CAN DOGS EAT WATERMELON?

Ever wondered what to do, when you are having a slice of fresh Watermelon on a sunny day and your four-legged pooch is right by your side waiting to have a bite of the juicy fruit that you are thoroughly enjoying? Well, you should stop pondering about it and just give a piece or two to your sweet companion as Watermelons, if given in moderation, can be highly effective and beneficial for your dog. But the key here is moderation, and one should know when to stop feeding these succulent delights to his/her doggy as it may have a harmful effect on the pooch’s body.

So, let us first look at the various ingredients that are present inside the Watermelon which makes it good or bad (depending upon the quantity) for a canine.

Nutritional Elements in Watermelon

As evident by the table above, Watermelon is a really good source of a lot of essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, A, B6, Magnesium, Potassium et cetera. And not only that, it also contains abundant water which makes it a great thirst quencher. And, finally its extremely low in calories and is basically free of any fat content, which is an add-on bonus in itself. So, with all these positive aspects, you would think that the Watermelon should be highly advantageous for the canines and in fact should be totally harmless for them. But that’s not the case as there are some parts of this fruit that are not good to feed the canines and, in the section below, we’ll see how a Watermelon can be favorable for the dogs and how it can be deleterious for them.

Benefits of feeding Watermelon to your dogs

1. Watermelon is good for the canine’s eyesight and vision as it is rich in Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene.
2. This fruit is filled with numerous antioxidants that are really beneficial for a dog. It can help the pooch to fight against several dangerous health problems like diabetes, neurological disorders, and even Cancer.
3. It helps in regulating and improving the functions of a dog’s brain, heart, and
4. It increases the absorption of various other vitamins and minerals in the canine’s body.
5. Watermelon boosts the canine’s immune system and makes it more strong and resilient.
6. The water content inside a Watermelon is more than 90% and hence it can easily act as a counter to dehydration in dogs.
7. This fruit also helps the dogs in maintaining the functions of their RBC’s and even the thyroid gland.

Risks of feeding Watermelon to your dogs

1. First of all, it is important to know what parts of a consumable item is fine to feed the canine and what parts can be harmful to In case of Watermelons, the fleshy red part is beneficial for the dogs and the seeds and the rind is bad for them as it can cause intestinal blockage or gastrointestinal upset in the canines.
2. Feeding this fruit in an excess amount to a dog can lead to abdominal bloating. In this condition, the dog’s stomach expands and it puts pressure on its other organs. This condition can be very painful for the canines.
3. Overfeeding this juicy fruit to a canine can also lead to diarrhea and other tummy problems.
4. Watermelon can also make the canines urinate frequently as it is mostly made of water. A constant and sometimes incessant urination can affect a canine’s bladder and its function.

FINAL VERDICT:

Watermelons can be tremendously useful for the canines as it is good for their immune system, eyesight, neurological system et cetera. It also helps them fight against numerous life-threatening diseases like cancer, diabetes and more. But, some of the damaging effects that Watermelon could have on a canine’s body also cannot be neglected. So, to get the best results, this fruit, after properly removing the seeds and the rind, should be fed to the dogs only in a limited manner (mostly as a treat).