Watermelon is one of the most popular fruits of summer. It’s a commonly served fruit at barbecues and picnics. While it’s safe for human consumption, most people still wonder if it’s good for their pets. So, can dogs eat watermelon? If you have this question in mind, today’s your lucky day.
We are going to answer this question in complete detail. By the end of this day, you’ll have a clear idea of whether to give this fruit to your pet dog or not. Without making you wait any longer, let’s get started with our blog.
Every dog owner is super cautious about feeding their lovely pets. Every time we want to feed them something new, this question jumps into our mind – “would it be safe for them to eat?” The same concerns arise when you want to give your dog watermelon but are unsure if it’s safe for them. So the answer to: can puppy eat watermelon is “YES.” Yes, dogs can eat watermelon. It’s safe for their consumption.
The watermelon’s flesh is nutritious and a safe treat for your dogs. However, its other parts might not be good for them, for example. Many dog owners ask, “Can dogs eat watermelon seeds?” According to the American Kennel Club, watermelon seeds aren’t good for your dogs.
If your dog swallows them, it can cause blockage in their intestines. This blockage can cause severe pain to your dog, and things can go south at any time. With watermelon seeds, the chances of surgery are always high as it’s the only safest option to remove the seeds and relieve pain.
Even in seeds, there are certain limits until they won’t do any hard. For example, if your furry ones ate one or two seeds, it’s unlikely to cause any problems. It’s only the case with large dogs, as their intestines are wider, and seeds will easily move out of their bodies.
On the other hand, even one seed can cause unbearable pain to your small-sized dog. According to experts, if one wants to give watermelon to their dogs, they must make sure there’s no seed in it. Give small pieces of watermelon, the red part without seeds.
How Good is Watermelon for Dogs?
Now you know the answer – can dogs eat watermelon? However, sometimes only a YES isn’t enough to justify an answer. Especially when it’s about your pet’s health, you cannot take any risk. Thus, getting into the depth of how good watermelon is for your dog is crucial.
Since we are talking about health, let’s focus on the health perspective of watermelons. This fruit is healthy for dogs. They are great hydration snacks with 92% water content, especially during summer days. Most dog experts find it better than ice cream, as the condensed milk sometimes upsets the dog’s stomach.
What’s even more fascinating is this fruit’s low category count. In addition to low calories, watermelons have low salts and almost no fat content. This makes them not just safe but a deliciously healthy treat for your dogs. However, you should note that watermelons must be fed only on odd occasions instead of daily. In other words, it’s not an ideal choice to include this fruit in your pet’s daily diet plan. Since this fruit contains sugar, it might lead to various health issues if fed daily or in excess.
Why is it a Bad Idea to Feed Watermelon Daily?
Although watermelon is a nutrition-rich fruit, it doesn’t fulfill your dog’s daily nutritional needs. Your dog will get complete nutrition from a balanced diet compared to watermelon. Feeding it occasionally is good. However, including it in their daily diet would be inappropriate.
Besides, many people on the internet are looking for answers to this question – what bad feeding watermelon daily will do to our dog? If you have the same question in mind, if you have the answer, right here.
Overconsumption of this fruit can cause gastrointestinal upset in your dog. Your dogs might stop eating as their stomach will not allow them to add anything to it. Moreover, they may become obese and unenergetic, which isn’t good for their health. In addition to watermelon, any sweet, lollies, or sweet with the same flavor isn’t good for their health. To make it taste like watermelon, sweeteners and additives are used in such products. Both of us know how bad they are for a dog. To conclude, watermelons are good for dogs only when given occasionally.
Nutritional Benefits of Watermelon for Your Dog
Like its name says, the main ingredient of a watermelon is water. It makes up to 90% of an entire watermelon. The hydration benefit alone makes this fruit incredibly healthy for any dog. But the health advantages of watermelon aren’t limited to hydration.
The fruit is rich in various vitamins and minerals, which help maintain your pet’s health. Let’s learn about some of the primary nutritional components in this fruit and how they benefit your dog’s health.
1. Fiber
Plant-based dietary fibers are always at the top of a dog’s list of nutritional needs. It’s a highly efficient component that maintains your pet’s digestive health. “But how does it promote digestive health?” you might ask.
