Not many dogs are fond of eating pickles. Now that’s a fact. But some dogs can’t stop sniffing around as soon as there’s a pickle in the room. Now that’s an exception.
So if your dog is one of them, then you must be wondering “Can dogs eat pickles?”
You should know that the combination of pickles and dogs is not popular in the canine owner community.
And I’ll be discussing all the reasons in this article. So let’s get started!
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Can Dogs Eat Pickles?
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It’s time to find out if pickles are safe and healthy for dogs. You might be thinking that pickles are only cucumbers, right? And cucumbers are not dangerous for dogs. So pickles don’t seem like such a bad idea either. But that’s not the case.
Very few people know that the answer to such a question depends on the pickle and how often your dog consumes it. Pickles come in the variety, don’t they? This means that some of them are a great addition to any dog’s diet. On the other hand, there are a few pickles that are not good for their system.
But do you know why? It’s not because pickles are a highly toxic or poisonous vegetable. The thing about pickles is that they have high sodium content along with spices and vinegar. And these ingredients are suitable for our body, not a dog’s.
The sodium content of pickles comes from the salty water, spices, and vinegar that they are soaked in. And this highlights the fact that the unsoaked ones are safe to eat for dogs, doesn’t it?
What Types of Pickles Are Good for Dogs?
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My dog ate a pickle, what should I do? If that’s your worry, then first find out what type of pickle was it. From the many different options available, the only safe choices include unspiced, unsweetened, and unsalted pickles. So if your dog ate one of these, then she’s going to be alright.
Some dogs love to indulge in eating pickles occasionally. If that’s the case with your dog too, then the best way to go about it is to feed her unsalted ones. This particular type of pickle doesn’t contain high levels of sodium. So your dog’s body can handle the delicious treat.
Even sweet pickles are a safe option, but make sure to pick the ones without any spices. They also have low sodium content.
Now, if you’re wondering if you can feed your dog dill pickles, then the answer is in the negative. Dill pickles come with spices as well as high sodium. So it’s not a good idea to feed them to your dog.
How Much Is Too Much?
The problem lies with the salt content in pickles, doesn’t it? So you need to make sure that your dog doesn’t consume too many pickles at once. The safer option is to feed your dog just a few pickle slices not more than twice a week. You can chop these slices into tiny pieces.
Why do you have to cut them into pieces? It’s because pickles are a tad too big, aren’t they? So it’s not safe for your dog to eat an entire pickle as he might choke on it.
Frequent consumption of pickles leads to sodium buildup in the body. And eventually, this might turn into a habit. So before you know it, your dog’s body will crave for pickles every few days.
I would like to highlight a simple fact here. Dog food already contains a small amount of sodium content. So any other additional food that you choose to feed your dog should have either low sodium levels or no sodium at all. Your dog’s body is not created to handle dangerous amounts of salt.
But pickles are one of those vegetables that should not be a part of your dog’s diet. It’s better to keep your dog and his taste buds away from such foods.
Consuming pickles can eventually lead to upset stomach and other digestive issues. These are warning signs that tell you that your dog’s stomach is not accepting the kind of food that is going in.
What Types of Pickles Are Bad for Your Dog?
Can dogs eat pickles? You know the answer to this question now, don’t you?
But you probably don’t’ know what pickles are bad for dogs. So here’s that information.
If you, as a pet owner, enjoy pickles with garlic and onions, then great! But don’t feed that to your dog. Onions tend to cause anemia when it comes to dogs. So please keep both onion and garlic away from dogs.
Are you making it a point to maintain a low-sodium diet for your dog? If that’s the case, then it’s best to avoid pickles. These might just interfere with the diet and cause serious health issues like heart disease and high blood pressure.
Photo credit: myhumblekitchen.com
Conclusion
So what have we gathered here today, can dogs eat pickles? They can, but only the unspiced, unsweetened, and unsalted versions. Feeding them any other type of pickle will increase the sodium levels in the body. And this doesn’t sound like such a good idea.
So tell me, is your dog on a low-sodium diet? How many pickles do you feed him per week anyway?
Feel free to share your experiences with us below. The more information we have about pickles, the better choices we can make. And this helps in keeping our precious pets not only happy but healthy too.
I hope the content was useful and you gained something from it. Thank you for visiting my blog.
Have a beautiful day!
Hey there, I’m Ruby Smith, founder of Pet So Fun, and I’m here to provide you with useful information about your precious pet. All pets deserve the best care, don’t they? But not all pet owners have access to the right products and tips for their pets. And the central core of my work here is to change that.