Last Updated on September 22, 2023 by Linda Richard
So, you just noticed that your dog has taken a bite out of a nosegay of dill left on the kitchen counter – can dogs have dill or is it dangerous for their health? Should you rush to the vet, do you need to give your dog anything, should you observe your dog for any symptoms? Or is dill actually perfectly safe for dogs? Let’s find out below.
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Can Dogs Have Dill?
In a word – yes. There’s nothing toxic or even remotely dangerous for dogs in dill. As a matter of fact, dill is quite healthy for dogs and we’ll go over its many health benefits below.
Of course, while dogs are omnivores, they do lean toward carnivores so they can’t just graze on dill the way a cow would. So, if your dog eats too much dill at once, you can expect to see some digestive distress, diarrhea, or vomiting. None of this should have any long-term effects on your pooch, however – just make sure that you keep your dog well hydrated and everything should be fine.
So, can dogs have dill? Yes. In fact, let’s go over some of the reasons why you should give your dog dill and how you should go about it.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Dill For Dogs?
Believe it or not, dill has a lot of benefits not just for people but for dogs too. Here’s a quick rundown:
- Dill is rich in vitamins A and C
- There are lots of minerals in dill such as iron, folate, manganese, and calcium – this makes it great for bone health
- This herb is known to help improve the digestive tract and reduce gas, nausea, cramps, and improve dogs’ appetite
- Dill is rich in antioxidant flavonoids such as kaempferol and vicenin – these have anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, cardio- and neuro-protective, and anti-diabetes properties
- As a nice bonus, dill also improves dogs’ breath – something a lot of pets really need
So, as you can see, not only is dill safe for dogs but it’s actually a very nice addition to their diet.
How To Give Dill To Your Dog?
Waving a nosegay of dill in front of your dog’s muzzle isn’t necessarily how you’d want to go about it. Instead, try these two approaches:
Simply sprinkle some chopped dill leaves in your dog’s food or mix them in it if your dog isn’t too fond of it initially
- Boil some dill seeds in water or unsalted broth – then just let it cool and give it to your dog to drink
- Either of these methods should work perfectly well on most dogs.
Can Dogs Have Dill Pickles?
Absolutely not, but not because of the dill itself. Dill pickles include a lot of other ingredients in addition to the dill and pickles. They are made with lots of salt and sugar, often including onion and garlic, and lots of other stuff that’s outright toxic for dogs. So, you should definitely keep the dill pickles away from your pet.
In Conclusion, Can Dogs Have Dill?
As you can see, dill is quite safe for dogs. Unless you’re trying to force your dog to eat just dill, there are pretty much no negative consequences of just adding a bit to your dog’s food. And, should your dog nibble on some dill in your kitchen, there’s no need to worry. As long as we’re just talking about a few bites, both dill leaves, stems, and even seeds are safe for dogs.
As a matter of fact, there’s nothing wrong in sprinkling some dill on your dog’s food too. This herb is very rich in various minerals and vitamins that are great for dogs’ digestive tracts, bone health, and more.
Learn more about: Can Dogs Have Banana Bread Or Is It Toxic For Them?
FAQs
Can dogs eat dill?
Yes, dill is perfectly safe for dogs both as a herb sprinkled on their food and boiled in water. In fact, dill is quite as healthy for dogs as it is for people – it’s rich in vitamins A and C, and it has lots of iron, calcium, manganese, and folate. As such, dill is very good for your dog’s bone and joint health, and it also supports a good digestive system.
Dill also contains antioxidant flavonoids such as vicenin and kaempferol. Those are great for their anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerogenic properties. They are good against diabetes too and protect against heart and neurological problems.
This all can make dill sound like a panacea – it’s not. Dill obviously isn’t going to cure your dog of cancer or diabetes. However, it does have nice preventative effects which is great for a herb you can just sprinkle over your dog’s food.
So, can dogs eat dill? Absolutely. In fact – it’s recommended that they do as long as you remember that this is just a herb. Trying to feed your dog with whole bowls of dill is of course not smart – not only will the dog refuse but it’d lead to digestive problems.
Is dill safe for dogs?
In moderation, dill is very much safe for dogs. There’s nothing toxic for dogs in this herb. All parts of dill are safe for dogs too – the leaves, stem, and even the seeds.
Of course, quantity matters here. If – for some reason – your dog overeats with dill you can expect to see some digestive problems and diarrhea or vomiting. Even that seems to be the extent of it, however, and there shouldn’t be any serious long-term consequences for your dog’s health.
Even if your dog is hungry and likes dill, however, it’s unlikely that he’ll eat that much – dogs prefer meat after all. So, if your dog has simply nibbled on some dill in your home – don’t worry, everything should be fine.
In fact, sprinkling some dill over your dog’s food or boiling it with some broth is an excellent addition to your dog’s diet. Dill is very rich in vitamins and various minerals dogs need. It also helps with their digestive health (again, in small doses) and it’s rich in antioxidants too.
