Crunchy and tasty, carrots are a staple food across homes in America, and many dog owners have been left wondering whether this nutritious vegetable will make a viable food source for their Fido. So, can dogs eat carrots?
Yes, dogs can eat carrots, many and feeding them this crunchy vegetable comes with numerous health benefits. And in even better news, it doesn’t matter whether the carrot is cooked or raw; both versions are equally safe for dogs to consume.
In a world filled with artificial and natural food substances that are toxic to dogs’ health, the fact that carrots are safe for pooches to consume is a breath of fresh air.
As inferred in the answer paragraph above, carrots can be extremely beneficial to canine health, and this article covers some positives associated with including carrots in your canine buddy’s diet. General carrot feeding guidelines are also covered extensively, but let’s see why carrots are safe for dogs to eat before we go further.
Can Dogs Eat Carrots?
Dogs can eat carrots, and you should find a way to incorporate this vegetable into your furry friend’s diet, either as part of the dog’s main meal or as a treat.
The entire parts of a typical raw carrot vegetable – from the leafy green top to the body of the carrot itself – are safe for dogs to eat, and a carrot makes a healthy choice for dog parents seeking a healthy snack for a hungry dog.
Can Dogs Eat Cooked Carrots?
Cooked carrots, the same as raw carrots, are safe for dogs to eat, and they make a viable option if you notice that your canine buddy doesn’t like the crunchy and somewhat rough nature of raw carrots.
How Many Carrots Should I Feed To My Dog?
The general guideline for feeding your dog carrots is that this vegetable shouldn’t make up more than 10% of the dog’s daily caloric intake.
Carrots are safe to serve to dogs daily, provided this caloric limit is adhered to, and for average-sized dogs, this limit is achieved by feeding the pooch with between 2 to 3 sticks of carrot per day.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Feeding My Dog With Carrots?
Health benefits attached to feeding dogs with carrots include the absorption of the numerous nutrients present in carrots, improved oral health,
Carrots Are Nutrient-Rich
One of the many reasons we recommend feeding your furry friend with carrots is due to the sheer amount of nutrients present and the low amount of fat in this tasty, crunchy vegetable, as well as their benefits to canine health.
Carrots are packed with fiber, minerals like beta carotene that is converted to vitamin A by the dog’s body, and essential vitamins, like vitamin K and potassium. And when fed with carrots, all these nutrients present in the vegetable work in tandem with a dog’s body system to ensure your Fido’s good health.
Vitamins are notable for improving canine vision and overall eye health, and they are also capable of boosting a dog’s immune system. Additionally, vitamins contained in carrots have properties that help maintain a dog’s coat and skin quality and also help with the conversion of other nutrients (proteins and carbohydrates) into energy for the dog.
Carrots Are Great For Oral Health
The crunchy nature of carrots makes them useful in helping to maintain a dog’s dental health. By munching on a piece of carrot, dogs can get rid of tartar or plaque build-up in the mouth and simultaneously strengthen their teeth.
Carrots Help With Better Bowel Movement
As mentioned earlier, carrots are rich in fiber, and this is great news for the canine digestive system.
Fiber contains properties that make bowel movements easier for a dog. It also facilitates the growth of good bacteria and the canine digestive system, thereby making it easier for a dog to digest food.
That said, carrots typically contain cells contained by cellulose, a material that dogs can’t digest easily; Hence, there’s, however, no course for alarm if you find small pieces of carrots contained in your pooch’s stool.
Can Carrots Be Bad For Dogs?
When fed to dogs in excess, carrots can lead to health issues, such as obesity and diabetes developing in dogs.
There is no doubt of the numerous health benefits attached to feeding dogs with carrots in moderation. But, it is important to note that carrots typically contain a high natural sugar content, and when consumed excessively, can develop into health problems for dogs.
Carrot Contains Sugar
Feeding a dog with an excessive amount of sugar, regardless of whether it is from a natural or artificial source, can develop into weight-related issues such as obesity and diabetes for such a dog. And to prevent your dog from developing these health challenges associated with eating too much carrot, it is important that you adhere to the carrot feeding guideline outlined in earlier sections of this article.
Carrots Pose A Risk Of Stomach Upsets
Carrots contain significant amounts of fiber, and when incorporated suddenly into a dog’s diet, and in large amounts, can cause gastrointestinal issues such as stomach upset and gas build-up for such a dog.
How Can I Feed My Dog With Carrots?
As outlined in earlier sections, carrots can either be fed raw or cooked to dogs as part of their main diet. Carrots can also be made into healthy treats that can be occasionally fed to your dog.
Carrots are quite versatile and can be fed to dogs in a number of ways – either as a standalone snack, paired with a roast, or adding flavor to soup for your dog. However, before making the choice to include carrots in your pooch’s diet, it is advised to seek your vet for advice on feeding guidelines.
That said, outlined below are some ways by which you can incorporate carrots into your canine buddy’s diet.
Feeding Raw Or Cooked Carrots
Before feeding your dog with carrots, you must ensure that you thoroughly wash and/or peel a thin layer off the vegetables to get rid of harmful dirt and chemicals typically found in soil.
When feeding your dog with raw or cooked carrots, it is important that you chop or grate the vegetables into smaller, bite-sized pieces. By cutting the carrots into smaller pieces, you’ll be making it easier for your dog to chew and swallow, thereby preventing choking.
If you observe that your dog doesn’t like eating raw carrots, you can feed make a choice the pooch with cooked carrots. However, when cooking the carrots, take care to avoid over-boiling them, as this can lead to nutrient loss.
That said, you can avoid overcooking carrots and subsequently losing nutrients by steaming the carrots for ten minutes before proceeding to feed them to your pooch.
Regardless of how you prepare carrots for your dog, you should avoid adding seasonings, spices, and other additives, as these can make the pooch really sick.
Feeding Frozen Carrots
Apart from feeding raw or cooked carrots, it is essential to note that breaking down carrots into fine flakes before freezing them makes an equally great choice for dogs, especially teething puppies!
Frozen carrots also make for a great and healthier chewing toy option for older dogs. And feeding a pooch with frozen carrots after a professional dental cleaning exercise can also have a soothing effect on a pooch’s gums.
Feeding Carrots As Treats
Adding juiced or pureed carrots to your dog’s homemade treats comes with a ton of nutritional benefits, and it is even possible to bake carrots into homemade treats.
You can also make carrots into juice for your dogs, but it is important to note that a significant amount of fiber is typically lost during this juicing process.
