Posted by If you just got a dog from a reputable breeder or from a rescue and are planning to give it watermelon, you may want to know if it is fine for you to give it with seeds as you are a kind of person who is lazy or too busy to remove the seeds from the watermelon before giving it to your dog.
So, can dogs eat watermelon with seeds? The short answer to the question is no. The dogs should not eat watermelon with seeds. While they are not toxic to them, consuming too many watermelon seeds can cause the dogs to suffer from intestinal blockage. If you do not want this kind of thing to happen to your loved one, you are suggested to get rid of the seeds before giving it watermelon. If your dog accidentally ate a couple of watermelon seeds, do not freak out and stay calm. A few of them will not harm them so there is nothing to be worried about.
However, if your dog shows any unusual behavior or shows any signs of discomfort after consuming watermelon with seeds, do not wait and just call your veterinarian as soon as possible. Ask them what to do to make your dog feel better. Your veterinarian is the expert that will clearly know about the current health of your dog. To check the health of your dog, they will usually ask you to bring your dog to them. When you are your dog at their place, they will perform a physical examination to predict if the dog has any issues digesting the seeds of the watermelon. In order to get a better understanding of your dog’s digestive tract, a scan may be involved.
Are the watermelon seeds the only things that are not recommended to be consumed by dogs? Are there any other parts of the watermelon that should be avoided to be given to the dogs? Aside from the watermelon seeds, the rind or the hard green outer skin of the watermelon is also not good for your dogs. While it also does not contain a poison that can harm the dogs just like the watermelon seeds, unless it is infected with any chemicals and preservatives, this part has a problematic texture and toughness. This hard part can make the dog have a hard time chewing it thoroughly before swallowing it. If the rind of the watermelon is big, it can cause gastrointestinal distress that triggers vomiting or diarrhea. If you do not want to give your dog a hard time and if you want to prevent the bad thing from happening to your dog, do not even try to give the rind of the watermelon to your dog.
Once again, the seeds of watermelon are not safe for your dog. While it is fine and harmless if your dog eats only a couple of them accidentally, letting your dog swallow too much of the seeds of watermelon is not recommended. It will be hard for the seeds to slide through the digestive system of the dog, resulting in an intestinal blockage. The situation can be worse, especially for the small dogs with smaller intestines. In order to prevent something bad from happening, it is better for you to remove the seeds from the watermelon and give your dog small chunks.
While watermelon seeds are not good for dogs, watermelon without seeds and without rind is. There are a few vitamins in watermelon that are good for them. The first one is Vitamin A, which is known to be good for eye, cell and immune health. The next one is Vitamin B6. This one refers to the vitamin that is good for the coat of the dog as it can make it shiny and strong. Lastly, there is Vitamin C, which is useful to keep allergens and sniffles at bay.
Watermelon also has fiber that wraps around the sugar and slows its natural disease. This kind of thing also has a number of benefits. One of its benefits is to promote good gut health.
Lycopene is the next thing that is contained in watermelon. There is a large amount of it in this fruit. His one refers to a phytochemical. It is found in naturally red fruits and vegetables such as watermelon. Lycopene is good as an antioxidant. It has the ability to fight free radicals in the dog system, the one that can damage the cells of the dog and cause issues in its immune system. It has been proven by the research that it can be good to slow down the growth of cancer.
Not only everything mentioned above, as everyone knows, there is also water in watermelon. It means it is both low in calories and hydrating. That’s why it is a good alternative to pre-packaged treats when the sun is like on top of the head. If it is given to your dog occasionally, the watermelon can provide the dog with a lot of different nutritional benefits. One of the benefits includes improving gastrointestinal upset stomachs.
If you want to give your dog watermelon but you are afraid if the dog accidentally eats watermelon seeds or rind, there are some safe ways to give the dog watermelon, as follows:
- Ice cream: Firstly, blend frozen watermelon chunks. Then, add plan, unsweetened yogurt. After that, put it in the bowl and let the dog eat it.
- In chunks: You can slice watermelon and then remove the rinds and seeds.
- Frozen chunks: First of all, get rid of the rind and the seeds of watermelon. Next, freeze it in the freezer. Lastly, take it out of the freezer and serve it to the dog.
- Puree: Remove the seeds and rinds from watermelon and then puree the fruit before putting it in the ice cube tray to freeze it.
Feel free to give watermelon to your dog in addition to its regular, balanced diet. Make sure to give it to your dog in moderation, just like any treat.
