Dogs have a specific diet with feed as the main food and a series of products that complement their diet such as fruits and vegetables that are common in the human diet. The pepper is one of them, since it is a vegetable rich in vitamins and fiber that is very beneficial for the human body and that is also usually given to dogs.
However, many people with dogs in their care may not have paid attention to what the intake of peppers means for the canine body. Is good or bad? To find out if dogs can eat bell pepper , which varieties are suitable for dogs, the benefits and how to give it to your furry little one, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this article.
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Index
- Can dogs eat bell pepper or not?
- What are the benefits of peppers for dogs?
- How to give my dog pepper
Can dogs eat bell pepper or not?
Dogs can eat pepper without any problem because this vegetable does not contain substances that are toxic to the canine body, so it is a suitable food for them. In addition, consuming pepper they benefit from its nutritional contribution, since it is a great source of vitamins A and C and fiber .
However, dogs cannot eat just any type of bell pepper. Sweet table peppers are right for your diet. Within this variety, there are peppers of different morphologies (Lamuyo, California and Italian) and of different colors (green, red and yellow).
Instead, you should avoid giving your dog table hot peppers . In fact, they cannot eat any variety of hot pepper: Padrón peppers, Gernika peppers, chillies and chili peppers, for example, contain capsaicin, a spicy compound that, despite having beneficial effects for health, generates a sensation of unpleasant itching and irritation for your furry little one. The intake of hot peppers or varieties of pepper to make paprika can cause gastrointestinal disorders in dogs. In addition, it is also necessary to keep them away from their smell, since it can cause irritation in the respiratory tract, itchy nose and sneezing.
What are the benefits of peppers for dogs?
As we have mentioned before, eating peppers brings important benefits to dogs due to the nutritional values that the vegetable contains. These are the main benefits of giving pepper to your dog:
- They are a great source of fiber, especially in the case of red peppers. Although the canine digestive system is not able to digest it, it is a basic nutrient in their diet because it creates a feeling of satiety, gives volume to the food ration, helps regulate intestinal transit, promotes the development of an adequate intestinal microbiota very beneficial and gives consistency to the stool.
- It is a low-calorie and low-fatvegetable , so it is highly recommended for dogs that need a low-energy diet, such as the elderly or obese.
- They have a high content of vitamin A in the form of beta- carotene, especially in red peppers (higher than in green ones). Vitamin A is involved in various functions of the body, such as vision , maintenance of good skin condition , keratinization, maintenance of mucous membranes, and the proper functioning of reproduction and the immune system .
- It is a good source of vitamin C, especially in the case of green bell peppers. It is a protein that helps reduce oxidative stress , collaborates in the formation and maintenance of bones and contributes to the production of collagen . For green peppers to provide a significant amount of vitamin C to your dog, you must give them raw because a large part is lost during cooking.
- Peppers provide varieties of minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium.
- Red peppers are more nutritious than the rest and yellow peppers have the worst nutritional balance. Therefore, try to give red and green peppersto your furry so that the benefits of their intake are greater.
How to give my dog pepper
To give your dog pepper correctly, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you follow these steps:
- Wash the pepper and remove the seedsfrom inside the vegetable.
- Chop the pepperto offer him the raw pieces . There is no risk to the health of your furry little one, since it does not contain toxic substances for your body. It is true that peppers that are not fully ripe contain solanine, that is, a substance that is toxic to both animals and people, but this compound disappears completely in ripe fruit. For this reason, it is convenient that you give him ripe and raw peppers so that his body benefits from all the nutrients of the vegetable.
- You can also steam or cook the pimentobefore giving it to your dog, but you will lose some of the nutritional benefits it contains.
Regardless of whether you give your dog raw or cooked pepper, you should offer it sporadically or as a treat , since its main food is based on animal protein. Also, give it to him in moderation and pay attention to his subsequent reaction, especially if it is the first time he has eaten peppers, to see if it suits him.
Now that you know that dogs can eat peppers and how it is best to give them to them, we encourage you to continue discovering what you can offer your furry to eat. Dare to read these other posts about Can dogs eat potatoes? and Can dogs eat artichokes?
