Pickled ginger is a favorite snack among many because it’s low in calories and packed with several nutrients as fresh ginger. For one, pickled ginger contains antioxidants that can reduce the risk of many health problems, namely heart disease and certain cancers.
Although pickled ginger is a healthy and satisfying snack for humans, you need to be cautious when giving some to your dogs. Not all human foods are safe for them, and giving them the wrong food in the wrong quantity can have detrimental effects on their health.
The short answer to the question posted in this article is: yes, your dogs can eat pickled ginger. As long as pickled ginger is given as an occasional snack, your furry friends can enjoy the following health benefits:
Potassium
Potassium is essential to your dogs’ diets because it gives them the energy to stay active throughout the day. Potassium also aids in the proper functioning of your dogs’ heart, muscles, and nerves.
Dogs who have potassium deficiency usually experience lethargy and loss of appetite. Over time, this can cause your dog to be extremely ill.
Vitamin C
Adding pickled ginger to your dogs’ diet is a great way to boost their immune system as it’s packed with vitamin C. When your dogs have stronger immune systems, they’ll have lesser risks of getting and spreading infections and diseases.
Moreover, vitamin C reduces the effects of harmful free radicals in your dogs’ bodies, as well as the impact of cognitive aging and chronic inflammation. Vitamin C also provides relief to dogs who often experience urinary tract infections.
Fiber
Fiber is important to your dogs’ digestive tracts. Fiber softens the stool of your four-legged friends, so they can have regular bowel movements. Fiber also prevents the overgrowth of any bad bacteria in your dogs’ colons and ensures that their colons recover from injuries quickly.
Sodium
Pickled ginger contains sodium that can help maintain cellular functions, like nerve signal transmission, fluid balance, and acid-base balance in dogs. Your dog also needs to have sodium every day to ensure that their stomachs produce hydrochloric acid that aids in their digestion.
Calcium
Thanks to its high calcium content, giving pickled ginger to your dogs can also keep their bones, teeth, and muscles strong. Calcium is also necessary to improve your dogs’ nervous systems and prevent health complications, such as arthritis.
Iron
Iron is another important mineral your dogs need to function properly. Iron is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your dogs’ bodies, so they can stay energetic and healthy.
How Much Pickled Ginger Should Your Dogs Eat?
Pickled ginger should only make up up to 10% of your dogs’ diet. Due to its salt content, feeding more pickled ginger to your dogs can lead to several health problems, namely high blood pressure and obesity.
How Can You Feed Pickled Ginger To Your Dogs?
Feeding pickled ginger to your dogs is actually easy. You can put some pickled ginger on top of their kibble or mix some pickled ginger with shredded salmon or chicken. Just make sure to give them very small amounts of pickled ginger to avoid any health risks.
Are Some Dogs Allergic To Pickled Ginger?
Yes, some dogs are. If you’re going to feed pickled ginger to your dogs for the first time, give them small quantities first and observe if they’re showing any symptoms after 12 to 24 hours. If they don’t, then you can continue feeding them pickled ginger.
However, if your dogs show symptoms of diarrhea or lethargy, discontinue giving them pickled ginger and reach out to a vet right away. The presence of these symptoms indicates that your dogs can be allergic to pickled ginger.
Can Puppies Eat Pickled Ginger?
Yes, you can feed your puppies with pickled ginger. Just make sure that you’re giving them small quantities and you do not replace their mother’s milk or meals with pickled ginger.
Can Diabetic Dogs Have Pickled Ginger?
No, diabetic dogs shouldn’t be given pickled ginger. Pickled ginger contains too much sugar because of its pickled juice, which can be harmful to your diabetic dogs.
Talk To A Vet
If you’re unsure whether you should give pickled ginger to your dogs, consult a vet. Never attempt to change your dogs’ diet without the approval of the experts, as this can only do more harm than good. Remember, the bodies of humans and dogs function differently.
A vet will guide you on what you should and shouldn’t do when incorporating a new food into your dogs’ diets. In this way, you’ll keep your dogs safe and healthy.