Sunflowers seeds are usually edible to humans and many people tend to eat them as a source of minerals and vitamins.
Sunflower seeds are usually eaten as a healthy snack and are tasty.
Does this mean you can give your furry friend a bite?
Dogs can eat sunflowers seeds; they are not poisonous to them.
This means that they can be added to your dog’s diet to supplement the same vitamins and minerals they provide to humans.
Sunflower seeds specifically provide Vitamin E, copper, and iron minerals.
Are there any side effects of eating sunflower seeds?
As much as sunflower seeds are not poisonous to your dog, every good thing has to be done in moderation.
Your dog should not eat so many sunflower seeds, especially in one sitting.
It is important to ensure they don’t because dogs like to eat sunflower seeds and may end up going overboard if not monitored.
The many sunflower seeds may end up doing more harm such as:
- Eating many sunflower seeds may cause diarrhea in your dog.
- Eating many sunflower seeds may cause your dog to vomit.
- For a puppy, the sunflower seeds may cause inflammation in the pancreas.
What are the cautionary measures that should be taken when giving some sunflower seeds to your dog?
It is important to know that to know the difference between what is safe for dogs and what is safe for humans.
When humans eat sunflower seeds, they prefer them salted.
This mentality should not be carried over when feeding your dog sunflower seeds.
This is because salted sunflower seeds are poisonous to dogs.
They may not be fatal but the high salt levels in the sunflowers’ seeds could cause many serious health problems in your dog.
Your dog may get sodium toxicosis whose severity depends on the dog. Its symptoms are:
- Seizures
- Repeated urination
- Extreme thirst
- In some extreme cases of the disease, they may die.
It is also important to know that when giving your dog sunflower seeds, it is mandatory to remove the shells before feeding your dog with the seeds.
This is because your dog will not be able to remove the shells from the seeds like humans do and may even end up choking on them.
If they do manage to swallow the seeds, they may get stomach aches.
The shells are usually difficult to digest when in the dog’s stomach so it may lead to cases of obstruction of the digestive tract and constipation.
Note: It is good to know that sunflower seeds usually have a high amount of oil and fats which could end up being harmful.
Learn More:
Sunflower seed allergic reaction to dogs
It is important to always be ready for whatever reaction when it comes to your dog after any new food you try to feed them.
They may also be extremely hypersensitive to the seeds.
After a small portion of sunflower seeds is given to your dog, ensure that you check for any signs that are not normal to be able to tell when your dog is having an allergic reaction.
Note: It is very important to ensure that the sunflower seeds you are feeding your dog are natural.
This is because if they are not natural, most of them usually have salt, other spices, and flavoring ingredients. This may cause your dog to have immense stomach upsets.
How much is enough sunflower seeds to give your dog?
The above is mainly what happens when you give your dog too many sunflower seeds so what is the recommended amount of sunflower seeds to give your dog?
The amount of sunflower seeds is dependent on the size of your dog.
It is advisable to give a smaller dog not more than approximately 20 seeds in a week while for large dogs; it is advisable to give not more than 40 seeds in a week.
This may not seem like much but it is important to ensure that that number is not exceeded to prevent cases of having too much salt and fat in your dogs’ diet.
Also, it is to prevent the side effects of sunflower seeds on your dog and ensure your dog gets to have tasty snacks while remaining healthy.
What are the health benefits of feeding sunflower seeds to your dog?
Sunflower seeds are cone-shaped and have a hard outer shell.
Inside the shell is the kernel which is edible and what can be fed to dogs.
Note: The shells should be removed before giving your dog sunflower seeds. They should also not be salted.
Below are the benefits of incorporating the seeds into your dog’s diet:
1. They improve the dog’s skin and their hair coat
This is because of the fatty acids present in the sunflower seeds.
They are sources of healthy cholesterol and they help keep your dog’s fur coat shiny and healthy.
They also prevent issues with the skin such as dry skin instead your dog can have healthy and supple skin as well.
2. They help in providing the dog’s diet with good cholesterol
They introduce good cholesterol into the body while reducing the constant production of bad cholesterol in your dog’s body.
This helps reduce the chances of heart diseases and other diseases such as strokes while maintaining low blood pressure levels.
3. They help to reduce and relieve stress and moods of depression
They produce a calming effect on dogs which in turn reduces their anxiety levels.
Sunflower seeds have magnesium which reduces the levels of fatigue, depression, and stress in your dog.
4. They improve the general health of your dog
This is a summary of the benefits mentioned above.
The sunflower seeds maintain good blood pressure while reducing the risks of getting lifestyle diseases in dogs.
It also helps to maintain the dog’s appearance to remain shiny and have healthy skin.
They also contain vitamin E which protects your dog from toxic and harmful radicals while regulating cholesterol levels in your dog.
Thoughts
If this was the sign you were looking for, it is both safe and healthy to feed sunflower seeds to your dog in a regulated around.
Let your dog enjoy the greatness of sunflower seeds.
