Can Canines Eat Watermelon Seeds? Vet-Verified Diet Information & Data – Dogster
Watermelon is synonymous with summer season. Individuals definitely like it, with the per capita consumption in 2022 at 14.12 kilos.1 It’s an historical fruit, with archaeological proof going again 5,000 years. Its identify describes its excellent characteristic of being thirst-quenching. Whereas the pulp is scrumptious, there’s a variety of waste. Nevertheless, early People discovered what to do with the rind. Pickle it!
The opposite query, nonetheless, is the seeds. Many individuals discover them a nuisance. It’s no marvel that seedless varieties have existed for roughly 50 years. The query stays: Are watermelon seeds suitable for eating? Can your canine devour them? Whereas swallowing one or two most likely received’t trigger a significant issue, we don’t suggest giving them to your pet or consuming them your self. The info might shock you.
The Risks of Feeding Watermelon Seeds to Canines
Scientists didn’t develop seedless watermelons by genetic modification. It’s merely cross-breeding vegetation with fascinating traits, a observe almost as outdated as agriculture. Whereas many devour varied nuts with out hurt, fruit seeds are typically problematic. For instance, peaches and apricot pits include a chemical that converts to hydrogen cyanide when metabolized. Sure, you learn that proper.
Watermelon belongs to the Cucurbitaceae or gourd household. It consists of acquainted and protected meals like melons, zucchini, and squash. Many include comparatively massive seeds. That has prompted some researchers to think about their viability as meals. In spite of everything, producers roast and promote pumpkin seeds. Why not watermelon seeds? We don’t suggest any seeds to your canine, although, and that features watermelon seeds.
Obstruction Threat
The dimensions of watermelon seeds is a matter. They’re massive and exhausting, making them tough for a canine to chew. They’re usually swallowed complete, which may theoretically current a threat of gastrointestinal obstruction. Your pet’s physique received’t digest them correctly. As an alternative, they are going to seemingly move them complete. Consuming too many may cause a blockage, which is a medical emergency.
Indicators of an obstruction embody the next:
- Lack of urge for food
- Vomiting
- GI misery
- Lethargy
- Belly ache
- Bloating
Quick medical consideration is crucial. Surgical procedure is usually essential to take away GI blockages. It’s definitely not well worth the threat of giving your canine a handful of watermelon seeds. Keep in mind that many canine are indiscriminate eaters. They usually gobble their meals with out a lot chewing, placing them in danger. One of the best prevention just isn’t giving your pet any meals that would trigger a blockage.
Dietary Points
Seeds and nuts are tasty, however they’re usually calorie-dense. They should help the expansion of a brand new plant. Subsequently, they naturally are jam-packed with vitamins, together with fats. A 1-ounce serving of watermelon seeds incorporates 158 energy. That’s over half the really helpful complete day by day caloric consumption for a 10-pound canine. It additionally incorporates 13.4 grams of fats. That’s nearly the entire minimal quantity for an grownup canine.
Feeding your pet excessive calorie meals will increase the animal’s threat of weight problems and its related well being problems, corresponding to diabetes and coronary heart illness. Treats depend on the subject of the energy your pet consumes. They need to solely make up 10% of your pet’s complete caloric consumption. These seeds may additionally be tough to your canine to digest, regardless of the animal’s dietary diversifications with domestication.
Attainable Toxicity
Our analysis discovered one examine that raises one other pink flag about watermelon seeds. Even analysis supporting the usage of these foodstuffs expressed issues over the presence of the so-called anti-nutrients. They’re chemical compounds which will intervene with nutrient absorption. The issue with watermelon seeds includes phytoestrogens.
The priority rests with their doable position as endocrine disruptors. These chemical compounds might have some well being advantages, however they might additionally carry well being dangers that would doubtlessly outweigh the professionals of their favor. To be upfront, the examine we discovered concerned rats and never canine. Nevertheless, we share 82% of our genes with canine and 69% with rats, making genetic overlap doable.
The researchers fed rats for 21 days on a food regimen of both 2.5% or 5% watermelon seeds. They monitored the rodents for varied bodily and blood chemistry components. The seeds didn’t considerably have an effect on the animals’ ldl cholesterol or levels of cholesterol. The consumption correlated with spikes in creatinine and urea ranges, suggesting doable antagonistic results on the kidneys in female and male rats.
The crew additionally famous abnormalities within the male rats’ sperm, indicating potential antagonistic impacts on their reproductive system. These findings present proof of the detrimental results of phytoestrogens, significantly on male rats. After all, additional investigation is important. Nevertheless, it’s value noting the comparatively quick time through which these results occurred.
Conclusion
People don’t often eat watermelon seeds. Maybe the reason being now obvious in one thing apart from aesthetics. Analysis is ongoing. Nevertheless, given the chance of gastrointestinal blockages and the findings of the examine we talked about, we don’t suggest giving your canine watermelon seeds.
The results might not cross species strains, however they’re disconcerting sufficient to advise in opposition to this addition to your pup’s food regimen.
Featured Picture Credit score: Petrucy, Pixabay