CAN DOGS EAT LEMON?

Lemons are small yellow fruits which are used to add acidity and sour flavor to a recipe or a dish. These ellipsoidal fruits are an extremely popular item that can be found in kitchens all around the world. There are various uses of lemons for both culinary and non-culinary purposes, but they can also be used outside the realm of cooking. Lemons are very good for washing and cleaning purposes and are a primary ingredient in numerous utensil washing soaps and liquids. So, what are the elements that are present in a lemon that makes it so versatile, that it can not only be used during the cooking process but also later to clean the dishes.

Nutritional Elements inside a Lemon

Lemons are a pretty decent source of Vitamin C which is good for the immune system. They also contain a fair amount of citric acid which not only adds the required tanginess to a recipe but also allows them to be exceptionally good cleaners.

So, now let’s concentrate on the matter at hand which is, should these small sour-flavored fruits be given to our dogs or not? Are there any benefits of feeding lemons to a dog? Or, should we as a dog parent keep these tangy globules as far away from our pets as possible? The section below will try to answer all of these questions.

Benefits of feeding Lemons/Lemon Juice to your dogs

Mixing a very little amount of Lemon juice in your dog’s water bowl can help him/her to stay away from bad breath problems. But, it is important not to add more than a few drops of lemon juice to the water bowl as it can easily make the water acidic and slightly toxic for the dog if it is added in large amounts.

There can be various other benefits of feeding lemon or lemon juice to the dogs as it contains a great amount of Vitamin C, but because its so acidic, all the beneficial effects are overpowered by the toxicity that it can cause inside a canine’s body.

Now, there are many other uses and advantages of Lemon for a canine, but for this, the lemon juice is not to be fed to the dogs but rather it is applied on the outside of their body. The external benefits of lemons for the canines are as follows:

• Mixing lemon juice with water and then spraying it on the coat of a canine can help it to repel fleas.
• Lemon juice can be used to treat frostbites and other skin conditions in some canines. But, first, it is extremely important to consult a skilled vet.
• Lemons can also be used in the tear stain solution for the canines.

Risks of feeding Lemon/Lemon Juice to your dog

• Lemons contain citric acid, limonene, linalool, psoralens et cetera which if consumed in small amounts are not a threat for the consumer. But, in large quantities, these constituents can be extremely harmful for a canine and can cause lime poisoning in the dogs. This is characterized by lethargy, cold limbs, depression, weakness, vomiting et cetera in the canines.
• Apart from great quantities of lemon juice, the outer peel of the lemon is also very harmful for our pooches as it is of no nutritional value to them and it can also cause gastrointestinal blockage inside their body.

FINAL VERDICT:

Lemons may be useful for a canine but only for external purposes as it can be used to make a natural flea repellent for our dogs. But apart from that, they provide almost no nutritional value to the canines because of the high amount of citric acid present inside them. Its peel and the juice inside it (if fed in great amounts), both have the potential to be toxic for our furry friends and can cause numerous health-related problems in them. Therefore, it is recommended not to feed lemon or lemon juice to your dogs and instead look for some other Vitamin C sources (spinach, tomato etc.) for your closest buddy.