The melon, an edible fruit for the dog
The melon is one of the summer fruits that can be given to a dog without any problem. This is valid for Cantaloupe melons (examples: Charentais melon, Cavaillon melon) as well as for watermelons, otherwise known as watermelon.
Rich in vitamins C and A and in water, melon, whatever its variety, is a fairly unsweetened fruit (about 7g of sugar per 100g) that will surely delight your pet's taste buds!
When to give melon to your dog?
Melon as a treat
It is therefore quite possible to give a small piece of melon to your dog as a he althy treat for your animal.Like other fruits appreciated by dogs, melon can be a good replacement for higher calorie dog treats such as biscuits or industrial dog snacks.
Melon to hydrate your dog
By its richness in water and its sweet flavor that most dogs appreciate, melon can be an easy way to refresh and hydrate your dog in summer and, that, if you notice that your dog tends to not to drink enough.
Is melon contraindicated in certain dogs?
If melon is one of the summer fruits with the lowest sugar content, it is still not recommended to give it to a dog suffering from diabetes mellitus in order not to unbalance his blood sugar.
The melon is also likely to cause some digestive disorders (diarrhea, loose stools) in dogs that are not used to it and/or if the quantities of melon ingested are too large.Be sure to introduce this fruit in very small quantities in your dog's diet and carefully monitor your pet's stools before increasing the quantities (but always within reason!).
In what form should melon be given to my dog?
Only melon flesh is edible. Before giving it to your pet, it is therefore necessary that you remove the skin and seeds from the fruit.
You can thus give the raw flesh of the melon as it is to your dog or mix it with other fruits in the form of a smoothie or ice cream for dogs.
How much melon can you give your dog?
You will understand, the melon should be considered a treat that you give to your dog. As such, the quantities of melon distributed (in the absence of any other treat) must not exceed 10% of a dog's daily energy requirement.
More simply, we can also set a maximum intake of clementine at 10 g of fruit per kg of body weight per day in an active dog. If this maximum is reached or exceeded, don't forget to reduce your dog's ration a little during the next meal.