If you’re a type of pet owner who enjoys planting some healthy, organic treats, you might have seen your furry pal sneaking in on some of your crops once or twice before.
While it is normal for pups to get mischievous at times, there is also potential risk from eating human foods that can be found in your home unsupervised. It is true that some fruits are nourishing to their body, but others are quite toxic (read more). Thus, you might have to keep a keen eye on their movements or might as well avoid growing those that are not suitable for their health in your backyard.
Zucchini, on the other hand, is an exemption. It is a summer squash that is widely grown in home gardens because it grows quickly and can consistently produce large crops. Most playful pups love to eat these raw in the garden as if theyown their very own salad bar. Well, this fruit can give both you and your dog a wholesome, healthy snack any time of the day so might as well consider cultivating it!
All About Zucchini
Zucchini thrives in warm, temperate climates with temperatures that are neither too hot nor too cold. But it goes out in full force in warmer months. It is one of those summer squash in the Cucurbitaceae family, which has edible parts to consume, even raw or cooked.
Is It Okay For Dogs?
If you see your dog having a snack in your garden, then she’s likely to be enjoying a zucchini the same way she would in a piece of bone. You might ask, can dogs eat zucchini, too?
To answer this popular question – Yes! Your dogs can safely eat zucchini. But as a basic rule of thumb, it should be in moderation. To be sure, you can just set aside and give them instead so you can control the amount of what they eat often. But since this fruit is generally well-tolerated by dogs, you can chop them out into tiny pieces to ensure that they won’t choke while eating. Also, please don’t feed them an entire zucchini!
Furthermore, this can be a perfect alternative for calorie-rich treats to maintain and balance their diet. This food is low in fat and cholesterol, and it will not contribute to your dog’s weight. But it shouldn’t be the replacement for your dog’s meal all the time; thus, it should not make up more than 10% of your dog’s diet.
Dogs fed with this fruit usually obtain all of their required nutrients unless they have an illness or disorder that interferes with their ability to absorb nutrients. So, make sure they aren’t allergic to this, and you have consulted a veterinarian before allowing your pup to consume one.
Benefits That Zucchini Has
Zucchini is a nutrient-rich food. It comes with a naturally occurring fiber, as well as a broad range of vitamins and minerals. Although dogs don’t require vegetables or fruits on their diet since they are believed to be naturally carnivores, eating healthy fruits won’t harm them.
It is a rich source of vitamin A, C, B6, and K. It is also high in potassium, zinc, manganese, magnesium, copper, and phosphorus. These are all beneficial since they can help improve your dog’s skin and coat, boost immunity, support heart health, and a lot more.
Although dogs naturally synthesize both vitamin C and K, they are helpful (especially for immunity and bones, respectively) when consumed as they add nutritional value to what your dogs will consume. Besides, this fruit is jam-packed with antioxidants, which is also beneficial in your dog’s overall health as it helps protect your dog from free radicals that may cause long-term damage to your dog’s wellness (link: https://www.nap.edu/resource/10668/dog_nutrition_final_fix.pdf).
Lastly, it is helpful for their digestion. Zucchini is a good source of water and fiber, which help improve the consistency of your dog’s stool. Another perk of these two nutrients is that they help reduce the risks of digestive issues.
The Smaller, The Less Bitter
Even though it is typically true that bigger is better, that rule does not apply to zucchini. Instead, the smaller the zucchini, the less bitter but healthier it is. Regular zucchini fruit should be harvested when it is about 5″ to 7″ long.
If it is big, on the other hand, it differs significantly. Zucchini is safe, but it can adversely affect your dog’s health if it is bitter. One toxin, called Cucurbitacins, naturally exists in zucchinis.
It tastes bitter and can be very toxic. In humans, it can cause stomach cramps and diarrhea. The typical symptom would be vomiting.
In the same way, it can be the most toxic for dogs. The majority of this biochemical is typically found in the roots, stems, and leaves of squash plants, which are the plant parts we don’t usually consume. Therefore, you must guide your dog before eating and make sure to always go for smaller ones.
Preparing The Zucchini
It is easy to prepare your zucchini in many different ways, but I would say that steaming and roasting are the easiest. You can either use a minimal amount of dog food or have zucchini pieces ready in the fridge to serve as a treat for your dog. Since we usually consume ours with a bit of flavoring and spices, you should prepare a different one for them since spices aren’t beneficial for dogs.
You can also leave the skin on the fruit since it contains most of the antioxidant properties of the fruit.
