I was on Facebook and found this interesting table of information. I call it Summertime – What can the dog eat? Cause I often wonder when a dog comes up to me grinning with tail wagging side to side, if I can actually give him or her a piece of my watermelon….. I mean, some people are very fussy about dogs eating people food. And then others actually only feed their dog organic vegan food. Who knows….
Would like to give credit where credit is due but couldn’t find the author. Sorry about that. Here’s what I found and the investigating I did after, to make sure it was accurate!
Okay. Here’s ‘who says what‘ in the doggie world.
The first ‘expert’ I turned to is the American Kennel Club. They agree that watermelon is fine, but in addition to the rind, they say remove the seeds as well. They say: “Watermelon is 92 percent water, so it’s a great way to keep your dog hydrated on hot summer days”.
The American Kennel Club agrees no raisins or grapes. Here’s why: “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 that they can lead to acute sudden kidney failure”.
Here’s another couple of items missing from that chart above:
Tomatoes – No. While the ripened fruit of the tomato plant (the red part humans normally eat) is generally considered safe for dogs, the green parts of the plant contain a toxic substance called solanine. While a dog would need to eat a large amount for it to make him or her sick, it’s better to skip tomatoes all together just to be safe.
Mushrooms – No. Wild mushrooms can be toxic for dogs. While only 50 to 100 of the 50,000 mushroom species worldwide are known to be toxic, the ones that are can really hurt your dog or even lead to death. Washed mushrooms from the supermarket could be OK, but it’s better to be safe than sorry; skip out on the fungi all together.
Onions- No. Onions, leeks, and chives are part of a family of plants called Allium that is poisonous to most pets, especially cats. Eating onions can cause your dog’s red blood cells to rupture, and can also cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea.
Then there’s Trupanion. I guess it’s a play on true companion. But can they go to the movies with you? Or discuss a play? (I think not). lol Here’s what they say: “Be sure to wash all fruits and remove rinds, inedible skins, seeds, and pits before feeding to pets. Steer clear of: Grapes and raisins can cause kidney damage for cats and dogs, so avoid feeding these entirely. Citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and grapefruit as well as persimmons can cause an upset stomach”.
This last thing about lemons upsetting a dogs stomach makes no sense to me. So I checked again. The ASPCA says the essential oil from the lemon can cause “Vomiting, diarrhea and depression”.
And last, I went to the Pet MD who agrees with mostly everything here but outside of fruits and vegetables has this to add:
- Avoid Nuts – particularly macadamia nuts, which are toxic to pets
So there you have it! The things to go with, the things to avoid during the hot summer months of eating more cold fruit and your dog begging for some.
Hope this helps. Hope you will share it with others!
Happy Healthy Eating,
