They’re man’s best friend, so when it comes to your beloved dog’s diet, you want the best for them.
So often we hear about what not to feed our loyal pets.
But a vet called Dr Stephanie has debunked some of these myths in a recent video.
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And she says that, like human foods, it’s all about moderation.
“I can’t stress that too much — moderation,” says Dr Stephanie, who works with website Healthy Active Pet.
“It’s never a good idea to eat too much of one thing whether you’re a dog or a human.”
The first human food that she says is safe for dogs, in moderation, is avocado.
This fatty fruit almost always ends up on unsafe food lists due to a toxin called persin which is dangerous for dogs.
However, persin is present almost entirely in the leaves, peel and stone of the avocado plant, not the nutritious flesh, which Dr Stephanie says dogs can eat and enjoy.
“It’s a great source of healthy fats. It’s also a great source of dietary fibre as well as containing some vitamins and minerals which are beneficial to your pet,” she says.
The next food to move from the no to yes list is garlic.
Two compounds are present in garlic which can cause damage to red blood cells and aneamia but Dr Stephanie says your dog would have to eat a huge amount of garlic for there to be an issue.
Also there are benefits to the odd clove of garlic, including the fact it’s a natural anti-inflammatory and it also contains a natural compound called allicin which is a natural antibiotic.
Ripe tomatoes are the third food on Dr Stephanie’s list which she says are safe for dogs.
These are generally thought to be unsafe for pets due to a compound called solanine, but this is found in the leaves, stems and in green, unripe tomatoes.
“A red, ripe tomato is perfectly safe,” she says.
In fact, tomatoes offer many health benefits including a lot of fibre, which helps support your dog’s digestion.
They also have antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals such as potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K, as well as folate (vitamin B9), which helps with tissue growth and cell function.
Dr Stephanie goes on to say mushrooms are safe for dogs to eat if you choose the correct variety.
As with humans, you have to be careful with the fungi.
But giving your dog button mushrooms, like you would eat yourself, is a great source of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals, Dr Stephanie says.
Finally, the vet talks about dairy.
“So many of us are taught that dairy is not great for our dogs and I want to run into why this is,” she says.
“Many adult dogs are lactose intolerant but…not all dogs are.
“By all means, if your dog is, stay away from dairy.
“But if not, dairy can be such a great source of calcium, vitamins, minerals and protein.”
She adds that yoghurt is great natural probiotic.
