Vegetables make up a small part of a dog’s diet and help your dog meet nutritional needs such as fiber, vitamins, and carbohydrates. Sometimes your dog may show interest in eating some vegetables, so you may want to give them some vegetables. But remember that not all vegetables can be given to dogs. In this article, we want to examine another type of vegetable, zucchini. In this article, we answer the question of whether dogs can eat zucchini or not. Is zucchini safe or toxic for dogs? How much zucchini can have dogs? We also talk about raw and cooked zucchini for dogs.
- Can dogs have zucchini?
- Is zucchini bad for dogs?
- Zucchini benefits for dogs
- How much zucchini can we give to a dog?
- Can dogs eat raw or cooked zucchini?
- Can dogs eat the skin and other plants of zucchini?
- Feeding the dog with zucchini tips
- What are the substitutes for zucchini in a dog’s diet?
- The bottom line
Can dogs have zucchini?
Yes, dogs can eat zucchini. zucchini is one of the good and safe vegetables for dogs and can be used as a reward and snack in the dog’s diet.
Zucchini does not cause any adverse side effects and is tolerated by almost all dogs. So if your dog likes to eat zucchini, know that you can use it to feed the dog.
Is zucchini bad for dogs?
In general, zucchini is not dangerous to dogs; however, in rare cases, it can be.
Using bitter zucchini in dog food can harm dogs because it contains cucurbitacin. This heat-stable toxin is poorly soluble in water.
Cucurbitacin poison can cause lethargy, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in dogs. For this reason, we recommend buying zucchini from reputable stores and trying to choose zucchini that are more yellow in color.
Zucchini benefits for dogs
Zucchini has many health benefits for your dog, such as: low calories, high fiber, high vitamins and minerals, and high water.
low calories; Helping to control the dog’s weight
Zucchini is ideal for overweight dogs. Zucchini contains 20 calories per 100 grams, making your dog feel full. For this reason, it can help you control your dog’s weight.
Also, zucchini is low in cholesterol and fat, and you can use it in your dog’s diet without any worries.
Zucchini also has a low glycemic index, so it won’t spike your dog’s blood sugar. So if your dog has diabetes, don’t worry about giving zucchini to your dog.
High fiber; Improve digestion
Like most vegetables, zucchini is rich in fiber. Having a small amount of fiber in your dog’s diet is beneficial because it helps the dog digest and absorbs the nutrients it needs.
Cooked zucchini has less than 1.05 grams to 1.5 grams fiber per 100 grams. The presence of fiber helps in smooth intestinal transit in dogs.
Zucchini contains soluble and insoluble fiber, which can help your dog digest food and reduce the risk of constipation.
The dog’s body ferments soluble fiber with bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) through the fermentation process.
The production of SCFAs prevents digestive problems such as colitis, leaky gut syndrome, and irritable bowel disease.
However, it is better to observe moderation in its consumption because it may cause digestive problems in dogs.
Plant source of vitamins, minerals
Zucchini is an excellent option for providing vitamins needed by dogs. Zucchini is an excellent source of vitamins A, B2, B6, B9, beta-carotene, folate, and especially vitamin C.
Vitamin A is one of the essential vitamins for dogs, the amount of which is higher in raw zucchini than in cooking.
Vitamins strengthen the dog’s immune system and maintain the skin and nails.
The presence of vitamin C makes the dog’s coat shiny and healthy. It enhances the dog’s joints, especially if your dog suffers from arthritis or is overweight.
It is also rich in minerals such as potassium, manganese, phosphorus, and copper. The presence of minerals such as potassium helps maintain and even increase your dog’s muscle mass.
Contains a lot of antioxidants
Zucchini is rich in carotenoids and natural antioxidants such as beta-carotene, which give plants their bright yellow, orange, or red color.
These antioxidants can prevent certain types of cancer, control blood sugar and insulin levels, and improve the dog’s overall health by fighting free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules that cause rapid aging and DNA damage. Including foods rich in antioxidants in a dog’s diet reduces free radical damage.
Rich in water
Zucchini is a vegetable rich in water. One cup of zucchini is 90 percent water and contains 1 gram of fiber, which can keep your dog feeling full.
Regular consumption of this food will effectively help your dog’s hydration. Also, the high percentage of water in zucchini helps the food movement along the dog’s digestive system and makes the dog’s stool softer.
