
There are lots of other concerns that pet owner is repeating frequently because they didn’t really find the absolute answers. In the following article “can dogs eat watermelons?” we will be providing all sorts of answers that you need to know so you can enjoy summer with your best friend.
As usual, in this article we will find out together:
- All About Watermelon.
- Watermelon’s Nutritional Values.
- Can Dogs Eat Watermelon.
- Precautions and considerations.
- How to Serve Watermelon.
CAN DOGS EAT WATERMELON? Let’s find out!!
Table of Contents
1. All About Watermelon
Most people think “what could go wrong with my dog eating watermelon? It’s basically just water and sugar!” but in fact, it’s a lot more than just that. The family of watermelons contains five members: seedless, seeded, mini (very known as personal), orange, and yellow.
Despite the fact that they vary in taste and shape, they possess the same nutrition value and the same health benefits. Watermelons were first cultivated thousands of years ago, and Chinese people were the first to really get the hang of it. in 2014, China was announced to be the first country that produces high-quality watermelons with almost 74 million (FAO, Food And Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
We can say that watermelons are the best option for your summer food list because it contains:
- high levels of vitamins A, B6, and vitamin C; these latter are great for building the muscles, growing healthy hair and strong teeth, and also maintaining energy all day long with strong memory and a healthy body.
- It also contains Thiamine, Riboflavin, magnesium, zinc, copper, choline, lycopene, betaine, and phosphorus. All these vitamins and minerals are considered to be the main factor for including them in our diet because it has benefits that can change our perception of such fruit; doctors along with veterinarians agreed that watermelons can be the appropriate solution for a lot of problems like blood pressure and hydration because of the high level of water that it contains.
- In addition, watermelon contains Lycopene that is good for the skin, and also can prevent prostate cancer, speaking of cancer watermelon is very rich in antioxidants that help in preventing the formation of free radicals which are known for causing cancer in the first place.
2. Watermelon’s Nutrition Value
For 150 grams of watermelons we can get the following:
- 0 grams of fat from any kind
- 1 gram of fiber
- 5 grams of sugar
- 10 grams of carbohydrates
- 5 grams of sodium
- 16% of vitamin A
- 20% of vitamin C
- 2% of calcium
- 3% of iron
As you see, watermelons are very rich in nutrients, however, can dogs eat watermelon!?
3. Can Dogs Eat Watermelon?
YES, dogs can eat watermelons BUT with caution. Generally, watermelons are a great source of nutrition for dogs, considering the above-mentioned health benefits. But too much of it can cause a few problems, not poisoning don’t worry! But still.
4. Precautions and Considerations
There is no solid scientific research that confirms that watermelon is poisonous to dogs, in fact, veterinarians advise pet owners to give their dog watermelons to cure cases of constipation for instance, so there is nothing to worry about. However, consuming a lot of watermelons means consuming a lot of vitamins, and as you know too much is not always a good thing. Having too much vitamin C or Lycopene in the dog’s system can cause problems like gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea.
Another consideration that should be known is heart failure!
Excessive Consumption of watermelon can cause heart failure over time because it contains Potassium which can cause abnormal heart rhythm, not regular, this particular disease is called “hyperkalemia”.
Watermelons’ seeds and rinds are completely forbidden, why? Because the seeds and rinds cause stomach ache along with intestinal blockage not to mention that horrible pain of the gastrointestinal upset. So, before you give your dog watermelons make sure you take all those seeds off and get rid of the green rinds so you won’t have any problems.
5. How to Serve Watermelon
The number of watermelons given is always related to how big is the dog you have! Because big dogs should consume the double of what little puppies do, simply because they have more muscles and obviously larger organs!!
When it comes to serving watermelons, most people like to slice them into small pieces and they are ready to go! But in our case, we should remove all the seeds and green rinds and cut the watermelon into a small and square shape to make the chewing process easier. Add some of your dog’s favorite food and there you go!! Great meal for summertime!
Another cool way for you to enjoy that beach with your dog is making watermelon juice! Take the seeds out along with the rinds and put the red slices in the mixture, add some honey and coconut milk, blend them all together and there you have it, the healthy homemade watermelon juice for you and your little furry friend.
NOTE:
some of the veterinarians say that it’s okay for you to blend the rinds in the mixture because when you add the honey and the coconut milk the effect of the rinds will be lesser than when giving it green and hard to chew.
The family of Rollpet.com thank you for reading “Can dogs eat watermelons” Article, if you have any further concerns, questions, or experiences you would like to share don’t hesitate and leave comments in the box down below, we will be delighted to answer them all, and keep tuned for more!
