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Many families and individuals keep dogs for companionship and security. Dog owners spend a lot of time and money making sure their dog remains healthy while it grows and reaches its potential.
One of the major concerns for a dog owner is the diet of the dog. You want to ensure that it eats the right food and gets the nutrients that it needs.
Strawberries are considered healthy for humans. Hence, dog owners often want to know if strawberries and strawberry-based products like jam, ice cream and yogurt are safe for their dog to eat, and if there are any side effects.
In this article, we’ll answer these questions.
Can dogs eat strawberries?
Vets and dog professionals agree that dogs can safely eat strawberries in limited quantities, fresh or dried.
Strawberries contain antioxidants, polyphenols, fiber and vitamin C, and like in humans, strawberries have a number of health benefits like strengthening the immune system and improving teeth and gum health.
However, the amount of strawberries you should give to your dog will depend on the size of the dog; lower quantities should be given to smaller dogs, while larger quantities can be safely given to larger dogs.
The strawberries should be cleaned and sliced into smaller pieces for small dogs. The leaves of the strawberry should be removed for safety.
Can dogs eat strawberry yogurt?
Many pet food suppliers are now offering yogurt for dogs, and this leads many dog owners to wonder if it’s safe for their dog to consume strawberry yogurt.
It should be noted that some dogs are lactose intolerant and develop stomach problems like stomach ache and diarrhea if they consume any food which contains dairy products. These dogs should not be given strawberry yogurt.
In the case of other dogs who are not lactose intolerant, they may be given strawberry yogurt if it doesn’t contain sweeteners. More specifically, you can feed them plain strawberry yogurt containing probiotics.
Can dogs eat strawberry ice cream?
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has indicated that many dogs experience problems like nausea, stomach aches and vomiting after they eat anything which contains milk and other dairy products.
Since strawberry ice cream usually contains dairy, and also sugar, it is not recommended for dogs, as they may develop similar issues after consuming it. However, frozen strawberries which do not have any kind of additives (like added sugar) can be given to your dog as a treat.
Can dogs eat strawberry jam?
Any product like jam which has high levels of sugar should not be given to your dog. These sweet products often contain Xylitol, which causes a drop in blood pressure of the dog, and is toxic in some cases.
Strawberry jam, like other jams, contains high levels of sugar. Even jams which contain alternative sweeteners like Stevia should be avoided since they can also cause a major drop in the blood pressure of the dog. While your dog will gobble up most things you put in front of it, eating jam will adversely affect the health of the dog.
Conclusion
Though it may be tempting for you as a dog owner to share whatever you’re eating with your dog (mushrooms too), you should be aware of the health implications. Always know if the food is safe for your dog before giving it to them. If there is any doubt, contact your veterinarian.
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