Fibers enhance your pet’s ability to break down food, all while keeping bacterial growth low. In addition, healthy fibers also help cure diarrhea and constipation. An underrated feature of fibers is that they work well at maintaining healthy body weight.
2. Lycopene
Apart from other essential nutrients, watermelons are rich in several plant-based compounds. One such healthy compound is Lycopene. It’s a powerful antioxidant that reduces the risk of cancer. Furthermore, it promotes heart health by regulating your dog’s blood pressure.
Blood pressure isn’t a common issue in humans these days. But with increasing business in people’s lives, pet owners don’t give proper attention to their dog’s exercise. Lack of exercise leads to improper flow of blood, which can be cured through Lycopene.
3. Potassium
Potassium is used to maintain the fluid balance inside a dog’s body. Moreover, this compound is also responsible for the healthy growth of muscles and its proper functioning. When your dog’s muscle health is good, it automatically results in increased blood flow, improved motor skills, and regular heartbeats.
Furthermore, Potassium is also necessary for a healthy metabolism. If your dogs’ metabolism is great, they won’t experience digestive issues. So feeding your pet watermelon every few days would be great for digestion.
4. Vitamin B6
When it comes to your pet’s health, Vitamin B6 is every vitamin’s daddy. It’s a necessary vitamin for properly functioning your dog’s nervous system, blood cell production, and hormonal balance. Fats are good as they are a hidden source of energy.
But excess fats can lead to obesity, which isn’t good. The job of Vitamin B6 is to convert fatty acids into amino acids. Nevertheless, the production of RBC can also be increased using B6, which maintains healthy brain function.
5. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an amazing antioxidant with great anti-inflammatory properties. It works with polyphenols to boost your dog’s immune system. Elder dogs are more likely to suffer from cognitive issues. These issues can be reduced with a healthy dose of Vitamin C.
Your dog’s body naturally produces this vitamin. However, emotional and physical stress can reduce its production. If you notice your dog feeling anxious, feed them a few pieces of watermelons without seeds. The fruit will balance Vitamin C in the body.
So these are some of the key nutrition benefits watermelons can offer your dog. When we talk about feeding watermelon, what’s the ideal amount? How much watermelon can a dog eat? Keep scrolling for the answer.
Eating Capacity of Dog: How many Watermelons Can a Dog Eat?
Before you start feeding watermelons to your dogs, it’s important to learn about their capabilities. How much watermelon can a dog eat, indeed? According to dietary dog experts, healthy treats for dogs must make up around 10% of their daily diet. On the other hand, 9% should be sourced from a balanced diet. Today, we’ll focus on this 10% because this is where most dog owners make the most mistakes.
The safest way to feed your food watermelon is by dividing it into small portions. This way, it will be easier for your dog to chew it, and the food won’t get stuck in its windpipe. When it comes to dividing small portions, there are certain guidelines you must follow. Depending upon the different sizes of dogs, here’s the right way to feed watermelon:
- Extra-small dog of 2-20 lbs: one-two slice of watermelon is enough
- Small-size dog of 21-30 lbs: Two-three slices of watermelon
- Medium-size dog of 31-50 lbs: five-six slices of watermelon
- Large-size dog of 51-90 lbs: a handful of watermelon slices
- Extra-large dog of 91+ lbs: large handful of watermelon slices
There’s always a possibility that your dog might accidentally eat extra watermelon when you aren’t looking. In such cases, you might get worried about overfeeding. But to ensure that your dog eats more than what they are supposed to eat, look for symptoms of an upset stomach. Here are some of them:
- Looking uncomfortable
- Gulping or licking objects, the air or his lips
- Acting depressed
- Decreased appetite
- Fatigue
These are some of the most common symptoms of an upset stomach. If you notice any of the above, take your dog to a vet as soon as possible. Every minute you late, your dog’s condition will worsen, resulting in symptoms such as:
- Collapse
- Weakness
- Blood in stool
- Continues vomiting
Thus, it’s recommended not to waste time in such cases. Call your veterinarian and arrange an emergency appointment as soon as possible. Most pet owners make the mistake of ignoring common symptoms. They think it’s just gas and will cure automatically with time. If you love your dog from the bottom of your heart, don’t make the mistake of waiting. Get your pet in your car and run to a vet.
