Rest assured that, yes, sweet red peppers are safe and can be nutritious for your dog. When it comes to other peppers, though, the safety pretty much stops with the bell variety. They are, by far, the pepper variety that contains the least amount of spice.
The most frequent answer is: any color bell pepper contains the essential vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial to a dog’s health, although the red type is the most nutritious.
Can I give my Dog bell peppers?
If you’ve been wondering, “can I give my dog bell peppers,” the answer is YES – dogs can eat bell peppers and a bell pepper is not toxic to a dog, provided you only feed it in moderation and as part of an otherwise well-balanced, healthy diet.
Can dogs eat red bell peppers?
While bell peppers are perfectly safe for your dog, too much red bell pepper could lead to an upset stomach or diarrhea. There is no inherent problem with dogs and bell peppers, but a dog’s digestive tract is geared for meat consumption, so you want to balance the amount of vegetables in your dog’s diet.
As such, they are among the blandest peppers in the Capscium genus. This makes them the most ideal pepper to feed to your dog. Other peppers that contain greater concentrations of capsaicin are not as safe and can lead stomach upset and with high concentrations, can cause burns, mouth irritation, and other adverse effects.
So while slipping a hot pepper to your dog won’t necessarily be a lethal mistake, it may cause stomach upset, leading to indigestion and diarrhea. And as with any new treat, always consult with your veterinarian before introducing to your dog’s diet.
What are bell peppers good for?
Bell peppers are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, carotenoids like lutein, capsanthin, beta-carotene, flavenoids like quercetin and luteolin, as well as other compounds like potassium and folate.
What kind of pepper is best for dogs?
Generally speaking, red pepper for dogs is the most nutritious option. They have the highest concentration of Vitamin C and Vitamin A content and they are also higher in beta-carotene.
You should be asking “How much pepper can a small dog eat?”
This is what our research found. “Some dogs will be fine with it, and some won’t,” says Dr. Fox. She recommends that large dogs eat less than one-half pepper and that small dogs eat less than one-quarter pepper at a time. Consider removing the seeds and stems to prevent indigestion.