As you prepare meals for your family, you might chop up a stalk or two of celery. If your dog is like most canine family members, they’re probably waiting for a piece of this crunchy, water-filled treat. Should you toss a piece to your pet? While dogs can eat celery, there are a few health and safety issues to know in advance.
Is Celery Safe for Dogs?
Just as feeding your dog beets in moderation is acceptable, you can safely share celery with your dog. Just keep in mind that celery is a common choking hazard for dogs. Large pieces can get lodged in your dog’s throat or create blockages in the intestines. Make sure the pieces you feed your dog are small to avoid these issues.
Can dogs eat celery that you have seasoned? Generally, it’s not a good idea to season the celery. For example, sprinkling salt on the celery will increase its sodium content, which can lead to sodium poisoning. Avoid spices altogether since some common spices are toxic for dogs.
You can dress a celery piece with peanut butter. To avoid adverse health reactions, choose sugar-free peanut butter. Make sure xylitol isn’t listed as an ingredient since this artificial sweetener is toxic for dogs. Otherwise, peanut butter can enhance the flavor of this treat.
How to Prepare Celery for Your Dog
You might reconsider frying as a cooking method when making French fries for your dog. The cooking oil can be unhealthy for your pet. Similarly, the methods you choose in preparing celery for your dog matter. Deep fried celery sticks would be a wild treat for your furry friend, but probably not a good idea. Celery loses its nutrients through the freezing process too, so this food isn’t ideal as a frozen treat. In other words, eat it fresh and make sure you clean any excess dirty off the stalks before you dive in.
Tips:
- Avoid Freezing
- Don’t Deep Fry (seriously)
- Everything in Moderation
- High Nutritional Value
- Smaller Pieces Are Advised
- Healthy Treat
- Good Weight Management Tool
Raw Celery
Can dogs eat raw celery? This is the best way to feed celery to your dog since the celery will retain its nutrients. Make sure to clean each stalk before cutting it to feed to your dog. Make sure you remove the strings to keep your dog from choking while swallowing the celery.
Cooked Celery
Can dogs eat cooked celery? Cooking celery is still safe for your dog, but pay attention to any ingredients you add to the food. Spices, such as salt and pepper, aren’t good for your dog. Similarly, avoid cooking the celery in butter if you plan on sharing it with your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Celery Leaves?
Can dogs eat celery sticks with the leaves? The leaves on celery stalks are very nutrient-rich and beneficial for your dog’s health. However, the pesticides used in growing celery cling most to the leaves. Unless you buy organic celery, you might want to dispose of the leaves rather than risk poisoning by feeding them to your pet.
The Nutritional Benefits of Celery
Why is celery good for dogs? Similar to many vegetables, celery provides plenty of vitamins and nutrients. While this makes celery good for people to eat, there’s also tremendous nutritional value in celery for dogs. This vegetable is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K.
Additionally, the following nutrients are abundantly available in every piece of celery:
- Folate
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Fiber
This is also a good treat for overweight dogs since there are only 10 calories in each stalk of celery. Each stick has just 1.3 grams of sugar and only 3 grams of carbohydrates, making it a good choice for diabetic dogs.
How Much Celery Is Okay for Your Dog?
Can dogs have celery often? While celery is safe for your dog, 90% of your pet’s diet should come from veterinarian-approved dog food. The other 10% can come from treats, such as celery and other safe options.
This guide will tell you how much celery to feed your dog:
- Toy dogs (up to 20 pounds) can have 1 to 2 pieces, ½-inch in length
- Small dogs (21-30 pounds) can have 2 to 3 pieces, 1-inch in length
- Medium-sized dogs (31-50 pounds) can have 5 to 6 pieces, 1-inch in length
- Large dogs (51-90 pounds) can have 7 to 8 pieces, 1-inch in length
- Extra-large dogs (over 91 pounds) can have up to 10 pieces, 1-inch in length
If your dog reacts badly to celery, consult your veterinarian right away. Adverse reactions might include diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, depression, or muscle weakness.
Celery Is a Fun Snack
The health benefits of celery make this an ideal treat for your dog. As well as being good for your pet, this crunchy food will quench your dog’s thirst. In moderation, your dog can enjoy and benefit from this plant-based snack from time to time.
