As a pet parent, the answer is a yes, or a no is not enough when determining whether blueberries are safe for your dog or not. To be able to have a vast base of consensus on this, read along! To analyze this further, we will be talking about the advantages and disadvantages of blueberries and several other factors.
Can You Feed Blueberries To A German Shepherd
Yes, German shepherds can eat blueberries. Blueberries are a good source of vitamins and antioxidants, which can be beneficial for German shepherds. However, blueberries should be given in moderation as they are high in sugar. German shepherds should also have access to fresh water at all times when eating blueberries. Even though german shepherds don’t essentially require any fruits in their diet, blueberries could be used to supplement essential nutrients or as a treat.
Overall, blueberries are rich in nutrients, very tasty to eat, and have juicy flesh, all of which makes them a perfect fruit for german shepherds because german shepherds love fruits like this.
The advantages and disadvantages play a major role in determining whether you should feed blueberries to your german shepherd or not. But to understand those better, we will first be discussing several key attributes of a german shepherd’s body.
What comprises a german shepherd’s diet?
As larger and heavier canines, German Shepherds require a high-protein and high-fat diet to meet their energy needs. If you are a German Shepherd owner, you already know how lively they are. This explains why they’re so ubiquitous in law enforcement agencies’ Dog Squads.
A high-protein diet is required for German Shepherds. 24 percent of their food should consist of protein-rich foods for a younger German Shepherd.
Feeding them meat is the greatest method to meet their high protein needs. Blueberries and other fruits may be the most effective approach to ensure that German Shepherds get enough of the other vitamins and minerals they require.
Benefits of blueberries for german shepherds
Now that you have a good understanding of the makeup of a german shepherd’s diet, you can easily understand the advantages of blueberries to them as well.
Blueberries contain several compounds and enzymes, making them super beneficial for german shepherds. We will be explaining how blueberries become so good for your dog because of these compounds. Read the following section for details.
Blueberries contain antioxidants
As your dog gets older, metabolic by-products begin to collect, speeding up the onset of age-related diseases. Free radicals are these by-products, and they are the major cause of aging and degenerative diseases. The best method to maintain oxidation at check is to keep your German shepherd’s diet under control.
Blueberries are high in antioxidants, which can help to minimize oxidative stress and prevalent oxidative stress-related illnesses like arthritis, diabetes, and renal disease.
Blueberries contain several vitamins and minerals which are beneficial for german shepherds.
Blueberries are high in antioxidants, but they’re also high in vitamins C, A, K, and E and trace minerals. Vitamin C is required for the immune system to operate properly, protecting your dog from various ailments.
Blueberries contain vitamin A, which helps keep their skin nice, silky, and hydrated. This can aid German Shepherds with skin problems and hair loss.
The following points have a detailed account of how each vitamin is beneficial for your german shepherd.
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C is an essential vitamin that helps keep a german shepherd’s immunity strong. If there is less vitamin C in a dog’s system, it may contact viruses and contract several diseases. Feed your dog with blueberries as a vitamin C supplement to ensure this doesn’t happen.
- Vitamin A: Vitamin A is an important vitamin for dogs, meaning it should be included in their meals to stay healthy. Vitamin A is required for the healthy function of the skin, coat, muscles, and nerves. Blueberries are a good source of it.
- Vitamin K: Vitamin K is indeed a fat-soluble nutrient that aids in the activation of your dog’s blood clotting abilities. When dogs ingest some rat and mouse poisons, their bodies’ capacity to utilize vitamin K is inhibited, resulting in bleeding and mortality if not treated.
- Vitamin E: One of your dog’s defense tools against oxidative harm is vitamin E. Fat metabolism and cell functioning are also dependent on this fat-soluble vitamin. Deficiencies can cause vision and muscle deterioration, as well as reproductive issues. Hence blueberries become good for your german shepherd.
Blueberries are low in calories.
This means that your german shepherd will not suffer from becoming overweight if she eats blueberries. Along with this, you can also prevent your dog from getting diabetes this way. Blueberries become an ideal fruit to serve your dog as a treat on days when it behaves well.
Blueberries contain fibers
Fibers, as you might already know, are compounds that help your german shepherd’s metabolism to work better. A good amount of fiber may even prevent diarrhea and also, in some cases, help with issues like constipation. Blueberries have a good amount of fiber; hence they become a really good snack for your dog.
Blueberries have anthocyanins
Anthocyanins, the blue/purple pigments in blueberries, are accountable for their hue. These anthocyanins act in combination with antioxidants to reduce your dog’s risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, osteoarthritis, and diabetes. Hence blueberries become beneficial for your german shepherd.
Even though the number of benefits is vast and you could start feeding blueberries to your german shepherd right away, there are some sad parts to it as well. Blueberries may affect your dog’s health adversely in many ways, and to determine whether blueberries are completely safe, read along to find out about the disadvantages.
Disadvantages of eating blueberries for german shepherds
The initial thing that should be done when you decide to add blueberries to your dog’s diet is to contact the veterinarian. Even though we can provide a ton of useful information, only your german shepherd’s vet can tell specifically if blueberries are safe for your pet or not.
Blueberries may turn out to be toxic for your german shepherd because of the following issues.
