Summer is the time to stock up on vitamins, so many pet owners try to ensure their pet’s diet by adding fresh vegetables, fruits, and berries as strawberries. Then the questions arise – can dogs eat celery, onions, tomatoes and other garden crops. After all, they are rich in nutrients. Our best dog food expert will answer these questions in detail in this article.
Can dogs eat raw celery, celery leaves and celery sticks?
The answer to this question is, yes. Because celery is a treasure trove of vitamins.
The diet of pets must contain vital nutrients – proteins, fats and carbohydrates – as well as fiber, vitamins, macro- and micronutrients. If industrial premium pet feeds contain them in the necessary amounts, when choosing natural dog food, the owners have to think about how to provide this balance.
Among other horticultural crops, celery stands out for its rich biochemical composition. It is a root vegetable that used to be referred to as a vegetable, but in recent times it is more often considered a condiment. This plant has a strong aroma, reminiscent of the smell of parsley. Edibles are the roots and leaves of the plant, although more often the root vegetable is added to older pet diet. Its flesh is spicy and has a sweet and bitter taste. There are several types of celery: leaf celery, root celery and petiole celery. The question often arises among dog owners, can dogs eat celery leaves?
There is an opinion, although this issue has not yet been sufficiently studied, that celery leaves should not be given to dogs categorically. This is due to their spicy taste, resembling hot pepper.
The root vegetable contains twice as much vitamin C as oranges and mandarins, and other vitamins A, D, E, K and PP. All of them are vitally important for the human body and for pets. The plant has many useful properties, is involved in various health processes, in particular, it is useful:
- In the treatment of arthritis;
- for the prevention of osteoporosis, diabetes;
- the maintenance of the immune system;
- lowering blood pressure.
How to give cooked celery to dogs properly?
The stems of the plant contain a whole complex of vitamins – group B, C, E, K, as well as essential oils. Fiber helps to accelerate and improve digestive processes, the removal of toxins from the body of the animal, in addition, the benefits of celery for the normalization of water-salt metabolism. Vitamin supplementation of celery stalks has been found useful in arthritis in animals. Check out the rating of the best Chewy dog food and brands.
It is recommended to chop the stalks very finely to improve the digestive process. Also, avoid swallowing large chunks that are difficult to digest in the dog’s stomach. Mix with minced meat or vegetable stew. The stalks can also be added to the food raw, but better after heat treatment – boiling, steaming. You can prepare celery juice and give it to your dog once a month.
The roots of celery have a unique biochemical composition. They contain minerals and vitamins, as well as amino acids. Adding the root vegetable to the food contributes to:
- Improving the general well-being of the animal;
- Strengthen the body’s defenses against viruses and bacteria;
- Accelerated tissue regeneration.
The appearance of the coat, well-being and mood of the pet are improved. In addition, celery roots have an anti-inflammatory effect, so you can give them in ground form to the pet even during illness.
The raw tuber before giving it to the dog should be grated. Such a mass acts as toothpaste, carefully removes plaque from the teeth and stimulates the gums. To use as a supplement to meat or vegetables, celery is steamed – brought to a soft state, then chopped finely or chopped with a blender. However, it is worth consulting a veterinarian before feeding, as the product has some prohibitions on consumption.
What pets can’t have celery?
Because of its structure, the root vegetable is considered a difficult food to digest. So, it should be given with caution to dogs with some diseases of the digestive system, enzyme deficiency.
Dogs are not able to thoroughly digest food like humans, which often causes problems:
- vomiting
- stomach upsets
- rapid urination
- choking
- excess salts in the body
A dog can choke on a large piece of celery. An excess of mineral salts leads to a spike in blood pressure.
The root vegetable has diuretic properties, which provokes frequent and abundant urination. When overeating, the dog may experience flatulence, dyspepsia (pain and discomfort in the abdomen). The latter can be suspected by the depressed state of the pet if the dog lies on its side and does not allow to touch the stomach. Similar manifestations are characteristic of other diseases. So it is recommended to show the dog to the veterinarian to exclude serious pathologies of internal organs.
Do not give the dog celery in the postoperative period.
It is not recommended to give celery to pregnant females – the reason is the fixing properties of the plant. The urge to defecation forces the animal to push, which can lead to disruption of pregnancy, miscarriages and premature births. Puppies should not be given the root vegetable. Because of the unformed to the end digestive system.
American experts believe that celery should not be introduced into the diet of small breed dogs – because of the danger of suffocation if the pet swallows a large piece.
Also, do not include it in the diet of dogs suffering from obesity or prone to rapid weight gain. Other animals, on the other hand, can be gradually introduced into the diet, if the dog likes its taste.
No Comments