Good Veggies to Use as Treats...

[shelly]

I don't give Tori any dog treats ever since her bout with the pork induced pancreatitis last April.  But besides freezing her canned food into frozen meatballs for a night time treat before getting into her crate, we steam baby carrots and give her these every once in a while. I heard sweet potatoes are also great for dogs.  Is there anything else dogs do well with?  I know NO GRAPES, RAISINS, we don't (give) CORN either...anything else?  She has such a sensitive tummy, that I'm really afraid to experiment.  Thanks!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

My vet told me they have a lower balance of phosphorous and sodium, both of which are very, very hard for weak kidneys to break down (thus, added stress). The vitamins in them are tremendous for ANY dog. We all know that they are good for humans, so I am happy our doods can enjoy them also!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Shelly, the pancreatitis was brought on because Tori ate something that no dog should ever be eating...barbequed pork, which is notorious for causing attacks of pancreatitis. It isn't that Tori is prone to it, or has any more risk for pancreatitis than any other dog out there, any dog on DK would have gotten pancreatitis from that. So I would agree with your vet, you don't need to worry. I know that's easier said than done.

[shelly]

True, very true, Karen... Thanks again for setting my mind at ease. You are a great therapist! LOL

[shelly]

HERE YOU ARE! Thanks! I searched and couldn't find the last discussion. Thank you. How long would you cook them for instead?

[Deirdre]

Maybe 5 hrs instead of 7? I'd cook them when I'm not sleeping and would keep checking them and take them out when they feel crisp-chewey.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Great - thanks for your advice! I am going to do this soon.

[Deirdre]

This is how I cooked them next time I won't do strips I'll leave the slices whole.

[Leslie and Halas]

I'm a little late on this discussion, but Halas loves cantaloupe. He also likes bananas, green beans, and some other things, but he goes crazy for cantaloupe. He seemed to lose interest in baby carrots, so now I peel a full size carrot for him once in awhile and give it to him as a chew treat. He loves that, too.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You know, that's a great idea, and I never thought of it! I bet a dog who likes carrots would love to have a great big one to chew like a bone, lol!
Have you ever tried giving him watertmelon? I've heard some dogs go crazy for it.

[Leslie and Halas]

Oh, yes, I forgot about watermelon. He likes watermelon, too, but not quite as much as the cantaloupe. I had a bowl of both the other day, and he was going crazier for the cantaloupe. He does chew on the giant carrot just like he would a bone. I thought it would take him a long time to eat a giant carrot, but it didn't. He seems to like the large carrots better now, and I'm sure the crunching is good for his gums and teeth.

[shelly]

Are raw carrots harder to digest? Tori just loves carrots (baby - steamed ones)... she's just about does a 360 in the air for one tiny baby carrot! LOL

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Cooking vegetables does break down the plant cells and helps the body utilize more nutrients from them, so they are easier to fully digest than raw carrots in terms of more of the nutrients being absorbed; but that doesn't mean raw carrots cause a problem. The extra fiber is good and the extra bulk helps fill them up. Raw veggies shouldn't cause any kind of digestive upset in a healthy dog. Plus if they get some good crunching from them, as Leslie said, it helps clean the teeth, too.