Choking hazard
Blueberries are small and round, making it a very tedious task to cut each so that your dog doesn’t choke on them. Many owners ignore this part and their german shepherds, especially puppies, end up choking on blueberries and experiencing very tough conditions such as the inability to die. These conditions may even lead to death.
To prevent choking, contact your vet and see if your dog is big enough for blueberries.
Digestion issues
Blueberries are high in fiber and sugar, both of which could pose problems for your dog’s digestive system. Too much fiber in the german shepherd’s system will absorb all the water from the feces and lead to constipation. Whereas too little fiber may lead to diarrhea. So feed blueberries to your dog in moderation to prevent both.
Secondly, sugar leads to problems such as obesity which may slow down your dog’s metabolism and make it more prone to several other stomach and intestine issues.
Allergies
Some German shepherds may be allergic to blueberries because of previous illnesses or pre-existing conditions. Although this is very rare, it could still happen to your dog. To prevent your german shepherds from suffering from any such allergies, monitor them after consuming blueberries.
Watch out for any signs of drowsiness, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. If any of these happen, rush to the ER and contact your dog’s veterinarian.
Harmful for german shepherds with pre-existing medical conditions
If your dog is already diabetic or has any illness such as pancreatitis, it may not digest blueberries well because of their high sugar content. In this case, blueberries may even turn out to be poison for your dog in the worst-case scenario. Hence always contact the vet first to know about your dog’s specific conditions and then only feed any blueberries.
Are blueberries good for your german shepherd’s brain?
As we discussed earlier, blueberries are mostly beneficial for dogs, but they could also be harmful to some german shepherds. Now, we come to the most asked question of whether blueberries help the brain of a dog function better or not. Read along with us to find out!
The brain would consume more oxygen than every tissue in our body if you didn’t know. The same is true for dogs and other mammals in such a situation. Oxidative stress is more dangerous to the brain and nervous system.
As previously stated, oxidative stress is harmful to your dog’s health and can ultimately lead to senility or other neurological diseases.
The major causes of oxidative stress are old age and accumulated poisons from their food. Regulating the diet and providing antioxidant-rich food to dogs is efficient in preventing oxidative stress. Researchers from a certain university studied the antioxidative of blueberries, and it was discovered that blueberries contained an antioxidant called anthocyanin.
Anthocyanin was also discovered to pass the blood-brain barrier, reducing oxidative stress in the central nervous system. On the other hand, blueberries are a professionally confirmed nutritional supplement that is beneficial to the brain!
How to safely feed blueberries to german shepherds?
Blueberries are offered in two varieties: wild blueberry and cultivated blueberry. Both of these are edible, and both are safe to eat. Before giving your dogs blueberries, make sure they are completely cleaned, particularly if you are giving them grown blueberries.
There’s a good probability these fruits are sprayed with pesticides. In general, dogs cannot manage pesticides, which might result in serious intestinal problems.
Because of their high sugar content, blueberries should be given to canines as a special treat and not regularly. Blueberries should make up 5 percent of a regular diet for younger dogs and 10% for older dogs.
However, do contact your vet to check what specific quantity is safe for your german shepherd.
Can baby german shepherds eat blueberries?
If they are three months old and above, they can. To eliminate even the tiniest residues of pesticides, thoroughly clean the berries. Give them either one or two berries and watch for any allergic reactions. Stomach distress, vomiting, itching, and loose stools are common food allergy symptoms.
You can start by giving them blueberries as just a reward if you’re certain they’re not allergic to them. Blueberries are included in their fresh diet at a rate of 5 percent. It’s important to remember that too many blueberries might cause serious stomach distress and diarrhea in puppies.
Now comes the very daunting question, is it finally safe for german shepherds to consume blueberries?
Is it safe for german shepherds to consume blueberries?
German Shepherds should be allowed to eat blueberries, as it’s perfectly safe for them. Blueberries are high in Vitamin C, fiber, and other nutrients that are essential for your dog’s optimum nutrition.
However, as mentioned in the last section, German Shepherds require a high-protein diet. Blueberries should be consumed in small amounts and not as a regular part of one’s diet. Ideally, it would be best if you fed them no and over a few blueberries per week.
Dogs, in general, have a sugar craving, and blueberries are one of their favorites. On the other hand, blueberries can be harmful to dogs if consumed in large quantities.
Blueberries, for example, are high in natural fiber and might cause diarrhea or other digestion issues for German Shepherds. Furthermore, the high sugar content of blueberries can cause diabetes or obesity in dogs, as well as heart failure!
Blueberries should be provided to German Shepherds as a light snack and not in large quantities!
Final Thoughts
Blueberries are a good replacement for many vital nutrients for your german shepherd, but you should prefer to feed it to them in moderation only. Secondly, blueberries bring many advantages to your german shepherd’s health, so depriving your dog of this delicious fruit is not the smartest idea.
In some cases, blueberries can even turn out to be harmful to your german shepherd because of several ingredients they contain or the specific conditions your dog may be suffering from. In such cases, keep monitoring your dog and always contact your veterinarian.
Lastly, feed blueberries to your german shepherd in an ideal way and contact your vet first if you face any problems. Don’t be scared about feeding blueberries to your dog; be smart about it!
