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Friday, March 29, 2024

Cucumbers as treats for overweight dogs

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If your dog is overweight, cucumber is one vegetable you can give as a treat  to your dog.

In “Fruits and Vegetables Dogs Can or Can’t Eat,” the Animal Kennel Club (AKC) said cucumber contains little to no carbohydrates, fats, or oils.  Despite the low carbs and fat content, cucumbers boost energy levels, the AKC said.

Likewise, cucumbers are packed with vitamins K, C, and B1, and minerals such as potassium, copper, magnesium, and biotin.

Wash cucumbers well, peel, then slice into small pieces so your dog will not choke. 

Maggie Clancy, in “Can Dogs Eat Cucumbers? Are Cucumbers Safe For Dogs?” in dogtime. com, said  cucumbers are very safe for dogs.

“Can dogs eat cucumbers? Maybe you were preparing a salad and your dog accidentally grabbed a piece of cucumber, or perhaps you are looking for healthy treats for your dog. Humans can eat cucumbers, so are cucumbers safe for dogs to eat?,” Clancy remarked. Yes, she said. But not the pickled ones.

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“In fact, with the vegetable’s low caloric value and water content, a cucumber can make an excellent healthy treat for your dog,” Clancy said.

But as always,  please ask your vet first if you can give cucumber to your dog.  Your vet knows your dog more.

“You should ask your vet before sharing any human foods with your dog, including cucumbers, “ Clancy said.

Cucumbers as treats for overweight dogs
What a smile!!! Portia or Porky, eight years old, is one of the  asong PInoy (aspin) babies of  Anikka Kyra Flores. This furbaby will eat anything!  And that is a good thing because  there are many fruits and vegetables that are good for dogs. “She’s fat and lazy po. She would sleep beside her food bowl right after she eats. Hehe, that’s how lazy she is po. She would usually wake up at 2 to 3 a.m. po and would sleep on my chest like a cat. Anak po siya ng first dog namin, which was given to my mom as a birthday gift,” Anikka shared.” “She loves lettuce, carrots, sweet potato, sayote, and kalabasa po. She would also sneak po sa egg basket ko to steal some pero lagi po siya nahuhuli kasi she can’t reach the kitchen counter. Hahahaha! She’s the smallest po kasi sa kanilang magkakapatid,” Anikka said.

Benefits of cucumber for dogs

1. Cucumbers hydrate dogs. It is best to be given during  hot days, or during summer. “Cucumbers are about 96 percent water, which makes them excellent, hydrating treats for dogs,” Clancy said.  

2. Cucumbers are low-calorie treats, “makes them an excellent choice for dogs on a weight-loss regimen,” Clancy said.

3. Cucumbers can help  keep a dog’s bones healthy and strong too because it is loaded with Vitamin K.  

4. Cucumbers contain  vitamins and minerals that help keep a dog’s liver and kidneys functioning properly.

5.  A great bonus, Clancy said, is that cucumbers have phytochemicals and phytonutrients that help eliminate bad breath. But feeding your dog cucumbers should not  replace brushing their teeth, she said, but it can help with dogs who have stinky breath.

Cucumbers as treats for overweight dogs
Dogs love carrots and lettuce too. You can put these two veggies with cucumber to give your dog a different treat: their own salad. 

Safe way to give cucumber to dogs

Clancy suggested the following:

1. Talk to your vet and ask how much cucumber, if she/he allows your dog to be given this vegetable, you can  feed to your dog and how many servings will be appropriate, Clancy said.

2.  Like you do with other fruits and vegetables, please thoroughly wash cucumbers before giving them to your dog.

3.  Cut the cucumber into smaller pieces, “as simply giving your dog a cucumber to gnaw on could easily become a choking hazard,” Clancy stressed.

4.  It is best to remove the cucumber skin, as dogs can not digest them well.  But a little bit of cucumber skin here and there won’t be detrimental to your dog’s health, Clancy ssaid.

5.  Make sure to give your dog cucumbers in moderation. Too much hydrating vegetable can also cause gastrointestinal problems  such as diarrhea.

Cucumbers as treats for overweight dogs
You can also put  a slice of cucumber in a doggo burger with a  little skin.  Yuri, rescued by Save ALL from drunkards who planned to kill him  and cook him for pulutan (appetizer), loves burgers. If you can help  Save ALL continue to care for  Yuri and other rescued dogs of Save ALL, please go to https://www.facebook.com/saveanimalsofloveandlightPH and message them. 

Warning about cucumbers

NEVER give pickled cucumbers or pickles  to  your dog, said Clancy.

“…the spices used to season the pickle can be dangerous for your dog. Stick to plain, peeled cucumbers if you want to give your dog a healthy snack, “ Clancy said.

Cucumber is a cooling food. Please make sure to give it during hot days or the summer time. During  rainy season or cold days, give only a little  but with a warming food like pineapple or mangoes or beef to balance the temperature in your dog’s body, and thus prevent illnesses. 

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