The diet of dogs consists of different foods. The specific ones, that is, the canine feed, is the basic one, but it is complemented by others such as fruits and vegetables. In this sense, blueberries are small berries that provide many nutritional benefits for humans and dogs can also benefit from their consumption.
Doubts about whether your dog can eat blueberries? Not all foods that humans eat are suitable for these animals. In fact, some fruits and vegetables are not recommended for them, as they can cause damage to their stomach. Therefore, it is important to clarify if they can consume this fruit. To find out if dogs can eat blueberries, the benefits they can bring to their body and how to give them responsibly, in we recommend that you continue reading this article.
Can dogs eat blueberries or not?
To know if blueberries are good for dogs, it is necessary to know what they are and the nutritional values they contain. They are very low-calorie berries (46 kcal per 100 grams) and are a rich source of fiber, as well as vitamins and other antioxidant compounds.
It is a fruit that does not contain any toxic substance for the canine organism. Therefore, its consumption is suitable for dogs, but that does not imply that they can eat them in any way. As with the rest of fruits suitable for dogs, they should eat blueberries in moderation.
The smartest and healthiest strategy to include blueberries in your little fury’s diet is as a reward or reward after good behavior. In this way, you will allow it to enjoy its flavor and benefit from its nutritional contribution.
Benefits of giving blueberries to my dog
If you decide to include blueberries in your dog’s diet, thanks to their consumption you can get the following benefits:
- Great source of fiber: this is an essential nutrient in the canine diet. Fiber is responsible for adding volume to food portions and creating a feeling of satiety. It also accelerates the speed of intestinal transit, regulates the consistency of feces and promotes the maintenance of the intestinal microbiota. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain levels of 2-5% of fiber in the dog diet.
- Low-calorie fruit: contains moderate levels of carbohydrates and is low in fat and protein. Therefore, you can offer blueberries as a reward even if you are somewhat obese or overweight, since you will need to follow a low-energy diet.
- Blueberries are rich in magnesium, that is, a trace element essential for the proper functioning of the brain and for the creation of thyroid hormones.
- They are berries that contain a high level of vitamin A, K and E. Vitamin A preserves the integrity of the mucous membranes and skin, as well as helping the proper functioning of the immune system, reproduction, vision and urinary system. Vitamin K acts in the process of blood clotting and is involved in the maintenance of bones. As for vitamin E, it is a very powerful antioxidant that intervenes in the metabolism of fats.
- They have proanthocyanidin and hippuric acid, which prevent the development of some urinary tract infections as it reduces the ability of E. coli to adhere to the bladder urothelium.
- Blueberries are one of the foods with the greatest antioxidant power due to the combined action of their minerals, vitamins and fifteen anthocyanins, among which are motilin, delphinidin, petunidine and malvidin. These antioxidants protect the body from cell damage caused by free radicals, thus slowing down the development of cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and tumors.
How to give blueberries to my dog
If you intend to give blueberries to your little furry, in we recommend that you take into account the following considerations so that it is not harmful to your health:
Quantity and frequency
The number of blueberries will depend on the size of your dog’s breed. The small ones can be offered between 3 and 4, while the large ones can be given 8 or 9. Regarding the frequency, you should consume them occasionally: as a reward or reward is the best option.
Unmixed
There are several berries suitable for dogs such as raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, but there are others that are very toxic to them such as currants. Therefore, avoid mixing blueberries with other fruits whose consumption is harmful to the health of your furry friend.
Fresh and clean fruit
It is best to give fresh blueberries to your dog. Frozen berries carry a choking risk, especially in small dogs. Nor should you give this fruit through jams or jams, since they are elaborations with a high sugar content. In addition, these products usually contain some toxic substances for dogs such as xylitol.
Before giving these berries, it is convenient that you wash them with plenty of water to remove any contaminants or pesticides they contain on their surface. If you are in charge of collecting blueberries on your own, select those that are far from possible sources of pollution such as roads or paths.
Now that you know if dogs can eat blueberries, we recommend that you find out if dogs can eat lemon or if dogs can eat almonds.
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