Beagles eating

Ultimate Guide To What Beagles Can (And Can’t) Eat

Although they stand just under 15 inches high, Beagles have a voracious appetite. As one of the scent hound breeds, these dogs have a very strong sense of smell. This powerful ability was originally intended for directing them to rabbits and other small prey. However, since we have made them more of family companions than the hunting dogs they were made to be, Beagles will more often use their powerful noses to lead them to food than prey. Their penchant for food prompts them to eat just about anything you set in their feeding bowl, even what is harmful to their health. Therefore, as a pet parent, it’s a good thing to know what is safe for your Beagle and what isn’t to avoid feasting him with the wrong diet.

That said, what food is good for your Beagle, and what do these canines need to avoid? Well, most foods are good for your Beagle provided that they don’t contain Xylitol. However, we still have other Xylitol-free foods that aren’t good for your Beagle. Read on to get all the information on what is good and what isn’t good for your Beagle.

How Much Food Do Beagles Need?

Before we proceed to see what is safe for your furry friend, let’s look at the amount of food they need. Like any other dog, the amount of food Beagles need varies depending on age, physical activity, and size. For instance, we don’t expect a 3-year old Beagle to go just fine with the same amount of food enough for a 2-week old Beagle puppy. In the same way, medium-aged Beagles won’t be happy to eat the same amount of food as the senior Beagles (above 7 years) who no longer need a lot of energy. In terms of exercise, If your Beagle is very active, he will need more food than one that will just eat and just lay around.

So, how much amount of food does your Beagle need? The rule of the thumb dictates that a Beagle puppy will need 55 calories for every pound of their body weight daily. The Beagles puppy stage ends at the age of 12 months. For adults, 45 calories per pound of their body weight is the way to go while the seniors will go just fine with 42 calories for every pound of their body weight. However, it’s important to note that you need to increase or decrease the calorie-intake of your pooch depending on the amount of exercise.

How Many Times In A Day Should You Feed Your Beagle?

You already know what amount of food is good for your Beagle. Now, how many times do you need to split up the meal? Well, Beagles that are above 6 months old will appreciate splitting their daily share into 2 meals a day. That means that you will need to feed them in the morning and evening. However, for the furbabies below the age of 6 months, you have to feed them more often.

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For instance, for those that are under 2 months old, you can split their daily food requirement into 5 meals. At this stage, it will be good to moisten their food and then reduce the amount of water gradually as they advance in days. After reaching the age of 2 months, you can reduce the meal sessions to 4. This should continue until the age of 4 months. Beagles between the age of 4 and 6 months will be comfortable with 3 meals a day.

So, just why do puppies need food more often than adult Beagles? It’s simple- the digestive system of Beagle puppies is more delicate and still developing. Therefore, it can handle small amounts of food at a go.

What Is Good For Your Beagle?

Now that you know what amount of food is good for your canine and how frequently they need it, let’s get deeper and see what is healthy for them. Provided that the food doesn’t contain Xylitol, Beagles will eat most meat, chicken, yogurt, eggs, corn, popcorn, olives, tuna, turkey, bananas, pork, peanut butter, cashews, bread, wheat, grains, salmon, quinoa, milk, coconut, honey, and many more.

Generally, Beagles need food rich in proteins, fats, and carbs. Protein helps them build and maintain muscles while fats play a central role in maintaining a healthy coat. Carbohydrates give your canine enough energy to make him the lively and the fun-loving companion you know. However, when feeding your Beagle, ensure that you don’t give an excess of any of these since it can bring about serious health conditions and undesired dog behavior. The rule of the thumb is that proteins, fats, and carbohydrates need to account for 25-35% of your dog’s food each.

What Food Is Bad For Beagles?

Before I proceed to name the foods that are generally considered to be a potential threat to Beagles, it’s good to note that any food containing Xylitol is harmful to any dog- just as aforementioned. Hence, before you feed your dog any of your treats, confirm the list of ingredients on the product label to be sure that it doesn’t contain this compound.

That aside, foods that you need to avoid feeding your Beagle include onions, chocolate, grapes, fruit seeds, mushrooms, alcohol, sugarless gum, walnuts, macadamia nuts, yeast dough, tomatoes, potato leaves and stems, fruit cores, raisins, avocado, alcohol, and many more.

What Makes These Foods Harmful To Your Beagle?

