05 Jun Can Dogs Eat Watermelons?

Summer is the season of colourful and delicious fruits like watermelon or melon. You must know how curious dogs are and how much they like to try everything we eat, including a red and attractive fruit like watermelons! As a dog owner, you may be wondering if dogs can eat watermelon. Is eating watermelon and drinking its juice good or bad for dogs? What about watermelon rinds and seeds? Is it harmful to dogs? And dozens of other questions about this sweet and juicy fruit composed of 92% water. Watermelon is full of nutrients and moisture, and there are some things to keep in mind when preparing this sweet fruit for your dog. In this article, we want to answer all these questions. By reading this article, you can determine eating watermelon for your dog and know what decision is best for him. Stay tuned for the rest of this article.

Benefits and properties of watermelons for dogs

Watermelon is a low-calorie, low-sodium, low-fat, cholesterol-free vegetable. Watermelon is rich in antioxidants, potassium, vitamins A, B6 and C and is high in lycopene and fibre. Watermelon is one of the best healthy snacks for your dog because it has a high nutritional value.

Moisture

The high moisture content of watermelons (92%) helps hydration of the body. Therefore, it can be beneficial to provide dog body fluids in summer and prevent the dog from overheating.

Antioxidants

It repairs cells damaged by environmental pressures on the dog’s body. Consider the nutrients in watermelon as oxidation soldiers that seek out damaged cells and fix them.

Lycopene

Lycopene Is a plant nutrient that prevents cancer and helps the dog’s vision.

Potassium

It supports kidney and heart function, strengthens bone density, regulates fluid levels, and helps muscle growth.

Vitamin C

It’s another powerful antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and reduces inflammation.

Fibre

Fibre helps prevent intestinal obstruction (constipation). It also helps with the digestion of food. Although watermelon is relatively high in sugar, the fibre in this fruit contains the sugar from spreading and entering the bloodstream at once and doesn’t cause a particular problem.

Vitamin A

This vitamin supports the proper functioning and quality of skin, hair, muscles and nerves.

Vitamin B6

It’s a vital enzyme for brain and body function that regulates the balance of fluids, proteins and hormones and supports neurotransmitters in the dog’s body.

The number of nutrients in watermelons

• Vitamin A 40 micrograms
• 5 mg of vitamin B6
• Five micrograms of vitamin C.
• Iron 35 mg
• Potassium 155 mg
• Calcium 10 mg
• 5% fibre
• 1 gram of protein
• 5 grams of carbohydrates (converted into energy)
• 5 grams of sugar (natural and insulated by fibre that is slowly released into the bloodstream)

Can dogs eat watermelon?

Eating watermelons or drinking their juice isn’t a problem for dogs, and if you follow a series of important points, it can even be helpful for them. But you should know that some parts of watermelon are dangerous for dogs. To not cause any problems for the dog, you should give him watermelon in the right way. It’s also vital how much watermelon you can give to your dog, and you should pay attention to it.

How can watermelon be harmful to dogs?

Watermelon shouldn’t be a big part of a dog’s diet. If a dog eats a lot of watermelons, he may suffer from problems and various digestive diseases such as diarrhoea and heartburn. In addition, overeating watermelon due to its high fibre may cause heartburn and indigestion. The amount of watermelon consumed per day depends on the dog’s weight, breed and body. You can consult your veterinarian to prevent gastrointestinal upset. But as a general rule, always remember that dog treats (even natural ones like watermelon) shouldn’t make up more than 10% of a dog’s daily calories.

So depending on the size and weight of the dog, specify this 10% and give the dog a commercial treat or a variety of fruits based on it. In addition, some dogs experience stomach pain when eating new foods and fruits. So if it’s the first time you want to give a dog watermelon, first give him a small amount and then if you don’t see a bad reaction, you can provide him watermelon again.

Eating watermelon seeds

So far, we have said that eating watermelon isn’t harmful to dogs, and you can give it to your dog in moderation. But you should be aware that some parts of watermelon are wrong and unhealthy for them! Watermelon seeds can cause discomfort and health problems for dogs. Of course, eating 1-2 seeds isn’t a problem; But if the dog eats all the seeds inside the watermelon, it may cause severe pain or gastrointestinal obstruction. Bowel obstruction is very painful and annoying for dogs, and they usually need surgery. Chewing and swallowing watermelon seeds can also cause gastrointestinal upset. Of course, some large dogs may be able to pass these seeds through their digestive systems without difficulty; However, small breed dogs are much more likely to have bowel problems and obstruction.

Watermelon rind

Watermelon rind is also a useless and harmful part for dogs. Of course, dogs can eat the inner part of the rind, But the outer part isn’t suitable for dogs because it’s tough for dogs to chew. Therefore, dogs can swallow watermelon rind properly and develop intestinal obstruction and dangerous digestive problems. In addition, watermelon rind is challenging for dogs to digest and may cause more obstruction. In this case, smaller dogs are more at risk again. If the dog has eaten many watermelon seeds or rinds and has symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy, constipation and abdominal pain, be sure to consult a veterinarian and take the dog to the clinic and hospital immediately if necessary. These signs and symptoms usually appear up to 24 hours after eating them, So be careful with your dog.

Giving watermelon to a dog

Each dog has different nutritional needs depending on the breed, age, weight, health status and activity level; some sick dogs need a special diet, and watermelon may be harmful. When you first prepare watermelon for your dog, start with a small amount, which gives you a chance to see if your dog is allergic to the fruit. If your dog has no problem digesting food, you can gradually increase this amount. However, it’s better not to give your dog more than 4 or 5 pieces of watermelon on the first day.

First, cut the watermelon into small pieces, carefully remove all the seeds, peel the watermelon, and give watermelon slices as a cool, summery treat to your dog. Never provide a sliced ​​watermelon to the dog with its rind and seed; Because in the blink of an eye, the dog swallows the whole watermelon properly. Some dogs like to eat and chew cold and frozen foods. In this case, you can put the watermelon in the freezer for a while, So your dog will cool down and be refreshed.

A few creative ways to prepare watermelons for dogs in the summer

In pieces

Chop the watermelon and remove the rind and seeds.

Frozen pieces

After removing the rind and seeds, put the fruit in the freezer and give it to your dog on a summer day to cool.

Puree

Puree the watermelon by removing the seeds and rind. Then freeze in an ice cube tray.

Watermelons ice cream

Mix frozen watermelon slices with plain, unsweetened yoghurt and other healthy fruits such as blueberries, bananas or pineapples and peanut butter. Then place it on freezer ice trays for a fresh snack. Try to prepare them as a smoothie. Plain yoghurt is safe for most dogs as long as they don’t suffer from lactose intolerance. This method is usually better than ice cream and is more tolerable for dogs; in addition, culturing bacteria in yoghurt is very good for intestinal health. You choose plain yoghurt with no flavourings, fruit, sugar, or natural or artificial sweeteners.

To wrap up

This article said that watermelon is suitable for dogs, and this summer, the fruit is rich in valuable nutrients. In addition, watermelon is composed of 92% water and is excellent for supplying dog body fluids in summer. But parts like watermelon seeds and their rinds aren’t good for them at all and can even cause gastrointestinal problems such as intestinal obstruction. To have a healthy and lively dog, you need to pay attention to nutrition, activity, health, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have groomed your dogs carefully and accurately so that they count the moments for the next session.