Should You Allow Your Dog To Eat Carrots?

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There are a lot of vegetables dogs should avoid, but carrots are not one of them. In fact, carrots are great for dogs. They can be extraordinarily beneficial and serve as a low-calorie snack your dog will absolutely love. Before giving carrots to your dog, here are some things you should know.

What benefits carrots offer to dogs?

Carrot is one of the best treats teething puppies can get. They might be experiencing teething pain, and carrots might help with that. This is not the only benefit this vegetable offers but is undoubtedly a good one to know. Take a look at the best things carrots can offer our dogs.

Do you know if dogs can eat watermelon? Check out this article - Can Dogs Eat Watermelon?

Dental health

Dental health is often an aspect of dog care that is overlooked. It may take some time to get new puppies used to cleaning their teeth, and some might never enjoy or tolerate it. Some owners might not have the patience to get them used to it, and that is when frozen carrots come in.

Frozen carrots can be an excellent tool for fighting plaque build-up. It makes a tough, tasty chew toy that vets often recommend after professional teeth cleaning your dog might have done. Carrots will gently scrape the dog’s teeth and give them excellent daily teeth cleaning routine.

There are special dog toothbrushes that can help you with cleaning your dog’s teeth. Here is a helpful article about that - Dog Toothbrush - Most Important Things.

Beta-carotene

One of the best things about carrots is that they are full of beta-carotene. If you ever heard your parents say to you that your eyesight will get better if you eat carrots, they were actually right! As parents mostly are! That little bit of wisdom is valid because of beta-carotene.

To get the full benefit carrots can offer, it is best to cook or steam them. They have a natural wall of cellulose dogs can’t digest, and by cooking or steaming you will make sure your dog receives all benefits. Beta-carotene is also the precursor of vitamin A, which leads us to our next health benefit.

Vitamin A

If you heard anything about well-balanced diets, you probably heard that vitamins play a vital role in it. Vitamin A is crucial in different body functions, and it is essential for your dog’s eye health. This vitamin does wonders for your dog’s immune system, skin, and coat.

Vitamin A deficiency is almost unheard of; the problem that can occur is vitamin A build-up. It is a fat-soluble vitamin, so this vitamin needs to be given in combination with enough healthy fats. You don’t want to overdo it with vitamins and supplements because they can have a counterproductive effect and even become toxic for your dog.

You should always ask your vet for advice before deciding on adding anything new to your dog’s diet.

High-fiber content

Carrots are rich in fiber, which is another vital part of a well-balanced diet. About 3 ounces of baby carrots contain about 2 grams of fiber. Fiber does wonder for your dog’s bowel movement and regularity.

The fiber in carrots is excellent if your dog has tummy problems, irregular stool, or diarrhea. It will add some bulk to your dog’s stool and help fix the diarrhea issue. However, keep in mind not to overdo it with fiber because it can cause your dog gas and intestinal upset. Start with small amounts and look at how it interacts with your dog.

There is another superfood that can help you deal with dog diarrhea. This article can tell you all about it - Pumpkin For Dogs: Why You Should Have It At Home.

How to safely feed carrots to dogs?

Unlike other vegetables, carrots are entirely safe for dogs to eat. Even the leafy part on top of it is edible; however, most dogs don’t like it. Here is how you safely give your dog carrots.

The first thing you should do is clean them. Make sure there is no dirt or pesticides on it. While carrots are safe, pesticides can be very harmful and dangerous to ingest.

The second thing would be steaming or cooking the carrot. 4 to 6 minutes of cooking or 8 to 10 minutes of steaming will do the trick. Wait for the carrots to cool down, and they will nearly be ready.

The third thing would be cutting it into smaller, easily digestible pieces. Whole carrots can pose a significant choking hazard, especially for smaller breeds like the Pomeranian or French Bulldog.

You can also give your dog carrot juice or grate them into their usual daily meal. They will make an excellent addition, and your dog will reap all the benefits.

World Dog Finder team