Can dogs eat artichokes? Health Benefits Of Artichoke

Are you tempted to give your pet dog a tasty artichoke? Can dogs eat and benefit from amazing nutrients, including vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium, and fiber? Can dogs eat artichokes? There's no doubt that this perennial bud is super healthy, but consider a few other factors before sharing it with your dog.

For one thing, many artichoke recipes call for ingredients that dogs shouldn't eat. The key is giving this fabulous flowering vegetable a way that aids digestion.

Can dogs eat artichokes?

So can dogs eat artichokes? It is OK without other potentially harmful ingredients. Artichokes are not toxic to dogs, nor are the stems, hearts, or leaves. The greatest danger is a potential blockage of the digestive tract. For this reason, artichokes should be prepared for your dog in easy-to-eat portions.

As with any human food, there is also a risk of diarrhea and/or vomiting. And remember that many new foods, including artichokes, aren't suitable for some dogs.

Health Benefits Of Artichoke

Artichokes have low calories, sodium, fat, and cholesterol. They are also rich in potassium and niacin. As a result, dogs can absorb nutrients that may not be in their regular kibble.

However, keep in mind that dogs create their vitamin C. Therefore, they don't usually need to lower their cholesterol levels.

Dog Specific Positives

Many dogs suffer from digestive problems. Artichokes can help with irritable bowel and flatulence, whether globe or prickly varieties. Antioxidants protect against cancer, heart problems, premature aging, and disease in general. Artichokes also boost the immune system. 

That's not all! Your dog's liver can benefit!

K9 Digestion Considerations

To feed a dog an artichoke, prepare it in such a way as to avoid an intestinal blockage.

Just cut the artichoke into small pieces and ration it. Feed it slowly because you don't know yet if your dog's stomach can handle it. And avoid feeding artichokes the way you might enjoy them — exclude garlic and other questionable ingredients. In other words, offer your dog all the benefits and none of the drawbacks of a healthy meal of artichokes.

Who says table food can't be fed to pets?

Cooked or raw artichokes

Can use artichokes are often steamed, braised, boiled, or fried. But, for your dog, it is better to feed him raw. Keep it simple! Consuming an artichoke raw means your dog will get the maximum nutritional benefits. Simply remove the outer leaves, then dice them for your dog so they can easily eat.

The bottom line

Do some basic prep work to avoid any choking hazards, and artichokes will be healthy for your dog, too. Although such blockages are rare, they are nevertheless very dangerous, sometimes fatal, when they occur. Give your dog raw plain artichokes cut into small pieces with no added ingredients! Doing it and feeding this food is a great idea!

The Best Products for Dogs

Fruits and vegetables allowed dogs

In his natural habitat, the dog feeds exclusively on meat because it is a carnivorous animal. However, thanks to the half-digested food of its prey, the dog would also absorb the nutrients and vitamins provided by fruits and vegetables, essential to maintain its body in perfect condition. However, this thesis remains possible when the dog remains in the wild, whereas in most situations, the dog is domesticated.

We learned the answer to the question of can dogs eat artichokes; what about other vegetables and fruits? Want to know which are the best fruits and vegetables for dogs? 

Fruits and vegetables allowed and even recommended for dogs are:

For the fruit category:

The blueberries

Apple

The pear

The banana

Apricot and peach

The strawberry

The watermelon

The melon

For the vegetable category:

Spinach

Salad, lettuce, and cabbage

The celery

Green beans and peas

The carrot

Squash

The courgette

The pumpkin

The cucumber

Benefits of fruits and vegetables allow for dogs

In general, quality dog ​​food called "commercial" contains the proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats, and oils that our dog needs, and this is the balanced way. However, they also have nutritional deficiencies that, in the long term, can affect our dog's health, such as a lack of fiber and antioxidants.

You have probably heard of the importance for us to eat foods rich in antioxidants to eliminate free radicals and thus prevent premature aging. But did you know that they are also very beneficial for animals? A lack of antioxidants will not be reflected in the dog in the form of wrinkles. Still, cellular oxidation will manifest itself in cellular damage that will decrease its immune system and promote the appearance of degenerative diseases typical of old age, cardiovascular diseases, or even cancer.

For their part, fiber helps prevent constipation in our dogs and favors the digestive system as long as it is supplied correctly. However, we must bear in mind that the percentage of fiber that our body needs is not the same as that which our dog needs. Veterinarians recommend that fiber not exceed 3.5% of the diet, as an excess could lead to obstruction of the digestive tract, among other problems. However, adequate consumption can be very beneficial for our dogs.

If the food we give our dog does not contain any antioxidants or fiber, the best way to give it to him is to use raw fruits and vegetables. In addition to supplementing food deficiencies, we break with our dog's food routine, offering him a varied diet that will help him not get tired of the food, and we will manage to prevent him from stopping to eat.