Easy DIY Ways to Feed Watermelon to Your Dogs
It doesn’t matter how good a boy or girl your dog is. Making them eat something healthy is always a hassle. So when we talk about feeding watermelon to your lovely pet, it’s not easy. There’s always a chance of them refusing to eat watermelon slices.
Dogs get pretty excited about food and treats. But in case somehow they refuse to eat watermelon, here are some attractive ways to make them consume the nutritional values of this wonderful fruit:
1. Small Kibbles
Cut the watermelon into chunks, remove the seeds and skin, then offer the fresh fruit to your dog. If you offer them a large chunk of watermelon in the first place, the chances of them playing instead of eating are always high. When you feed them small pieces, dogs eat them without any refusal.
2. Frozen Chunks
After removing seeds and skin, freeze your chunks for a cold treat on a summer’s day. Even though watermelon has hydrational benefits, cold pieces of watermelon are better for them. It won’t just make them feel cool, but it will gasp them more easily. Make sure you freeze the chunks in an air-tight container. It will avoid a reduction in nutritional values.
3. Pureed Cubes
Remove the skin and seeds of your watermelon. Then add in a grinder and make a puree of it. Grab an ice cube tray and pour that puree inside it. Once done, place the tray inside the freezer to freeze. If your dog refuses to eat watermelon raw, you can try this technique. It’s likely to work, and your pet will love the cool watermelon cubes even more.
4. Doggie Ice Cream
Ice cream is the favorite treat of every dog. If any of the above tricks don’t work, try this one. Make a puree of your watermelon and add other dog-safe fruits, such as blueberries or bananas, along with yogurt or peanut butter.
Take an ice cream container and pour the mixture into it. Freeze it for 24 hours for the best taste. Once done, take one scope of it and give it to your pet. There’s less chance of them refusing this treat because it always works.
These are some wonderful ways or methods of making your dog eat watermelon. No doubt it’s a delicious treat, and most dogs don’t refuse it easily. But you don’t know what mood your dog is in. Since you want the best nutrition, trying the above methods might help. These are tested tactics by experts and work well.
When And How is Watermelon Bad For Your Dogs?
As you have read, watermelon as a dog snack has many benefits. Nevertheless, there are several things that you have to take into account when feeding the fruit to your pet. As healthy as watermelon is, it’s not fully healthy for your pet.
Instead, many people find it bad for their dogs. But feeding watermelon can turn bad only in a few cases. Let’s learn about such cases. You don’t end up following them. Here’s when watermelon becomes a bad treat for dogs:
1. In Regularity
Please make sure you only give watermelon as a snack or treat, and don’t make it a habit. Dogs can suffer from stomach issues if they eat new food they do not regularly ingest. Therefore, start from a small number of watermelon pieces and then move to big chunks.
However, keep in mind to feed them occasionally. This fruit has some good levels of sugar in it, which humans might enjoy eating, but it’s dangerous for dogs. So avoid feeding them daily.
2. Not Peeling The Outer Layer
The hard pieces of skin around a watermelon are not recommended for your dog. They are not just hard to digest but dangerous for their health as they block your pet’s intestines.
If dogs are enthusiastic, they prefer to shove as much food in as short a time as possible. If you give them watermelon without peeling the outer layer, they won’t be able to chew it properly. Thus, the small chewed pieces of the rind can get stuck in their windpipe and intestines, which isn’t good.
3. Ignored Seeds
Watermelon contains seeds. We usually spit them out or compete with whoever spits the furthest. But for dogs, spitting out seeds is not possible. Unlike humans, dogs mostly swallow everything. Thus, if you give them a watermelon with seeds, they will gulp it directly.
The red part of the watermelon might get digested inside its stomach, but the seeds won’t. They will stay in their stomach and cause pain. So the answer to “can dog eat watermelon seeds” is always NO.
Moreover, they also won’t pass their intestine, creating blockage. This blockage is painful and can only be cured via surgery. Therefore, before treating your dog with a watermelon, ensure it’s free from any seeds. For large dogs, a few seeds are not so dangerous.
Your Dog Ate Watermelon Rind – What to do in That Case?