Reducing the production of kidney stones
Zucchini is a vegetable that reduces urine saturation with calcium oxalate. For this reason, it can be part of a dog’s diet suffering from oxalate stones. Zucchini slows down the production of kidney stones in dogs.
These are just some of the benefits of zucchini for dogs, but that doesn’t mean you have to give your dog a lot of it. Remember that vegetables should not make up more than 10% of the dog’s diet.
How much zucchini can we give to a dog?
Well, the answer to this question depends on the dog’s size, his tolerance for zucchini, and how you use zucchini as a plant source in your dog’s diet.
The recommended daily amount of zucchini is 25 to 200 grams per 10 kilograms of your dog’s weight.
The amount of zucchini recommended based on the weight and size of the dog:
- 5 to 10 grams daily for small dogs (1-2 tsp)
- 10 to 15 grams daily for medium dogs (2-3 tsp)
- 17 to 35 grams for large dogs (1-2 tbsp)
Can dogs eat raw or cooked zucchini?
Yes, Dogs can eat zucchini raw, cooked, steamed and frozen. To choose each of them, pay attention to your dog’s food taste. Zucchini tastes sweeter when cooked because it contains more sugar, but some dogs prefer to eat zucchini raw as a snack.
But it is recommended to add cooked zucchini to the dog’s diet for easier digestion and to prevent choking. If you want to give cooked zucchini to your dog, we recommend that it be fresh.
Generally, frozen or canned zucchini has lost its flavor, and your dog may not be able to digest it well. Also, avoid adding food seasonings such as salt to zucchini; Food that is too salty is bad for your dog’s health.
You can use a few pieces of frozen zucchini in the summer season as an incentive.
Can dogs eat the skin and other plants of zucchini?
Yes, dogs can eat peals, orange blossoms, and zucchini leaves. Eating this part of the zucchini does not cause acute problems in dogs.
Of course, you should know that the zucchini skin contains a small percentage of malonic acid, which can be toxic. Malonic acid can irritate the stomach and respiratory tract.
This toxin is more present in zucchini with dark green skin and less in zucchini with yellow or pale green skin. So, if you use a dark green zucchini, it is better to peel it or give a smaller amount to the dog.
Feeding the dog with zucchini tips
There are tips about giving zucchini to dogs, which we will explain to you in this section.
- Try to be moderate in feeding the dog with zucchini. Generally, vegetables should make up less than 10% of a dog’s entire meal.
- It is better to cut the zucchini into small pieces. The more significant the pieces, the greater the risk of choking for your dog. You can give your dog zucchini in small pieces or grated.
- It is better to use fresh zucchini in the dog’s diet. Do not use canned products containing zucchini, as they contain preservatives such as xylitol.
- If you want to cook zucchini, it is better not to use oil or seasoning. Also, avoid combining green zucchini with harmful and prohibited foods for dogs, such as garlic and onions.
- Before giving zucchini to the dog, wash it well to remove bacteria, toxins, and pesticides from it.
- Do not peel zucchini before giving it to your dog, as it contains fiber and the highest amount of antioxidants.
How to add zucchini to dog food
- Try introducing green pumpkin gradually and in small portions to the dog’s diet so that the dog does not suffer from digestive problems.
- If after 24 hours you don’t notice any side effects such as diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting, or itching, give your dog some more zucchini.
- And if after 24 hours your dog still feels good, it means that the animal tolerates this vegetable well.
What are the substitutes for zucchini in a dog’s diet?
Suppose your dog can’t tolerate zucchini or doesn’t like the taste for any reason. In that case, you can use other vegetables that are good for dogs. For example, you can use carrots instead of zucchini in your dog’s diet.
Other vegetables that can be given to dogs instead of zucchini are:
These vegetables can be a good substitute for zucchini and will not pose any potential danger to your dog.
read more about other good vegetables for dogs:
The bottom line
Dogs can eat zucchini. zucchini is one of the useful and good vegetables for dogs that you can give to your dog without any worries. But remember that the total amount of vegetables in a dog’s diet should not exceed 10%. Also, overeating zucchini can cause digestive problems such as diarrhea in dogs. So, according to your dog’s taste and interest in zucchini, you can use it in your dog’s diet. Please share your experiences with feeding dogs with zucchini.
People also ask
Yes, puppies can eat zucchini too. The presence of minerals such as potassium makes the muscle mass of puppies grow better and healthier.
Zucchini is recommended for dogs suffering from some problems such as obesity and overweight, kidney stones (calcium oxalate), arthritis, and dysplasia.