Fruit allowed for dogs

Although many fruits are recommended for dogs, you should keep in mind that not all of them are worth it, as many others are very toxic. The best fruits for dogs are:

Blueberries: One of the most outstanding properties of blueberries is their high antioxidant content, being one of the best fruits to prevent the onset of heart disease in our dogs. Blueberries have high fiber and vitamin C. However, remove the seeds inside before giving this food to your dog, as it can cause serious damage (such as digestive problems).

The Apple: Both for its digestive and astringent properties, ideal both for the treatment of diarrhea in dogs and other stomach problems, and for its high content of vitamin C, calcium, and anti-inflammatory properties, the apple is a delicious fruit for dogs. Before giving it to them, don't forget to wash it well and remove the core with the seeds. If you want to give your dog an apple to treat diarrhea, it's best to remove the skin, but if you want to combat constipation, give him with apple chunks with the skin on.

The pear: 80% of the composition of the pear is made up of water, so its caloric intake is very low. It is a perfect source of fiber and potassium, so in addition to promoting intestinal transit, the pear will help prevent cardiovascular disease and is suitable for dogs with diabetes.

Banana: Be careful, this fruit contains a high content of insoluble fiber, and an excess of insoluble fiber can have serious consequences for our dog. However, in very small quantities, the banana can benefit him and help him defecate if you observe that he suffers from constipation. If your dog is in perfect condition and you find that after giving him a bite of banana, he has diarrhea, remove this fruit from his diet immediately.

Apricot and peach: both fruits are rich in fiber and help regulate our dog's intestinal transit.  These fruits are also an important source of antioxidants and are composed mainly of water, thus preventing obesity in your dog. And yes! These fruits are excellent for dogs prone to obesity. ATTENTION: You must always remove the skin and the stone before giving your dog the apricot or the peach.

Strawberry: like blueberries, strawberries represent one of the best antioxidants as red fruits and are, therefore, perfect for maintaining a beautiful coat in our dog and preventing cellular oxidation. In addition, strawberries are beneficial for their bones and have diuretic and digestive properties that improve their intestinal transit.

Melon: melon is an excellent source of vitamins A and E, in addition to having powerful diuretic and antioxidant properties, which are very important for the health of our dogs. Like the rest of these fruits, we must remove the seeds and give the melon, preferably diced to our dog.

Watermelon: watermelon is also mainly composed of water, so it is ideal for giving our dog a small portion of seedless watermelon. Be careful, and you should give small amounts of watermelon to your dog because of its high fructose content.

Vegetables allowed for dogs

The best vegetables for dogs are green vegetables for the wide variety of vitamins they contain, including antioxidant properties and fiber. Indeed, other vegetables are rich in highly recommended beta-carotene. Recommended vegetables for dogs are:

Spinach: This vegetable helps our dog to regulate intestinal transit thanks to its fiber content. Spinach has rich vitamins A, C, E, B, and F. We must provide this vegetable to our dog raw, well-washed, and chopped. Otherwise, it could get stuck in the throat and cause significant damage.

Salad, lettuce, lamb's lettuce, and cabbage: Both vegetables are rich in iron and antioxidants and have analgesic and purifying properties. Before giving these products to the dog, they must also be washed and chopped to avoid suffocation.

Celery: Just as celery benefits us, so is our dog. Of course, in moderate quantities, washed and well chopped. It is also a powerful natural antioxidant, so important to maintain our dog's health in perfect condition; diuretic, digestive, anti-inflammatory, and strengthens his immune system. It is ideal for dogs with arthritis as it helps reduce pain. 

Green beans and peas: Rich in vitamins A and C and with antioxidant, digestive, and above all energy properties, these vegetables benefit our dog in moderate quantities. If your dog is not used to chewing food, do not give him peas, he could choke.

Carrots: We can say that they are one of the best vegetables for dogs not only for their antioxidant, depurative, and digestive properties but also for their ability to strengthen their teeth. We will provide you with a good piece of peeled carrot to chew on and help you remove the plaque.

Squash, zucchini: squash and zucchini are particularly recommended for dogs suffering from constipation. They are rich in fibre, antioxidants, and diuretics, so we can supply squash or zucchini in moderation, always peeled, chopped, and seedless. The same goes for pumpkin or pumpkin.

Cucumber: filled with water, the cucumber is ideal for refreshing your dog. BE CAREFUL; remove the seeds and the skin from your cucumber before giving it to your dog.

How to give fruits and vegetables to a dog

As we said before, fruits and vegetables should not be your dog's main source of food since your dog must eat protein for the most part. Indeed, fruits and vegetables should be a supplement, where experts recommend that between 15 and 20% of the diet should consist of fruits and vegetables.

