Courgettes are summer squashes and look just like small marrows. They are a common summer food in many countries. Here is everything you’ll need to know if you are wondering if dogs can eat raw courgettes.
Raw courgette or zucchini is generally safe for dogs to eat. However, it will depend upon how tough your dog’s stomach is to eat raw courgette. Even if raw courgettes are safe for consumption, many dogs have a hard time digesting raw food. Courgette can also cause stomach problems, so it is better to give peeled sticks to your canine.
Is courgette good for your dog?
Raw courgettes or cooked are both good options for your dog. When preparing courgettes for your dog it is important to make sure that you don’t add any form of seasonings.
Courgette is one of those vegetables that makes dogs excited. In fact, as per veterinarians, courgette is one of the best vegetables to be given to members of the canine family.
Here are some of the benefits of courgettes for dogs:
Full of antioxidants: Antioxidants help protect the body from free radicals. This slows the aging process by preventing damage to your dog’s cells and DNA.
Lessening constipation: Courgette contains soluble as well as insoluble fibre. This helps in reducing constipation. It also lowers gut disorders such as leaky gut or irritable bowel disease.
Full of nutrients: Courgette is super dense in nutrients such as minerals and vitamins.
It is rich in vitamins A, C, B6, and K. It contains minerals like potassium, manganese, zinc, copper, phosphorus, and magnesium. These nutrients are great for the dog’s bones, muscles, vision, and nerves.
For weight loss: Courgette is very low in calories. It also consists of a high content of water and fiber.
So it can be a good option for weight loss. It will help reduce hunger in your dog without spiking your dog’s blood sugar.
Additionally, the courgette is also good for the immune system.
Moderation is important
When feeding foods like courgette to your dog, it is essential to keep the amount moderate.
You will also need to keep an eye on how your dog reacts to the food at different times.
You can slowly introduce raw courgette to dogs’ meals and monitor how they respond to it.
How to feed courgette to your dog
Several ways to serve courgette to your dog:
Shredded raw as an addition to your dog’s dinner.
Occasionally given after slicing and freezing which makes a great treat on a hot day.
Grilled or baked making a crispy treat.
If you make homemade dog food then courgette can be added to this too
Make sure the courgette you are serving to your dog is fully ripened to avoid bitterness.
Before feeding courgette to your dog
As mentioned, make sure you do not feed high amounts of the veggie to the dog.
If your dog has never eaten courgette before, it is better to start with small quantities of the vegetable.
If your dog has any diarrhea or vomiting, immediately stop feeding the dog with courgette.
Also, serve small chunks of the food instead of large pieces to prevent choking your pooch.
Things to be aware of when feeding courgettes to dogs
There are a few other things to consider if you are going to give your dog courgettes to eat:
Don’t feed too much, even if the dog is used to courgette and likes them. Giving him too much can cause stomach upsets and discomfort.
If you feed too much of any type of food then you could cause problems for your dog which could include diarrhea, wind and bloating and this includes courgettes.
Dogs can be like people with new foods and some dogs will respond differently to others when they try courgettes, this can be affected by age, size and breed.
Final Words
Courgettes are a safe and healthy option for dogs to eat and your dog will benefit from a range of vitamins and minerals from just a small amount.
There are various ways to serve courgettes to dogs but you should always start with a small amount to make sure that your dog is happy with the vegetable before increasing the amount fed.
