Can Dogs Eat Cucumbers? Everything You Need To Know
“Cucumbers aren’t toxic to dogs.” It is no surprise that cucumbers are known to be low in calories and quite hydrating and filling as a snack for both humans and dogs at the same time. But can dogs eat cucumbers? That is the question we are going to talk about today.
According to Tian Wismer, Senior Director of ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, “But there are a few small concerns in preparing and offering this juicy fruit to your canine companion. While cucumbers aren’t harmful to dogs, consuming too much of any treat can cause stomach upset.”
So if you wanna know if are cucumbers bad for dogs or not, this is the right place for you to be, so keep on scrolling and read through the article.
Are Cucumbers Good For Dogs?
When it comes to feeding your pet cucumbers, there are distinct differences in attitude when it comes to eating cucumbers.
While cats do not like cucumbers at all but on the other hand, dogs don’t outright hate cucumbers. But they are curious about them, and if they feel adventurous enough, then they even try to eat cucumbers.
It is quite safe for dogs to eat raw cucumbers, but it is important to keep in mind that you should always wash your cucumbers properly before feeding them to your dogs. You can give your dog cucumber slices only, as giving a whole cucumber can be a choking hazard, even for large dogs.
But there are a few concerns when it comes to answering the question, can dogs eat cucumbers?
- We know that pickles are made of cucumbers as well, but they are not at all safe for dogs, as pickles contain a high quantity of salt. At the same time, with salt, added preservatives like onion and garlic.
- There are certain dogs who are intolerant towards cucumbers, so if wanna see whether your dogs are intolerant, then have them try a few pieces of cucumbers. If they show any signs of digestive problems like diarrhea and vomiting, then refrain from feeding them cucumbers in the future.
What About Cucumber Seeds And Cucumber Water?
If your dog shows no sign of reaction to eating cucumber, then it will not face any problems while eating cucumber seeds. Generally speaking, cucumber seeds are not toxic when it comes to dogs. In fact, they have proper health benefits that have been discussed earlier. Still, some dogs might have low tolerance to cucumber seeds. As a result, they might demonstrate some allergic reactions like indigestion, vomiting, etc. Therefore, start by giving small amount of cucumber seeds to your dog and see if it suits your dog’s system.
Things differ when it comes to cucumber water. If you are giving your dog or dogs home-made cucumber water that is rich in vitamins and other nutrient of cucumber, then it is safe. But, if you are giving your dog store-bought cucumber water, then things can get tricky. Most of the retailing cucumber water that we can buy off the shelf has a specific chemical called the xylitol. This is a chemical that is fairly safe for humans. However, when it comes to dogs it triggers a rapid release of insulin. As a result, your pooch might experience hypoglycemia or low-blood sugar. This is a fatal condition that can result in coma or even death. Therefore, compelling you to take your dog to the vet.
If your dog does ingest xylitol, do not panic just follow these instruction. First things first, do not try to make your dog vomit out whatever the pooch has eaten. If your dog is showing signs of hypoglycemia, then vomiting can further lower the blood-sugar level in your dog. Secondly, contact the 24/7 active Pet Poison Helpline center. The hotline number of this organization is 1-800-213-6680. If you contact them, they will guide you through the process in greater detail.
How To Feed Cucumber To Your Dog?
If you want to feed your dog cucumbers, then there are a few ways you can feed your dog cucumbers. So here are a few tips and tricks you should use to feed your dog cucumbers.
1. Feed Moderately
As we have heard before from Tina Wismer, “Cucumbers are relatively low calories.” So if you are feeding your dog cucumbers, then that too should be in moderation, as these healthy treats should not be overdone.
Cucumbers are fed as healthy treats to dogs, so don’t overdo the feeding. You should only feed 10 percent or even less to your dogs each day.
2. Don’t Give Your Dog The Whole Cucumber
Dogs tend to wolf down food when they are quite hungry. So at times like these giving them a whole cucumber can become a choking hazard.
Larger cucumber pieces also take too long to break down, so it is better to give them smaller pieces of cucumber when given as treats.
