Veggie Gardening with Pets in Mind
Are you wanting to start a vegetable or fruit garden and wondering if any fruits and veggies may be toxic to your pets? The team at Veterinary House have put together a list of plants that are safe to grow if you are concerned that your fluffy friend will wander into the veggie patch and test out the harvest. Certain fruits and vegetables can be an healthy alternative snacks for your dogs. Many dogs love the crunch of a carrot or apple.
Non-Toxic Vegetables, fruit, and berries:
- Butternut
- Pumpkin
- Carrots
- Celery
- Green beans
- Cucumber
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Zucchini
- Broccoli and cauliflower (but limit consumption)
- Ripe tomatoes (but limit consumption)
- Apples
- Banana
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries (but limit consumption)
- Strawberries
- Oranges
- Mango
Toxic Vegetables, Fruit, and Berries:
- Avocado – can cause pancreatitis and the pip can cause an intestinal blockage.
- Asparagus – hard for your dog to digest as it is a tough veggie.
- Cherries – The pips, stem and leaves contain cyanide which is toxic.
- Grapefruit – intestinal upset (vomiting and diarrhea).
- Grapes – Very toxic and causes serve kidney damage.
- Green Tomatoes – intestinal upset (vomiting and diarrhea), muscle weakness and seizures.
- Lemon – intestinal upset (vomiting and diarrhea).
- Lime – intestinal upset (vomiting and diarrhea).
- Mushrooms – only feed your pets the mushrooms that you would feed yourself.
- Onion – intestinal upset (vomiting and diarrhea).
A useful tip would be to always make sure your vegetable garden is fenced off and that your dogs or other pets do not have access to it. Once your veggie garden has been established, if it is left unattended your pets might come in and eat your lovely new produce. Even though some of the vegetables, fruit, and berries are safe to eat, if your pet eats them in large quantities, it can cause stomach upsets which could become dangerous for your pets.