Feeding veg & fruit as treats...
 

My miniature pinscher loves raw fruits and vegetables and will pretty much eat whatever you give her. She does eat a good dry food (innova), one quarter cup a.m, and same p.m. Knowing how this breed can easily pack on the pounds, we are trying to retain her slim physique by just giving her the odd treat of vegetables and fruit, instead of doggy treats. She particularly loves apples, bananas, broccolli, and carrots, but will eat just about all.
My question is.... do I need to be concerned about feeding any type of fruit or veg? I can imagine that gas could be a problem with broccolli etc., but is there any significant adverse reactions with a particular fruit/veg.? I've heard bad things about grapes, and I stopped offering them. I also understand that moderation is key with anything, and she never gets more than a few bites of anything. Thanks for your input! :thumbs up

Hello

My dog eats all kinds of fruits and veggies! He will drool when he sees broccoli & watermelon! The only thing I have heard are that grapes are toxic to a dog...as well as onions skins?? I try not to give him things with seeds just so there are no problems passing them! Otherwise he loves them and my vet did not say it was a problem! I use them as treats because most treats are full of garbage!

Cindy

i wish my dogs liked fresh fruits and veggies :o It's all fine except for grapes, raisins, and onions. :thumbs up

Mine like carrots (but only if cut a certain way, they have to be thin medalions or small cubes. If they are cut into long pieces they will not eat them), boiled potatoes, raspberries and blueberries.

tee hee - my Golden Retriever, who does not know he is a retriever, will ONLY go in the water to fetch if I throw broccoli or cucumber. He absolutely loves them both. He also loves carrots but they don't float :)

No avocado or pits of any kind either. Try to avoid seeds too (like apple seeds).

Some foods can lead to bloat if they cause the doggy to be too gassy (like carrots), so if you feed something and it causes gas, be sure to feed it only in small quantities if you decide to keep feeding it.

My dogs love most fruits and veggies. They get baby carrots daily. They also love tangerines (with seeds removed), watermelon, cantalope, apples, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.

They only things we found they won't eat are bananas and celery :)

Diane

If she likes things like apples and sweet potatoes (or yams), you can slice them and dry them in the oven on a very low temperature (or in a dehydrator)until they are crunchy/ chewy ~ they are a safe and healthy alternative to things like rawhides and pigs ears. In the summer Bridie and I can pretty much finish off a large watermelon in a day or two !

i do mash up an avocado for the kids once in a while, never had any problems... actually some raw dog food frozen patties contain avocado (no skins or pits though!). i did read about the dangers but am not convinced... i'd have to read more about it. :dog:

I found this on the internet....

[B]Why are grapes harmful?[/B]

As far as grapes and raisins go, no one is sure why they're harmful. It's been confirmed that even grapes grown without fertilizers or pesticides can be toxic to dogs. But not to every dog, and not every time. It's also not known whether small amounts eaten over a long time period could have a cumulative effect.

What we do know is that the end result in nearly all reported cases of grape or raisin toxicity is acute kidney failure. (The term "acute" means that the condition is severe and comes on quickly.) The dog ultimately can't produce urine, which means they can't filter toxins out of their systems -- a process essential to life.

During the twelve-month period in which the effects of grapes were studied, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center handled 140 cases involving one or more dogs. Over a third of the dogs developed symptoms ranging from vomiting to kidney failure, and seven dogs died. The ASPCA based their study on reported cases, so naturally there may be cases where a dogs health is entirely unaffected by eating grapes. But until they know all the facts, the Society advises against feeding pets grapes or raisins in any amount.

The SPCA has listed these foods as extremely harmful to dogs...

Chocolate
Raisins/Grapes
Salt
Yeast Dough
Garlic (not the powder)
Moldy/Spoiled Foods
Onions
Avocado
Potatoes
Macadamia Nuts
Turkey skin is currently thought to cause acute pancreatis in dogs, partly due to it's high fat content.
Artificial Sweeteners
Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning)
Rhubarb leaves
Alcohol
Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
Hops (used in home brewing)
Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)
Broccoli (in large amounts)
Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars

Hope that helps you a bit :)

Thanks for the posts! What a great idea about freeze drying yams and apples. Also, that list is sure helpful...who would have known about Macadamia nuts? More for me I guess! :D

[QUOTE=Sugar & Spice;360118]I found this on the internet....



The SPCA has listed these foods as extremely harmful to dogs...


Potatoes


Hope that helps you a bit :)[/QUOTE]

Why potatoes??? Raw of cooked or both? Do anybody know anything more about this?

I believe as long as they're cooked they're ok.

i feed raw garlic, avocados and turkey skin (with the meat and bones, not just the skin!) to my dogs :thumbs up you can't believe everything you read, either. :rolleyes:

Most say all bones are bad, but I believe poultry are the worst. I think they splinter to easily. I will give my Elkhound red meat bones, but sparingly. Pork bones will make her sick which is frustrating since any bones in pet stores I've found either say they're pork or don't say anything, so I assume they're pork, too. All cartilage I save for her as well.

Just how much broccoli is too much? My dog loves it, cauliflower and recently discovered the joy of kale.