As dog owners, we always seek what’s best for our dogs in terms of feeding health care and even going as far as pet-proofing our home when they were pups and now dog-proofing as their adults.
But as we take time to research the type of treatment due to our dogs, most owners fail to acknowledge the need to do proper research on suitable diets and nutrients needed for our dogs to have a healthy, happy life.
The clear answer to that is to feed our dogs a balanced diet high in protein and vitamins but is also low in fat and calories. This is important because feeding our dogs food high in fat and calories could lead to obesity, which is bad for dogs.
When picking out a diet suitable for our dogs, most dog owners seek to feed their dogs various foods and ensure that all food classes are represented. It becomes a bit tricky when trying to represent vitamins. Vitamins are generally found in fruits and vegetables. This doesn’t mean that all vegetables and fruits are safe for dogs.
So how do you know which to use? Well, by doing adequate research. This article, though, will focus on one particular fruit, the watermelon. If you seek to represent vitamins by using watermelon, is it safe? This article will help shed light on that question.
Can Dogs Have Watermelon?
The straightforward answer to that question is YES. Watermelon is safe for dogs because it contains all the national values needed to boost our dog’s immune systems and give them a healthier and happier life altogether. Watermelon contains vitamins A, C, and B6.
It also contains potassium and is low in calories. And most of all, it contains zero fat, which means that dogs can take it without you worrying about your dogs becoming fat. Watermelon also contains 92 percent of water, making it a good fruit if you seek to improve your dog’s hydration levels.
But If you do decide to feed your dog watermelon, be sure to take the percussions. Why? Well, as beneficial as watermelon is to your dog’s overall health, it still contains some features that must be taking care of to ensure the overall safety of the watermelon. What are some of those safety measures required? Let’s find out in the next section.
What Is A Safer Way To Feed Your Dogs Watermelon?
Well, if you choose to feed your dogs watermelon, you would need to follow the suitable safety measures to ensure that it does more good than harm to your dogs. The first thing that most do before feeding your dogs watermelon is to remove all seeds.
This is because the seed could be problematic for your dogs to digest and could end up hindering your dogs from defecating. So before feeding your dog watermelon, ensure to remove all seeds. This may sound stressful, but if you do not have the time to do this, it’s best you don’t feed your dog’s watermelon.
Once you are done clipping the seeds out, then you should remove the back as well. If you do not remove this and your dog ends up eating it, then your dog is most likely to suffer from gastrointestinal upset. So if you want to feed your dog watermelon, ensure to remove all highlighted that could cause harm to them.
The last percussion is to feed watermelon moderately. Watermelon should be taken moderately because, though it has zero fat and can not cause dog obesity, it could do the exact opposite and cause your dog to be underweight. But just how should watermelon be prepared before feeding it to your dogs? Let’s find out in the next section.
How To Prepare Watermelon For Your Dogs
Well, you are about to feed your dog watermelon but unsure of how to prepare it. If you introduce it to your dog for the first time, it’s best to include it in your dog food. This will require that you shave the backoff and clip out the seed, after which you would need to chop it into small and sizeable pieces which your dogs can easily consume.
Then, once you notice your dog is more comfortable eating watermelon and is now a pro, you can decide to give it as a treat, chopping in much larger chunks. Watermelon also contains 92 percent water and could be blended and given to your dogs as juice, just for fun.
Watermelon could also be frozen, blended, and mixed in plain yogurt and can be given to your dogs on a hot summer day or just after a long afternoon walk or jog to help cool down the temperature of your dog. However, this mixture should not be giving regularly or at night to prevent other health complications in your dogs.
What if you walk into your dog after it has consumed watermelon containing the back and seed? What should you do? Well, panicking is not the answer. The first thing to be done is to monitor the behavior of your dog. Look out for signs that your dog is suffering from an upset stomach or if he is having difficulty pooping.
If it shows any of those signs, please ensure to communicate with your vet immediately. Be clear about the symptoms you see your dog manifesting. This will help your vet know the severity of the damage and the right drugs to prescribe. If it is just once your dog consumes this, it is most likely not going to be that big of an issue. But if you let your dog consumes such regularly, then it could lead to more life-threatening situations and could even lead to the death of your dog.
So just as been highlighted throughout this article, ensure to follow all safety measures when feeding your dog watermelon.
Conclusion: Can Dogs Eat Watermelon?
Watermelon is safe for your dogs to consume as long as the seeds and back are removed correctly and the watermelon is prepared correctly. Also, ensure to feed in little quantity to ensure your dog does not become underweight as a result.