3. Skip The Skin And Seeds
The aspect of the cucumber that causes gastrointestinal problems or any other stomach problem is the skin and the seeds of the cucumber.
It is possible that not all dogs have a problem with the skin and seeds of the cucumber. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be cautious at the same time.
4. Go Raw
It is obvious that cucumbers are eaten raw, and that is how the fruit is eaten in a healthy manner. Cucumbers are mostly eaten raw most of the time, mixed with salads and other similar food.
Cucumbers are often dressed with olive oils and other dressings like ranch. But the dressings are only for humans and not dogs, not even a small amount of any dressing.
5. Can Dogs Eat Pickles?
As I said before, cucumbers are used as pickles as well. But pickles are absolutely not to be given to dogs at any cost, as they contain a high amount of salt mixed with garlic and onion flavors.
How Many Cucumber Slices Can Dogs Eat?
The number of cucumber slices you give to your dog on a daily basis depends on the size of your dog. The number of cucumber slices you feed your Yorkie is not the same as an adult German Shepherd.
Here are a few guidelines for you to go through to know the feeding portions depending on the dog breed and the number of cucumber slices.
- Extra-large dogs (91+lbs.) = large portions of cucumber slices.
Examples– Bernese Mountain Dogs, Great Pyrenees, St.Bernards, and Newfoundlands.
- Large dogs (51-90 lbs.) = handful portions of cucumber slices.
Examples– German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, Australian Shepherds, and Labrador Retrievers.
- Medium dogs (31-50 lbs.) = About 5-6 cucumber slices.
Examples– Border Collies, Basset Hounds, Siberian Huskies, and Australian Cattle Dogs.
- Small dogs (21-30 lbs.) = About 2-3 cucumber slices.
Examples– Beagles, Basenjis, and Miniature Australian Shepherds.
- Extra-small dogs (2-20 lbs.) = About 1-2 cucumber slices.
Examples– Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Pugs, Pomeranians, and Shih Tzus.
Even though you are feeding your dog calculate portions of cucumbers, you should also keep a close eye on your dog when you are feeding them cucumbers. If your dog has an upset stomach, then they could have the following symptoms.
- Fatigue
- Excessive Diarrhea
- Decreased appetite or even loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Blood in their stool or vomit
- Collapse
How To Safely Feed Cucumber To Your Dog?
When you are feeding your dog cucumbers, there is a proper way you should feed them. Don’t just throw the whole cucumber to your dog, but follow the proper procedure.
Peel the cucumber skin off the fruit and then remove the seeds of the cucumber. Then before giving it to your dog or puppy, cut the cucumber into thin slices so that it is not a choking hazard.
Here are a few different ways you can actually serve cucumbers to your dog.
- You can give raw cucumbers in your dog’s food bowl as a special treat on top of their food.
- Freeze your cucumber cubes or slices and make them crunchy enough to make them a cold, crunchy treat for your dog.
- You can blend the cucumber slices in a blender and add a few more dog-friendly fruits, like bananas, watermelons, and blueberries, into a smoothie and serve your dog the smoothie. You can even add a spoon full of peanut butter to the smoothie if you want.
Alternatives To Cucumber
If you pooch is showing resistance to cucumber , do not be disheartened. There are other alternatives that you can try. These alternatives include:
- Broccoli: This is a vegetable that is full of fibers, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and plant protein. However, it can make your dog a little gassy.
- Green Bean: These veggies contain vitamin A, B6, C and K, along with other important nutrients.Moreover, these are low in calories, and can help make your dog leaner if that is what you are aiming for.
Lettuce: This is a per-friendly vegetable that is a very low in calorie, full of fiber and has a water content of around 90%. But, try to steer clear of kale and spinach as these can be harmful for your pooch.
Wrapping Up!
Now that you got the answer to your question, “can dogs eat cucumbers,” then you can prepare your cucumbers quite easily to make sure that it doesn’t upset your dog’s stomach. If you maintain the procedures that need to be followed before serving the cucumbers to your dogs. So if you liked this article, then give it a like and comment down below whether your dog loves to eat cucumber or not.
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