Healthy “Human Foods” for Dogs
Posted By Nancy Houser on September 8, 2009
Most foods that people eat are known to cause dogs to become overweight or have serious digestive problems, with the majority of veterinarians suggesting not to feed dogs from the table. We have found that this depends on what type of food it is, as many people-type foods are excellent for dogs as long as it doesn’t comprise over 25% of their daily caloric total.
For any serious diet change in your pet, make sure you contact your veterinarian if the dog is on steady medications. Upsetting the vitamin and mineral balances in your dog’s diet can have negative effects on your dog’s health and some medications interact badly with some nutrients. It is best to be careful.
Good nutrition coupled with a health care program may result in extending your dog’s life by as much as 15 percent. The suggestions above are not meant to replace your dog’s normal, balanced diet. Rather, they are ideas for alternative treats or for adding a little variety to your dog’s meals.
APPLES
Apples are wonderful for dogs if given in small amounts, especially quartered apples with the skin left on. First remove the seeds as they are extremely toxic to dogs. A small amount of seeds are safe, but the seeds contain the poison “amygdlin” which is a form of cyanide.
Cyanide prevents the blood from carrying oxygen throughout the body if too much is consumed. But as long as the seed casing is not broken, the dog’s body will detoxify itself and the cyanide will eventually pass through the dog’s body totally intact.
The apple itself is a very crisp and sweet which dogs enjoy and love to munch on. Eating apple skins will make their own skin very healthy, containing plant chemicals referred to as phytonutrients. These chemicals are thought to be cancer preventives in humans and a source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and fiber.
BREWER’S YEAST
Dogs enjoy the taste of brewer’s yeast (purchased at health food stores…not baking yeast which makes dogs very sick), a yeast left over from making alcohol. Not only full of Vitamin B for the animal’s skin, coat, and their metabolism but many dog owners swear by it as a flea preventive. Once the yeast enters the dog’s system, it gives off an unpleasant odor to fleas which they do not like…so off they go.
Brewer’s yeast is also said to stimulate the dog’s immune system. If the dog is a picky eater, sometimes by sprinkling brewer’s yeast on the dog food it will perk up an appetite. It also contains biotin, minerals including zinc, and high quality proteins which assist in the control of shedding.
EGGS
Eggs are very healthy for dogs, as long as they are cooked, containing digestible forms of protein, riboflavin, and selenium. They are particularly good as a protein boost for dogs with some digestive issues.
Scrambled eggs are a dog’s favorite meal or mixed with their usual canine feed. Raw egg whites cause biotin deficiency so they should be avoided, even though many dog owners feed raw eggs as part of their dog’s raw food diet.
FLAX SEED
A good source of omega-3 fatty acids, flax seed contains essential fatty acids good for a dog’s skin and coat. They are best consumed by dogs ground prior to feeding as it is known to go rancid pretty quick. The flax seed is a good source of fiber while flax oil is more of a concentrated form of omega-3 fatty acids but without fiber. If you do have flax oil or seed, make sure they are stored in the refrigerator inside a dark container it is air-tight.
Also called linseed oil, flax seed oil has been suggested as more pleasing than fish oil supplements. Flax seed oil has more levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) as opposed to fish oil, while also containing omega-6 fatty acids. ALA ultimately converts to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in some species, of significant benefit in immune disorders and chronic inflammatorybody managment.
GREEN BEANS
Green beans in a dog’s diet is an excellent source of many things—Vitamin C, Vitamin K, fiber, and manganese. It is a low-calorie filler for obese or heavy dogs or helps dogs maintain a healthy weight. A treat for many dogs is frozen green beans as they are empty calories and can be used for dogs continuously hungry.
OATMEAL
As any old-timer will tell you, a daily breakfast of oatmeal provides with an excellent source of fiber. It is the same for our dogs, and can be extremely beneficial for older dogs with irregular bowels. And it provides a wonderful diet source for animals or people allergic to wheat. For dogs, it should be cooked plain with no sugar or flavorings.
PUMPKIN
Pumpkin is considered an excellent source of beta carotene and fiber, with beta carotene a source of Vitamin A. Boiled fresh pumpkin mixed with their food helps defer the new digestible diets which lower stool amounts, with the pumpkin helping to clean out the bowels due to this.
The pumpkin seeds that are processed are good to remove worms in the intestines, as much as 1/2 tsp daily of the ground seeds. A good thing to do is add half-cup of ground pumpkin to the dog food, toss it with the ground pumpkin seeds with the dry food or mix it with some canned food.
YOGURT
Yogurt has been around for awhile in the diet for dogs, an available source of calcium and protein. Plain yogurt with no sugars or artifiical sweeteners with live active bacteria should be used which acts as a probiotic. Yogurt for heavy dogs should be one that contains fat substitutes (fat-free) such as SImplesse or Olestra.
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- Tips about low-cost healthy dog food
- Are Vegetarian Diets Healthier for Dogs than Meat Diets?
- Removing the Dreaded Tapeworm in Dogs
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[...] Original post: Healthy “Human Foods” for Dogs [...]
mcChicken meal from mcdonalds is very healthy and nourishing for dogs.
you have to be careful with human foods, some of them can be dangerous for dogs to eat.
[...] or green beans, for example). Once that first bite is eaten, leucocytosis does not occur even when eating cooked food afterwards because the body only responds to that first bite of [...]