Can Dogs Eat Pickles? Are Pickles Safe For Your Dog?
Dogs love to get a taste of whatever their owners are eating. Similarly, owners also like to give a bite of their meals to their pets sometimes. Some food items may not be as healthful for dogs as they are for humans. Pickles are one such item.
They are very popular among food lovers and possess several health benefits but they aren’t beneficial for dogs.
Pickles are not toxic for dogs. You can share a small piece of it with your dog after washing it with water. This will remove or at least reduce the number of spices and preservatives to a safe level. Cucumber present in the pickle has fiber in it which is beneficial for the digestive system.
On the other hand, the amount of sodium present is beyond the recommended level. High sodium can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and even death.
If you want to obtain health benefits from pickles, you can add fresh cucumber to your dog’s diet. In nutshell, the negative aspects of feeding pickles to your dog outweigh the benefits.
So you should be careful and not feed pickles to your dog.
Pickles are salty-sour cucumbers that have high sodium content. They are preserved in saltwater brine, vinegar, and other spices which are the reason for this high sodium content.
The answer to the question if pickles are safe to eat for your dog or not depends on the type of pickle you going to feed him. They come in different flavors and can have different ingredients. Some ingredients may be beneficial for dogs and others may be harmful. You should know the ingredients of pickle and their effects on dog health before feeding them to your dog.
One of the most popular pickles, dill pickle has cucumber soaked in brine and mixed with dill. Dill has antioxidant properties and is known to slow the aging process. It is safe for dogs to eat dill but the spices that have been added for the preservation of pickles have certain side effects.
If you want to obtain health benefits brought by dill, you can add fresh dill to your dog’s feeding plan instead of feeding dill pickle.
Some pickles have garlic and onions added with cucumbers. These types of pickles should not be given to dogs at all. Garlic and onions are toxic to dogs. Research has shown that the amount of garlic and onions present in pickles is too little to be toxic for dogs. Still, you should avoid feeding pickles having garlic and onions to your dog.
Spicy pickles have chili pepper and other hot spices mixed with cucumbers. These spices are harmful to the stomach and can lead to damage to the internal lining. Moreover, dogs have difficulty digesting spicy foods. This can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and poor absorption of the digested food.
How Are Pickles Good For Dogs?
There are some beneficial effects associated with feeding pickles to dogs. Pickles have cucumbers that are rich in fiber. Fiber is helpful in the smooth functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
It prevents constipation. If your dog is overweight and you are looking for some diets that can help you lose weight, cucumber should be one of them. They make your dog feel full without contributing much to the calorie count.
Pickles are rich in minerals and vitamins, sodium in particular. Sodium is an important mineral that is required by the body in various metabolic reactions. If the level of sodium falls below the required, it can lead to cessation of body and brain functions.
It is recommended that the commercially available dog food must have at least 0.3 percent sodium in it. Giving a small amount of pickle to your dog can compensate for sodium deficiency if present. It should be kept in mind that pickles have a high amount of sodium so they should be given in a very small amount and not very often.
When Are Pickles Bad For Your Dog?
Pickles are bad for dogs when they are given in excessive amounts or given frequently. Cucumbers in the pickle are quite a healthy ingredient but the preservatives and spices are harmful. Excessive sodium present in the pickles can be harmful. This can lead to dehydration and kidney damage.
A medium-sized dog should not consume more than 100 milligrams of sodium in a day. A high amount of sodium circulating in the blood can result in excessive urination, diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, and even death.
High sodium in blood also results in increased blood pressure. The liver and kidneys have to work harder to bring the sodium level to normal. This can lead to serious problems in dogs that have compromised liver and kidneys.
Spices present in the pickle damage the internal lining of the stomach and intestine. This affects the absorption of digested food in the intestine. This can lead to overall weakness and weakened immunity. In severely immunocompromised dogs, common diseases like flu can have severe impact on health of your dog.
How To Feed Pickles To Your Dog
If you want to feed pickles to your dog, do it after washing with clean water. Washing the cucumber and other ingredients will remove the excessive preservatives and spices. Vinegar and brine are washed away that contain a high amount of sodium.
If you feed a small amount of pickles to your dog or he eats a small piece fallen on the floor, that’s fine. Side effects are expected after your dog eats a large amount of pickles. In such a case, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
Veterinarians recommend not to feed pickle to your dog at all. Even if you are trying to obtain some health benefits, harmful effects should not be neglected.
You can add fresh cucumber to your dog’s diet if you want to obtain health benefits. They contain minerals and vitamins just like pickles. The negative effects of pickles are avoided by avoiding spices and preservatives.
Please remember that you should consult your veterinarian before offering pickles, as with any human food.
