You are in the kitchen cooking up a storm and you accidentally drop a small portion of ginger root on the floor. Your worried and everything goes through your mind, can dogs eat ginger? Well, you will be happy to learn that yes, they can.
Can Dogs Eat Ginger?
Yes, you can give dogs ginger, it can be a healthy and beneficial treat for your dog. You should only give it to them in moderation and on a treat basis, not replaced into their diet. Ginger is filled with minerals and vitamins, along with helping your dog, if they have inflammatory issues, digestion, or nausea.
What Makes Ginger Great?
When it comes to ginger’s medical properties, it is usually the Gingerol, which is the prime bioactive compound. Gingerol is known to help with stomachaches, as it helps with digestion.
There have been some articles related to ginger helping dogs with bloating. It has been known to help dogs with some type of relief when there suffering from it.
It should be noted though that Bloat is a serious illness and if you suspect your dog of having it, you should take them to your local veterinarian straight away.
Another known benefit of ginger is to help dogs that have joint issues or some type of arthritic joint pain. It is known to help reduce the pain they are in. Ginger is a great anti-inflammatory for dogs, with an amazing number of antioxidants.
Check out the below table showing what can be found in ginger – EveryDayHealth
1 tbsp of Fresh Ginger
| Name | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 4.8 Calories |
| Carbohydrate | 1.07g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.12g |
| Protein | 0.11g |
| Fat | 0.05g |
| Sugar | 0.1g |
These are the nutrients you will find in traced amounts in ginger:
- Vitamin B3 and B6
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Niacin
- Riboflavin
- Folate
Carry on reading below to see what ginger can offer dogs in full.
Bloating
As we have mentioned above ginger can help with bloating, also known as Gastric Dilatation Volvulus. Which can be a very serious illness, if not life-threatening. Bloating can happen when a dog is not expelling their gas and food, which causes the stomach to expand.
In a couple of studies, it is believed that ginger can help a dog with bloating. By helping the dog have more of a movement in their stomach and helping a dog’s movement.
Nausea
There is a lot of reasons why a dog might feel sick or vomit, has he just come out of a car? Some dogs do not tend to do well in cars, the traveling upset their stomach. Or are they just a little under the weather?
Usually whatever the reason is, giving your dog a little bit of ginger can help them with their nausea, it is handy to have it around. If your dog does not travel well in cars, try giving them a little bit 30-60 minutes before they are going to leave.
Dogs who get car sick pant, move around, whine, and vomit while in the car. Giving him a ginger cookie or two, depending on the size of the dog, one-half an hour before the car ride will help keep his stomach settled.
Read the original article – American Kennel Club
Heartworm
Ginger has been known to help with heartworm. Heartworm is something you do not want your dog to ever have, it is a nasty thing.
Ginger helps reduce heartworm larvae concentrations, which is great news for dogs that have been infected by a heartworm. Especially since normal methods have potentially dangerous chemicals.
Are we saying you should not visit your vet? NO, you should always visit your veterinarian and follow their advice 100%. We’re just saying there are things that can help with the recovery as well, as long as your veterinarian agrees with it.
Arthritis
Ginger is a known natural anti-inflammatory and since arthritis is an inflammatory disease, ginger is a good option for your dog. If your dog does suffer from arthritis, then maybe consider adding some ginger to your dog’s daily diet. This can help them have some relief from there inflamed joints.
As always though, if you are going to incorporate anything into your dog’s diet, you should speak to your local veterinarian first, just ask them at your next visit.
Immune System
You may be surprised to know that ginger has anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-toxic properties. Ginger can be used to strengthen a dog’s immune system, especially if they are an older dog. As older dogs tend to have a weaker immune system that can make the chances of getting a virus or bug easier.
Other factors to take into consideration are that ginger can help with flushing out toxins, blood pressure, and blood circulation. Which again, are problems older dogs can have.
With regards to your older dogs, you should make sure you keep all their vaccination up to date and see what you can do to help your dog live as long as possible.
Cancer
Ginger is an option used by owners when their dog has cancer or undergoing chemotherapy. Ginger helps with the feeling that they are going to be sick, along with helping them not be as sick as much.
It is to be noted that, feeding your dog too much ginger is a bad thing.
Too much ginger in your dog’s diet can cause numerous amounts of problems. So giving them too much ginger will just add to their problems.
Some of the causes to look out for are:
- Bloating/Gas
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhea
- Heartburn
Important Cautions to Know About.
As you can see from above, ginger is pretty safe to use for your dog, but not completely safe.
Ginger has been known to slightly thin the blood of dogs, we say this because you need to know.
In some cases, you should not feed your dog any ginger at all, unless your veterinarian has said it is ok. Such cases are if your dog is a diabetic, on any medication, pregnant, has anemia, or has any heart conditions. Not to mention before any surgery they will be having.
Different Forms of Ginger
There are many forms of ginger from, dried powder, root-based powder form, raw root, capsules, teas, or tinctures. All are acceptable for a dog to have, in moderation, as long as no other unknown ingredients have been added.
How to Feed Your Dog Ginger
To give your dog raw ginger, you will need to remove the skin from it and mince up the yellow part of the ginger finely, so it looks like mush or paste.
Give your dog ½ of a teaspoon if they are 35 pounds or under, ¾ of a teaspoon if they are a larger breed, while if they are a miniature breed it should only be ¼ of a teaspoon.
If you wish you can mix it into their dog food, although as with adding anything new to a dog’s diet. You should do it in very small portions to see if they react to it or have any allergic reactions. If you are unsure about the amount to feed your dog, contacting your local veterinarian is also the best option.
Check out the below table from Ottawa Valley Dog Whisperer they explain the quantities really well.
Can Dogs Eat Gingerbread?
No, Dogs cannot eat gingerbread. Even though it does contain ginger, this is not what makes it toxic. A lot of ginger products like gingerbread can contain something called nutmeg, which is dangerous to dogs in large quantities.
Nutmeg is dangerous to dogs because it contains something called Myristicin. This can be classed as a toxic, as it does not react well with a dog’s stomach.
Let’s not forget that gingerbread that is designed for humans is usually filled with high amounts of sugar and fats. Which can cause a lot of problems for a dog in the long run.
Conclusion
Yes, dogs can eat ginger, it has many benefits that can help your dog. Ginger is not strictly for medical use; it can be used for other reasons too. Please just make sure you do not give your dog to much ginger, as it is still a human food and should only be given in moderation.
Check out the below video showing how to make dog-friendly gingerbread’s, please note, actual human-made ginger breads are not safe for dogs. They contain nutmeg, which is toxic to dogs. Not forgetting the high amounts of sugar and fat.