Can dogs eat watermelon rind? No, they can’t. The juicy red part of a watermelon is healthier for humans and dogs. It’s because this part mostly contains water and several minerals and nutrients. Giving your small dog pieces of the red part once in a while will do wonders for their health.
It will provide additional nutrients to his body, and most dogs love the taste of watermelon. Thus it will be an enjoyable treat for him to have. As delicious and healthy as the red part of a watermelon is, the hard skin of the fruit is equally bad. The outer layer is called rind, and it’s hard to digest in a dog’s stomach.
Actions to Take in case Your Dog, Ate Rind
The watermelon rind can be dangerous for your dog’s health because they have a digestive system powerful enough to digest it. It can result in stomach pain and indigestion, affecting your dog’s health. Since the rind is hard to digest, it will stay in your dog’s stomach, causing the birth of harmful bacteria.
The production of these bacteria can lead to a stomach infection and various severe health issues. Thus, it’s recommended to avoid feeding it to your dog. When treating your pet with watermelon, make sure to remove it. However, if your dog ate it accidentally, here’s what you should do.
- Things to do when your dog ate the rind of watermelon
- Call your vet as soon as possible. They will recommend the best course of action for your dog.
- Take your pet to the vet if they aren’t available on call.
- While you prepare your dog for a vet’s visit, monitor your dog’s health. Note down the symptoms he’s experiencing.
If your dog ate a rind, there’s not much you can do. All that is in your hand is to rush your pet to the nearest veteran. They will give him the best care. Besides, if you don’t want your pet to suffer from immense pain, be careful in the first place. Remove the rind properly before feeding them watermelon. Not just rind, but also make sure there’s no seed in it.
FAQs
The red part of a watermelon is healthy for your dog. On the contrary, the seeds and rind aren’t healthy. They are considered dangerous for a dog’s health. They are hard to digest and can cause bizarre health issues. Thus, remove both of them before feeding watermelon to your dog.
There’s a great saying we all have been hearing growing up, “excess of anything is bad.” It’s true with watermelons too. Watermelons are rich in sugar. Thus, if you feed your dog watermelon daily, the chances of diarrhea are high. Therefore, instead of feeding it regularly, I prefer to give it once in a while.
Yes, dogs love eating seedless watermelon. In fact, only seedless watermelon should be fed to a dog. The seeds are indigestible and can get stuck in the intestines of dogs. It leads to health issues that only have one solution, i.e., surgery. Therefore, if you want your pet to be healthy, remove seeds from the watermelon before feeding it to them.
It’s a heartbreaking question because it has a heartbreaking answer. No one wants their pets to suffer from bizarre, unbearable pain or undergo surgery. Unfortunately, your pet dog has to undergo all these bad situations if they eat watermelon seeds. Since they are indigestible, it leads to various health issues, with surgery being the only solution.
The green part of the watermelon is called the rind. And NO, they cannot eat rind because dogs don’t have a digestive system strong enough to digest them. It will cause gastrointestinal upsets, which are extremely painful for a dog. To avoid it, make sure to get rid of the rind before feeding watermelon to your pet.
Frankly, there isn’t much you can do if your dog ate a watermelon rind. All that is in your hand is to get them to a vet as soon as possible. Your dog will be better in their hands because they know how to treat them well. That’s what their job and responsibility are. Being a pet owner, your responsibility is to bring your dog to them as soon as possible.
Watermelons have a sweet and crunchy taste. Dogs enjoy the crunchiness and sweet flavors that savor their taste buds. However, try to avoid feeding them watermelon regularly. Feeding it to them once in a while is way better than giving it to them daily. So prefer that instead.
Final Words
Watermelon is safe for dogs if given once in a while because of its sweetness. Too much sugar can lead to digestive problems and weight gain. It can be a tasty and nutritious treat for dogs, providing hydration, vitamins, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients.
However, you should be careful to remove all seeds and rind of the fruit before offering it to your dog, as these can pose a choking hazard. Also, ensure cutting the watermelon into bite-sized pieces that won’t suffocate even the most overzealous eaters. At
last, if you have a friend or acquaintance with a dog, share this blog with them. Being a dog owner, you can avoid other dogs suffering from painful health issues. Summing up, we hope your dog and you stay healthy and fit forever. Please keep your dog safe by feeding them watermelon the right way!
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