We must remember that the dog's organism is not the same as ours and therefore does not need the same amounts of food as we do. So, if our diet should consist of a considerable percentage of fruits and vegetables, theirs is not. For example, the high sugar content in fruits is not as digestible for dogs as it is for us, as it is toxic for them in large quantities.

If the food we give our dog already contains fruits and vegetables, the amount of these raw foods should be less. However, if it is not composed of these products, we must give it 15% in its natural version. How? By providing our dog with all the peeled and cut fruits without pips or pits. Vegetables, however, will need to be washed and cut. Remember that your dog could suffocate or digest poorly if you don't do this.

It is not recommended to give natural fruits and vegetables more than once a week or always to give the same fruit or vegetable. Vary the pleasures!

BARF diet for dogs

The healthiest way to give vegetables to your dog is on the BARF diet, which stands for "Biologically Appropriate Raw Food", also called raw feeding. The BARF diet, therefore, consists of 60% bones with flesh and muscle, only 25% meat, and, finally, 15% fruits, vegetables, eggs, or viscera, all raw. The vegetables and fruits authorized for dogs thus fall within 15% of their diet. 

Fruits and vegetables prohibited for dogs

If there are fruits and vegetables authorized for dogs, there are also fruits and vegetables that are not recommended or even prohibited for your dog. Indeed, this can cause your dog digestive problems such as diarrhea or vomiting, even in some very serious cases, the risk of poisoning resulting in death. Here are a few:

Citrus fruits

The onions

Garlic

Leeks

Chives 

Olive oil for dogs - Benefits and natural remedy

Olive oil is a very healthy human and canine nutrition product, provided it is used sparingly. In dogs, it can be used internally by adding olive oil to the dog's diet. It can also have external applications in treating certain diseases, such as areas of the epidermis.

Besides being good and healthy, olive oil affects the quality of dog hair and skin and can even be helpful for constipated dogs.

Olive oil has many benefits and can be used as a natural remedy on many occasions:

Olive oil for dog skin

Olive oil for constipated dogs

Olive oil for dog dandruff

Olive oil for dog hair

Olive oil for dog joints against elbow dysplasia and hip dysplasia

Olive oil as a dietary supplement against obesity in dogs

Olive Oil for Dogs as an Antioxidant

Olive oil for dog itching

Olive oil for dogs: all the benefits

Olive oil is a monounsaturated oil very rich in antioxidants that nourishes the cells of your dog's body. In addition, olive oil provides vitamin E, omega 3, and healthy fats. For this same reason, we mentioned that it is a natural food that can help constipation.

Moderate consumption increases good cholesterol at the expense of bad cholesterol. It improves and helps joints and muscles (very suitable for older dogs suffering from diseases such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, arthritis, or osteoarthritis ). 

Olive oil for dogs: natural treatment

Your dog's doses of olive oil will vary depending on his size and weight. Equivalences:

Small dogs (10 kg) > 1/2 teaspoon per day.

Medium dogs (11 to 30 kg) > 1 teaspoon per day.

Large dogs (over 30 kg) > 1.5 teaspoons per day.

You can mix the dose of olive oil with foods from your dog's natural diet or with wet food. We can also apply it on a toast of rice flour, for example, or on any food containing one of the cereals good for dogs. Remember that you must respect the recommended doses because the dog could suffer from diarrhea if you exceed them. You will observe how his intestinal transit improves.

Olive oil for dogs: the long-term benefits

After a few weeks of consuming olive oil in their diet, you will notice that your dog's coat will look better. His coat will shine more and be more elastic and soft to the touch. Discover on PlanèteAnimal other tips to make your dog's hair shine. With the right dose, olive oil is a supplement to weight loss diets for obese dogs. However, if you exceed the amounts, the dog may get fat.

Olive oil for dog skin

 The downside of applying olive oil to a certain external area of ​​the dog that needs treatment, is that the dog can stain your furniture, floors, and fabrics.

Coconut oil for dogs

Coconut oil for dogs is as beneficial as olive oil., among other things, coconut oil for dogs is used to fight against allergies, has a healing effect, improves the appearance of your dog's hair, your dog's skin, improves digestion, and provides a lot of energy to the dog. To learn more you can read our article What are the benefits of coconut oil for dogs?

Argan oil for dogs

Argan oil is also an excellent oil for dogs, like olive oil. Argan oil is a very effective regenerating, moisturizing and nourishing fluid for dogs. However, be careful; because of its power and its price, it must be used in moderation.

Thanks to its healing effects, argan oil is ideal for soothing stings, wounds, and chafing on the dog's skin. In addition, it is beneficial for naturally washing your dog and will make his coat shiny and shiny.