If you’ve ever wondered if you can feed a pickle to your dog, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Pickles, while not inherently dangerous, are not recommended by veterinarians.
Pickles are not poisonous to dogs in general. They include some nutritional health benefits, therefore providing them to your dog should be fine in theory. They are, however, particularly heavy in salt and contain ingredients that may be toxic to dogs.
Is It Okay For Dogs To Eat Pickles?
Aside from the spices, the high salt level can be harmful to dogs who have an underlying medical condition, perhaps leading to more serious issues down the road. Excessive drinking, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness (loss of balance), and seizures are all negative effects of taking a large amount of sodium in a short period of time.
Why Are Pickles So Harmful To Dogs?
With the exception of basic dill pickles, many pickles, such as kosher dill pickles and bread and butter pickles, contain spices and herbs that are harmful to dogs, such as garlic. Other types of pickles, such as spicy or hot pickles, can cause problems for your dog.
Even if the spices or pepper used in the pickles aren’t hazardous to your dog, their stomachs are likely to be sensitive to the spiciness, causing gastrointestinal problems.
If you know your pickles only include cucumber, brine, vinegar, and dill, your dog will be fine if you give them a small bite. Dill helps your dog’s breath stay fresh, and cucumbers are a low-calorie food.
Is It Safe For Dogs To Eat Regular Pickles?
Cucumbers are immersed in a simple brining liquid that contains no other foods, spices, or additives to make ordinary pickles.
Regular pickles, on their own, are unlikely to cause a significant health danger to your dog. They should, however, be avoided. Pickles are high in sodium and delicious, but they are also high in sodium. Too much sodium in the diet can cause a variety of health problems in dogs, ranging from a simple upset stomach to life-threatening salt poisoning.
Is It Okay For Dogs To Eat Pickles With Onions?
Pickles that have been brined or fried with onions are not safe to serve to your dog.
For dogs, onions are a no-no. Onions, and anything cooked with them, can cause irreversible damage to the hemoglobin in your dog’s red blood cells, resulting in Heinz anemia.
Heinz anemia in dogs manifests itself in a variety of ways. Weakness, pale gums, fainting, and red urine are some of the symptoms.
Are Sweet Pickles Safe For Dogs To Eat?
So we know we shouldn’t feed our dogs pickles that are high in salt or contain onions. What about pickles that are sweet? Is it safe to cut them up and give them to our four-legged friends? Unfortunately, this is not the case.
The secret to sweet pickles’ exquisite flavor is, of course, sugar! There’s a lot of it!
Furthermore, giving your dog something high in sugar, such as sweet pickles, increases the chance of upsetting their stomach, which can result in some unpleasant side effects.
It’s Not A Good Idea To Give Pickles To Your Dog.
It’s very evident at this point that giving pickles to your dog isn’t the best idea. While pickles are undoubtedly tasty, the hazards of accidentally overfeeding your dog with salt or other toxic chemicals are too great to recommend feeding them. Instead, go for a cucumber that isn’t high in salt.
Is There Any Health Benefit To Pickles For Dogs?
Pickles are high in fiber and low in calories and fat. Dill pickles contain dill, a herb rich in antioxidants that can help protect cells from harm. While dill has health benefits, giving your dog fresh dill rather than dill pickles is likely to be more beneficial to his health.
Cucumbers, which are used to make pickles, are high in vitamins and minerals. Cucumbers lose a lot of their health benefits during the pickling process.
Giving your dog pure cucumbers is a healthier option because they don’t include high levels of sodium or other dangerous chemicals.
| Pickles Nutrition | Value Per (35g) |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | .8 g |
| Fiber | .3 g |
| Sodium | 283 mg |
| Calories | 4 kcal |
| Sugar | .4 g |
If Your Dog Ate Pickles, What Should You Do?
Don’t be alarmed if your dog ate a couple of pickles by accident. Check to see what kind of pickle your dog ate, and then contact your vet.
Depending on the number and type of pickles consumed, your veterinarian may advise you to take your dog to the vet just to be cautious.
If your dog has consumed a substantial amount of pickles, particularly those that contain onion, garlic, or other herbs that are harmful to dogs, contact your nearest emergency veterinarian.
Conclusion
While a few small pickle pieces here and there are unlikely to damage your dog, plain cucumbers are generally a better choice.
It’s difficult to ignore those large eyes, especially when your dog performs a trick to persuade you to share your food, but saying no is a better alternative.