While it is highly recommended that people feed their canine companions with healthy vegetables like Brussels sprouts, celery, kale, and some other vegetables are as dangerous to dogs. Yes, a vegetable can be toxic to your dog if it has a toxic content in it.
Why Vegetables?
Vegetables are termed the edible parts of plants. It can be the root of the plant, the leaves, the stem, and even the seeds. They can be eaten raw or cooked.
Most vegetables are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and other supplements. They are mostly substituted as a low-calorie meal. That being said, let’s get right into some of these vegetables that are harmful to canines and can make them sick.
1. Chives
Chives belong to the Alium class of plants which is toxic to both dogs and cats. Although some canine breeds are more susceptible to the effect of eating chives than others. Some of these breeds include Akita, Shiba, etc. 100gram of Chives contain over 30 calories, 4.4g of carb, 3.3g of protein, 3g of sodium, 0.7g of fats, and 296mg of potassium.
Chive is quite high in sugar which is not so healthy for your dog but most of all its organosulfide content makes it a natural toxin to your canine. When your pup takes chive, it can exhibit some symptoms like mouth irritation, puking, sluggishness, respiratory abnormality.
Symptoms like these may require close monitoring and the attention of a veterinarian that may know how to tackle them properly.
2. Rhubarb
Rheum rhabarbarium popularly referred to as rhubarb is a herbal plant with consumable leaves. This plant is a low-calorie plant having about 21 calories per 100g according to USDA. It also contains an estimated 4.5g of carbohydrate, 0.9g of protein, total fat of about 0.2g, 4mg of sodium, and 288mg of potassium.
This sour taste plant often used to make medicinal soups for humans contains oxalate crystals that can cause discomfort in dogs when eaten. This makes it harmful for dogs to consume as chewing may result in serious pain that may require a quick and frequent visit to the vet.
Some symptoms of rhubarb poisoning in pups are loss of consciousness, constant drooling, puking, enlarged eye pupils, etc.
3. Green Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one regular vegetable used in the preparation of various human meals. A 123g medium size tomato according to nutritionix has 28 calories. It has a total carbohydrate content of 6.3g, 0.3g of fat, 1.5g of protein, 16mg of sodium, and 251g of potassium. Green tomatoes can provide the body with lots of vitamins and mineral nutrients but their Solanine content proves to be a poisonous substance for pups.
Green tomatoes can cause tiredness, puking, stomach, and intestinal issues. Although your pup may feel alright eating ripe tomatoes as Solanine is much more concentrated in unripe tomatoes.
4. Garlic
Merck Veterinary Manual records garlic as one very toxic plant which can harm canines but not humans. This vegetable belongs to the Alium Sativum group containing thiosulfate which is poisonous for our canine consumption. It is believed by some persons that a moderate amount of garlic given to dogs may be more beneficial rather than being harmful.
The truth is that any amount of garlic consumed by your pup can result in poisoning which may destroy the erythrocyte, puking, and stomach upset. It is best to avoid feeding your dogs garlic or any other meals containing garlic.
5. Leek
Leek, a vegetable that possesses similar properties to onion including its flavor is widely used in stew and soups preparation around the world. Leek as a relative to garlic and chives can cause pain in the stomach, puking, diarrhea, and other irritations when eaten by dogs.
The healthy nutritional content of this plant does not qualify it as a safe meal for dogs hence the need to avoid them when sourcing for meal varieties for your canine.
In Conclusion
There is nothing wrong with trying to share a meal or two with your canine as an occasional treat for them. It becomes dangerous when you feed them ignorantly without checking out the harmful ingredient that can send them to the emergency room.
Information is key to becoming an experienced dog owner. It is necessary to be intentional with your dog’s wellbeing inclusive of their diet so they can easily live through their years.
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