Most household foods are healthy for Beagles. However, we still have a few that are harmful as seen above. While most pet parents see Xylitol as the only threat to their furry friends, we have many other ingredients that pose a grave danger to your furry companion.

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For instance, Avocados and their leaves have persin, an ingredient that has long been associated with diarrhea and vomiting at small quantities and more life-threatening issues when consumed in huge amounts. Tomatoes and potatoes pack glycoalkaloid solanine which is also dangerous to Beagles and all dogs in general.

Onions and other plants belonging to the allium family may cause gastric issues when taken in large quantities. They can go to the extent of causing damage to red blood cells giving rise to serious conditions such as anemia. While scientists are yet to identify the harmful compound in grapes and raisins, it’s scientifically proven that these fruits can cause kidney failures in dogs. Other harmful compounds to look out for in foods include caffeine and alcohol.

Effects of Xylitol In Beagles

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that manufacturers prefer to use in products in place of sugar. When introduced in the body, Xylitol causes a blood sugar spike in dogs. The liver responds by producing large amounts of insulin which in turn lowers the blood glucose to extremely low levels, a condition known as hypoglycemia.

Effects of Persin in Dogs

Persin is a fungicidal toxin that is commonly found in Avocados. While this compound is generally harmless to humans, it’s a real threat to animals such as dogs, cattle, guinea pigs, goats, sheep, horses, turkeys, chicken, fish, and more. According to experts, dogs are more resistant to persin than most animals. But don’t get it wrong- it doesn’t mean that it’s alright for dogs avocados: they are just “more resistant” to the harmful compound than animals with high susceptibility. When taken in large quantities, you will notice gastrointestinal upset in your dog. Therefore, avoid feeding your Beagle with avocado.

Effects of Caffeine On Beagles

Although caffeine isn’t harmful to humans, it can be life-threatening to pets, including Beagles. When ingested in moderate or large amounts, caffeine takes 1-2 hours to manifest in dogs. Caffeine poisoning will cause signs such as restlessness, tachycardia, hypertension, unusual heart rhythms, hypothermia, seizures, and many other signs. In case you suspect a case of caffeine poisoning, induced vomiting will help as you find you make a journey to the vet. The veterinarian will typically prescribe several doses of activated charcoal to help decontaminate.

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Effects of Alcohol On Beagles

While Beagles may show interest in cocktails and other alcoholic beverages, these drinks can cause a significant impact on their health. Although how alcohol intoxication happens in dogs isn’t clear to scientists, many experts suspect that ethanol affects N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDAR) brain cells that play an important role in the development of the Central Nervous System (CNS).

Alcohol intoxication can also result from the ingestion of uncooked bread dough and rotten apples. These foods contain Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, a compound that will metabolize carbohydrate substrates to form alcohol and carbon (iv) oxide. Clinical signs of alcohol poisoning include lethargy, hypothermia, dehydration, excessive panting, muscle tremors, seizures, and more.

Effects of Solanine On Dogs

Solanine is a glycoalkaloid poison that is common in plants such as potatoes and tomatoes. This compound is more concentrated in raw potatoes although boiled or fried potatoes can have small amounts that can still affect your Beagle. The signs of solanine toxicity in dogs include but are not limited to drooling, diarrhea, gastrointestinal upsets, loss of appetite, and many more.

Is It Alright To Feed Beagles Cat Food?

Although they are all pets, Beagle’s diet requirements vary greatly from those of other dogs, leave alone cats! Typically, cat food contains high protein content. The excess proteins can cause rapid weight gain in Beagles and other dogs. That’s why you need to stick to what the vet recommends for your canine.

Why Is My Beagle Not Eating?

As aforementioned, Beagles have an appetite as huge as their personality. Therefore, when you see your Beagle not showing any interest in what has always been her favorite meal, odds are that there is a problem somewhere. The problem could either be with the meal, feeding bowl, or the Beagle. Therefore, it’s upon you as a pet parent to monitor your pup closely to pinpoint the major source of the problem.

To see if the problem is with the food, you can consider switching to his other favorite meal. Problems to do with the feeding bowl can be identified by using a different feeder. If your Beagle won’t eat even after all these, it’s now clear that he is the problem. As a pet parent, inspect your Beagle keenly to see if he has any injury. If you can’t find, look out for other signs. With and without any signs, make a journey to the vet ASAP.

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