Although it is safe to give blueberries to dogs, one must avoid overfeeding as it may lead to diarrhea and stomach upset.
Did You Know?
Ideally speaking, fruits should constitute less than 5% of your dog’s diet. Fruits are not a necessity but can be an occasional addition to their diet.
Blueberries are a powerhouse of nutrition and have long been recommended for a healthy living. These fruits are high in antioxidants that scavenge free radicals and delay the aging process. However, can food good for our health, be beneficial for dogs as well? For instance, raisins, well-known for their health-promoting nutrients, can actually be toxic to dogs. Can the same thing be said about berries? Is feeding blueberries harmful to dogs? Read the following write-up to know about the safety of giving blueberries to dogs.
Dogs Eating Blueberries – Is it Safe?
Certainly, blueberries are not poisonous to dogs and as such, there is no harm in feeding these. Blueberries are regarded as superfoods due to their high nutritional value. However, whether the benefits of eating blueberries extend to dogs as well, has not yet been found out due to lack of adequate research. Although evidence is emerging about the potential benefits that blueberries can offer to dogs, it is not sufficient to rate the effectiveness of blueberries in promoting dog health.
A 2006 study carried out by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and reported in National Institutes of Health (NIH) Publication, observed that a group of sled dogs had higher blood antioxidant levels, when they were put on blueberry supplements for a specified duration. Antioxidants, as we know, inhibit the activity of free radicals and play a major role in the treatment and prevention of a wide range of medical conditions including cancer. However, the quantity of blueberries the dog should eat to have a positive impact, is not yet known. So, feeding your dog with berries may offer benefits but to what degree has not been identified.
Serving Size
Blueberries are safe for dogs. But that doesn’t mean you can feed as much as you want. Feeding them excessively is not going to help. In fact, your pet consuming too many blueberries is likely to suffer from diarrhea and stomach upset. If at all, you want to give blueberries to your dog, it has to be strictly in moderation. Now, the moderate serving size of blueberries is not the same for all dogs and will vary depending upon their size. There have been no cases of severe reactions from blueberries, but it is strongly advised that you do not overfeed your dog.
Quite a few pet owners try to feed frozen blueberries because they are crunchy. Your pet may like this crunchy version of blueberries but they carry an increased risk of upset stomach. Hence, prefer berries that are fresh, clean, of high quality and mold-free.
Also, your dog having a shiny coat has nothing to do with feeding him blueberries. For a lustrous fur, it is essential to give essential fatty acids that are found aplenty in high-quality commercial dog food. So it is wrong to assume that blueberries will contribute to add shine to your dog’s coat.
Blueberries are not a dog food. Hence, it is not mandatory to include them in your pet’s diet. In simple words, it is not essential that you feed your dog with blueberries on a daily basis. However, you may feed them occasionally, that too in moderation.
Remember, meat is the primary source of nutrition for your pet dog. The proteins obtained from meat sources, particularly chicken and fish, is what keeps your pet energetic and healthy. So, one should not give too much importance to fruits that are not an integral part of a dog’s diet. However, giving fruit in small amounts is safe.
