Can Dogs Eat Watermelon?

Dogs are one of the most loving, affectionate, and loyal living beings found across the globe. The biggest challenge in fostering a pet dog is to provide him with the nutritious food to keep him fit and healthy. Generally, dogs are fond of delicious food items, whether they are good for them or not.

As a pet parent, it is a tough task to introduce variations in the daily diet regime of your pet. Well, to soothe the taste buds of your dog, you can give him certain food items that are consumed by humans in moderate quantity. Dogs love to eat fruits such as watermelons but before giving this fruit to your dog, let us find out whether watermelons are good for them or not.

Yes, dogs can eat watermelons in moderate quantities. Also, make sure to remove the seeds before feeding it to your pet as it can cause intestinal blockages in dogs. Do not give the watermelon along with the rind to your dog as it is not good for their gastrointestinal system. It is advisable to cut the watermelon in small pieces with the rind and seeds completely removed before giving it to your pet dog.

Consuming watermelon is a great way to stay hydrated during summers. Also, this nutritious fruit is good for the dogs but you need to keep several factors in mind before feeding it to your pet. Always remember that excess of any food item is not good for the overall health of the dogs. That is why it is preferable to give watermelon to your dog in the right way along with a suitable proportion. To make this happen, the following factors would help you out!

Nutritional Value of the Watermelon

Watermelons are a rich source of essential nutrients and vitamins, such as vitamins A, B6, and C along with potassium. Apart from this, it is also low in calories and sodium that make it a healthy fruit to be consumed by your dog. It would not increase the weight of your pet if given in moderate quantities.

A cup of watermelon contains 50 calories along with 92 percent of water approximately that is enough to keep your dog hydrated during summers. Also, this fruit is free from cholesterol and fats. So if you are looking for a guilt-free meal for your dog, nothing could be better than a bowl of chopped watermelon.

However, watermelons are not completely free from sugar; the fiber content presents in the watermelon separates the sugar and restricts it to be released into the bloodstream of your dog rapidly. Besides this, watermelons are rich in an antioxidant known as lycopene that is effective in preventing cancer in dogs.

A Healthy and Hydrating Treat for your Furry Pal

Giving a bowl of fresh watermelon pieces that are finely chopped to your pet dog on a sunny day would taste like heaven. There are more chances of your dog getting dehydrated during the scorching heat temperatures of summers.

In such a condition, it is challenging to keep your pet hydrated all day long, thereby striking a balance between his nutritional requirements and calorie intake. The best possible way to provide your pet dog with the required hydration during summers is to feed him a watermelon in moderate quantity.

Apart from this, watermelons do not contribute towards increasing the weight of your furry pal. So if your dog is obese, then also you can give him watermelons that provide his body with a boost of hydration without excessive sugar intake.

Age and Weight of your Dog

Age and weight, both of these factors play an important role in deciding the diet for your pet dog. Generally, the pups cannot consume chewable food items as they are too small to ingest them properly. Small dogs mainly survive on liquid pet-friendly meals. If your dog is too small, then you should not give him watermelon as it can choke his intestinal system.

On the other hand, if your dog is suffering from obesity, then you should consult a good veterinary doctor to determine his diet. Although, watermelons are considered to be quite healthy for dogs; it is preferable to include them in the diet of your dog after receiving a green signal for the same from the local vet.

If your dog is malnourished, then watermelons would be extremely beneficial for his health. However, you can decide the quantity according to the age and weight of your dog. Ideally, it is preferable to include a watermelon in the diet of your dog only when he is fully grown and able to ingest food items properly.

Importance of a Balanced Portion of Watermelons

Striking a reasonable balance of watermelon intake in the diet of your dog is very essential for maintaining good health. Although, watermelons are good for dogs but it does not imply that they should comprise a large part of your pet’s diet.

Eating watermelon in larger quantities can cause several health issues in dogs such as stomachache, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal discomfort. If you are giving a watermelon to your pet for the very first time, then it is advisable to start with the smaller quantities at the initial stage. Ideally, you can give about 50 grams of watermelon to small breed dogs, whereas for large dog breeds, you can keep the quantity to 64 grams.

If it suits your pet dog, then you can increase the quantity substantially to a moderate extent. However, after consuming watermelons, if your dog is feeling sick or is experiencing any sort of discomfort, then you should take him to a veterinary doctor as soon as possible.

The Right Way to Give Watermelon to your Dog

It is pretty much important to feed watermelon to your dog in the right way otherwise it can cause diverse types of health ailments in dogs. The following steps would help you out in giving the watermelon to your pet in the healthiest way for the betterment of his health.

• Wash the watermelon properly with clean water or you can even use a fruit sanitizer spray to disinfect the watermelon
• Cut the watermelon using a clean knife and remove out the seeds completely as they can cause blockage in the digestive tract of your dog, specifically if your dog is quite young
• The next step is to remove out the rind as the dogs generally tend to swallow it instead of chewing. It can lead to intestinal blockages in dogs which could be a serious cause of concern
• Peel off the outer skin of the watermelon properly as it is difficult for the dogs to digest
• Cut the watermelon into small and finely chopped pieces so that your dog can easily chew and digest them
• Make sure to fill the bowl of your pet in a moderate quantity of watermelon pieces

Wrap Up

Watermelon is a healthy delectable treat for dogs if given in a suitable quantity. Make sure to feed your pet with the natural watermelons only instead of giving him sugary treats containing watermelons.

Make sure to keep the watermelon cubes small and chewable as it is the simplest and safest way to feed your dog. Additionally, you can even freeze the watermelon to make it more refreshing and hydrating for consumption during summers.