Figs are delightful and abundant with minerals and vitamins. And those are also a great source of fiber for humans, but can dogs have figs, too?
Are figs bad for dogs?
Figs are loaded with natural sugar. And in small quantities, those are a decent source of energy for your pup. It also contains potassium, that is good for regulating the blood pressure and has other cardiovascular advantages, too.
If your dog experiences from chronic hypertension, it’s likely that they are low in potassium (a condition called hypokalemia). Talk to your vet about testing the bloodwork to scratch that out as a reason for high blood pressure in your dog.
Going further defining if figs are bad for dogs, fruit’s fiber content is sufficient for a dog’s colon well-being and weight control, and in some instances can ease the constipation problem.
On the contrary, too much fiber is going to rush the digestion. When you feed your pup too many figs, it shouldn’t be unusual to observe your dog ended up having diarrhea.
One or two figs twice a week is the most your pup can have to prevent any stomach problems.
And please, watch out for allergic reactions when you give your pet those figs to try for the first time.
Are figs poisonous to dogs?
Figs are not poisonous, so if your dog has randomly eaten a fig, you don’t have to be mortified. But be sure to observe your dog for the following several days, to be 100% that pup’s not allergic to this fruit.
Look for symptoms like:
- coughing;
- rash on the skin or in the mouth;
- wheezing.
- eye itchiness;
- vomiting.
If your dog exhibits any of the symptoms above after they’ve tasted figs, this is a bad sign, and you’re definitely better off not feeding pup figs ever again.
And, of course, depending on the seriousness of the situation and the symptoms that your dog shows, you should ask for immediate professional care if it’s seem to be necessary.
Can dogs eat fig newtons?
They can. But do you really want that to happen?
These sweets are not poisonous, but they aren’t proper food for dogs either. If you create a habit from giving your pet this kind of treat, you can provoke severe long-term consequences for your dog’s health.
The reason is hidden in several ingredients:
- Sugar (7 grams per 1 newton) and corn syrup high in fructose. When consumed often, they can cause diabetes, obesity, and hyperactivity;
- Cottonseed oil – too much of it can lead to gossypol poisoning;
- Artificial flavors, including sodium benzoate, sulfur dioxide, and more. These are not good for a dog’s nutrition. Or anyone’s food really.
Small amounts of artificial flavors and preservatives might not harm you, but they affect dog organism differently since canine weighs less and has smaller body parts than you.
Rather than feeding your pup fig newtons, give the pet fresh figs. It will provide her with a proper dose of fiber and essential vitamins we’ve mentioned previously.
Can dogs eat fig bars?
The Dogs VS fig bars dilemma has the same answer: yes, dog can eat it and even survive, but you probably won’t want to integrate those in pup’s nutrition if you care about pet’s well-being. Even you’ll buy the most innocent fig bar you be able to obtain and it will only have one ingredient – dried figs – no sweeteners, preservatives, etc – the rule of thumb: only give your pup fresh figs if you have to. Dried figs have more sugar and calories. And consuming more sugar and calories lead to obesity and diabetes. Any dried fruits are harmful to dogs, in general, for those reasons.
Figs and dogs. Summary
Well, figs are awesome, mainly. But your pup’s diet is always a touchy business. When feeding a dog with fruits and veggies, balance and moderation is the core of a healthy menu.
For instance, those are the fig rules: if your pup is small – half of the fig would be enough, and 1-2 is fine for a larger breed. Serve figs once or twice per month. Too many can be the reason for your dog’s mysterious diarrhea.
If you suspect that your pup could be allergic to figs, start feeding those just by a little olive-sized bit and increase the portion if there were no allergic reactions.
Credits: thanks for the cover photo to Pixabay.com.
