Can Dogs Eat Ginger?

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Can dogs eat ginger? Well all know that humans can. In fact Ginger (and the root) is considered a very healthy food to eat, with many considering it to have worthwhile medicinal qualities.

For us humans, ginger is used to help alleviate gastro-intestinal issues as well as stomach problems. Studies have also shown that the anti-inflammatory qualities of ginger can help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

And should you be interested, in some cultures a little root ginger mixed in a drink is said to be an aphrodisiac.

However, this article is clearly about whether dogs can eat ginger – will they too benefit from the cancer reducing effects of ginger, and maybe feel a little bit horny if they eat some? Lets take a look…

Ginger – Dogs Can Eat It

Well first of all, dogs can eat ginger. The potent root based herb is not on the toxic food list for dogs, so ginger is perfectly safe for canines to eat.

And while the impact of ginger for a dog does have less health benefits than it does us, there are definitely some good reasons to include some ginger in your dog’s diet.

Dogs can eat ginger – The benefits

Strangely, one of the more obscure health benefits is the fact ginger can help dogs that suffer from motion sickness.

If your dog often feels ill while in the back of your car try feeding them a little ginger based trick before you depart. Tests have shown that this actually works. By reducing the activity in the stomach the ginger prevents your dog from feeling queasy and sick.

Also, ginger is high in antioxidants. The benefit of this is that it can reduce the risk of heart disease. Ginger is also known to help treat allergies when administered as an antihistamine.

Over time, regular use of ginger as part of your dog’s diet can also help reduce cholesterol. The same anti-inflammatory factors that benefit humans, help your dog’s blood circulation, leading to a happier, healthier pet.

However, due to these very same properties, ginger is not recommended to any canines that might be suffering from anemia or other blood based health ailments. Nor should you feed your dog ginger if they are on any kind of blood pressure medication. The result could upset the balance of your dog’s circulation, and to the detriment of their health if your vet is attempting to control blood pressure.

Too much ginger for your dog is not a good idea.

Ginger and Dogs – The Precautions

Like all good things you can sometimes have too much. This is the same advice we always give when discussing human foods for dogs, however you should always exercise common sense and feed them said food in moderation.

Ginger is no different – feed your dog too much and they well end up with stomach upset and diarrhea. This is basically your dog’s way of saying they have the incorrect amount of any one food in their system and they need to get rid of some.

Furthermore, the same health benefits of ginger for dogs, will turn around and backfire if too much is consumed. An excessive amount in any one sitting can lead to gas, bloating, heartburn and nausea – lots of digestive pains basically.

If it is the first time your dog has eaten ginger, you should certainly only feed them a small amount.

And if ill effects arise and continue for more than 24hrs, you should seek advice from your vet. Although there have not been many reports of dog allergies to ginger, that could be the cause. Ongoing diarrhea will also lead to your dog being dehydrated and this would need to be remedied too.

The ideal amount of ginger to feed your dog, is as a little treat no more than two times a week.