Can dogs eat pomegranate seeds? Is it safe for dogs to eat pomegranate seeds? Unfortunately, the powerful antioxidant property of pomegranate doesn’t translate well when applied as food for pets. You could feed it to them regularly, but their nervous system just doesn’t take advantage of the healthy nutrients found in pomegranate. So even though a tiny bit of pomegranate might make an okay doggy treat occasionally, the real benefits from pomegranate are minimal.
Dogs can’t process pomegranate properly due to its bitter taste and the presence of tannins. Tannins are a substance that dogs find very unpleasant. Although pomegranate is relatively low in tannin content, it is still a reasonably bitter vegetable, so don’t give your dog a colossal meal loaded down with pomegranate, especially if they have just consumed a significant other food. Because the body can’t break down pomegranate fully, the tannins and other polyphenols (color pigments) are left in the dog’s digestive tract, which can cause intestinal upset, difficulty with stool production, vomiting, and diarrhea.
A relatively easy way to help solve this problem is to give your dog pomegranate seeds or juice gently. If you have access to fresh pomegranate juice, do so immediately after getting it out of the ground. This keeps the pomegranate seeds and their polyphenol antioxidants in the system, where they can begin to break down and work their way out of the digestive tract. If you don’t have fresh juice on hand, consider adding grapefruit seed extract to the mixture as an option.
Can Dogs Eat Pomegranate Seeds? Most Asked Question and Facts About This Topic
There is another question at play here: can dogs eat a pomegranate? Although pomegranate fruits contain an impressive amount of antioxidants, they are naturally present in other fruits, so this shouldn’t be a problem. You should also know that studies have shown that the polyphenols found in pomegranate seeds are beneficial for heart health. Since these antioxidants can also help prevent cancer, this is a natural boost for anyone hoping to improve their dog’s overall health.
When can dogs eat pomegranate seeds make a good treat? Dogs actually enjoy a nice bowl of this juice, but it would be more appetizing if it were included in various other foods. For example, instead of serving your dog a glass of milk, try mixing it with cooked or raw brown rice or some cooked or raw vegetables.
You may be concerned about whether pomegranate extract will help prevent heart disease. The only way to tell if it will have a definite effect on preventing heart disease is to give it a trial-and-error period. Remember, everybody is different, and you don’t always react the same way to each ingredient. If it doesn’t work well in your dog’s diet, it probably won’t do much of anything for heart health. It’s just an intelligent question to ask before feeding your dog any type of product.
