Are you a dog owner and your pet always want to share your lettuce with him? Well, don’t deny your dog the joy since a dog can actually feed on lettuce without any complications because lettuce is completely safe for them. Whether it’s iceberg or romaine, dogs can eat lettuce without posing any risk of toxicity to your dog in any way.
However, as much as your dog likes lettuce, you wouldn’t want to feed it to your dog often since lettuce is not the easiest vegetable your dog is able to chew properly. If you really want to feed your dog with lettuce, then the best way to do it is to thoroughly and carefully clean them to remove any chemicals and bacteria found in lettuce.
Just before you choose the part to give to your dog, you can try by giving a little from the crunchy side and the leafy part so that you can tell what your pet loves the most. This is because dogs, just like humans, like more one part than the other and no dog is the same as another. If you saw a neighbor’s dog enjoying a certain part of the lettuce, it is not a guarantee that your dog will enjoy the same. You have to try out with your dog to know what your buddy likes most.
It is important to note that giving your dog leftover salad which contains lettuce is not the same as feeding your dog with pure lettuce. This is because the dressing in the salad may not be safe and can cause lots of complications and health issues when fed to a dog. Actually, most dressings contain lots of extra calories and these are bad to your dog and more so, they are not beneficial in any way to your dog and in fact, they make your dog be more prone to obesity.
Definitely, as a dog owner, you wouldn’t want that to happen to your dog. To avoid this, just feed your dog in the plainest form of lettuce and if you are to incorporate it in a salad, ensure that all the ingredients in that salad are safe for your dog to feed on.
Another best way to feed your dog with lettuce is to cut them into small pieces to enable your dog to consume and digest them properly. Remember when you feed your dog with vegetables like carrots, broccoli or potatoes, you have to cut them into small pieces to give your dog an easy time while consuming and avoid the risks of health dangers which may include chocking and intestinal blockage. Always cut your lettuce in small pieces before giving it to your dog.
Since lettuce is 90 percent water, the most famous advantage is hydration. This is because it harbors lots of water in the leaves and when consumed, it becomes a source of water to the body of your dog. They are most ideal during the hot summer period. If your dog doesn’t like drinking lots of water, the lettuce will be very good to ensure your dog’s body is hydrated and healthy.
Feeding Your Dog With Steamed Lettuce – A Better Option?
A number of dog owners have turned to feed their dogs with steamed lettuce. This is actually the proper way of feeding your dog with lettuce because steamed lettuce is easier for your dog to properly digest without any challenges or complications arising.
Did you know that steaming the lettuce before feeding your dog is the most recommended way? This is because of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients are preserved majorly in steamed vegetables. This way, your dog will be in a position to fully absorb them. Steamed lettuce comes in handy because your dog is able to chew them properly. The canine teeth in a dog make it hard for dogs to chew raw lettuce and at times they end up swallowing them before they chew them properly and this automatically translates into not getting much of nutrition from the poorly chewed lettuce.
You definitely don’t want your dog to consume the lettuce and get them out the following day simply because they were not digested. This is not helpful to your dog either because it will not receive the nutritional value lettuce has to offer to its body. You don’t have to feel awful because you are depriving your dog that crunchy feeling it gets when chewing the raw lettuce because at the end of the day, what matters most is the nutritional value of the steamed lettuce the dog will have in its body.
If this is the first time you are going to give your dog steamed lettuce, it may wonder what has happened that all over sudden the crunchy feeling is gone but don’t worry, with time it will get used to the new taste and love it the more. Some will not even care about the changes, they will just be grateful for the plate of lettuce offered to them.
The Appropriate Amount Of Lettuce To Give Your Dog
How much is too much? A good question every dog owner should find out the answer. It is very important to know the appropriate amount of lettuce that is safe for your dog. Remember that too much of lettuce to your dog is not safe as it can cause diarrhea and other digestive issues in your dog’s digestive system. Just go easy on them and avoid giving your dog too much of them and it will be fine.
If you are just beginning to give lettuce to your dog, add a small spoonful of your tiny-cut, shredded pieces to your dog together with your dog’s normal meals. If you observe that your dog does not show any signs of diarrhea or vomiting, then it’s safe to continue giving them this type of vegetables once in a while. Actually, the best way to introduce a new diet to your dog is to consult your veterinarian just to ensure that your dog doesn’t have any health issues that can prevent it from enjoying a certain type of food.
The Nutritional Benefits Of Lettuce For Your Dog
Your dog will definitely have a number of nutritional benefits which includes vitamins A, C, and K. Lettuce also contains beta-carotene and folate which are equally important to your dog’s health. The good amount of fiber in them helps your dog greatly in easing any constipation problems your dog may be suffering from and also keeps your dog’s bowel movements very smooth. The calories contained in lettuce are not too much to get your puppy or adult dog overweight problems.
There are dogs which like it when lettuce has got some dressing and this is also safe. However, most of the dressings are filled with calories and are also rich in sugar. To avoid any risks for your dog getting obese or even the risk of diabetes, it would be better to avoid any dressings when giving your dog the lettuce.
If your dog is not interested in eating lettuce and has even refused to feed on them for a number of times, there is no cause for alarm. Your pet is perfectly fine even without lettuce in your dog’s diet. In fact, dogs are better without those dips and dressings anyway.
