Can dogs eat chayote?

The chayote or air potato is a minority horticultural crop of tropical and subtropical zones, which originated in the highlands of Mexico and Guatemala. Although its cultivation for food is practically non-existent in Europe, its consumption is deeply rooted in Central America, China and India. In Spain, it has been cultivated mainly in the Canary Islands, although currently its production is reduced to small farms for self-consumption or for the local market.

People can consume chayote both raw and cooked, in fact, It is a common ingredient in stews, broths, etc. Now, does chayote harm dogs, or is it a vegetable that they can eat?

You should know that YEAH, dogs can eat chayote, since it is a vegetable that provides various nutritional benefits and does not contain any substance that is toxic to your body. However, even if it is a food suitable for dogs, it must be provided properly, to avoid unwanted effects on the health of our pets. Throughout the article, we will tell you how chayote should be offered to dogs so that its consumption is always healthy and safe for them.

What vegetables can dogs eat? Then we leave you this article on the recommended Fruits and vegetables for dogs that may interest you.

As we have anticipated, chayote is a vegetable suitable for dogs that provides various nutritional benefits. Here are some of the most important benefits:

• The fruit it is relatively low in calories: provides 20-30 kcal every 100 grams of product. The fat, protein and starch content is also low. For this reason, including chayote in the diet of dogs allows the volume of their ration to be increased without implying a marked increase in its energy value.
• Provides fiber: a nutrient that dogs cannot digest, but which is essential to regulate their intake and maintain their intestinal health.
• Is source of some essential amino acids: are those amino acids that the organism is not capable of synthesizing and that must be consumed through the diet. Specifically, chayote contains valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, threonine, lysine, arginine, and histidine.
• It provides various minerals, including potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.
• Is rich in vitamin C, E and B9 (folic acid).
• The edible parts of the chayote contain a wide variety of bioactive substances (polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids, carotenoids, etc.) that give the fruit antihypertensive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effectsamong others.

The easiest way to include chayote in the diet of dogs is adding it as a source of carbohydrates and fiber to your daily ration. If you provide a homemade ration, you can include chayote in the vegetable fraction of the ration, alone or combined with other vegetables.

The amount you must contribute Depends on energy and nutritional needs of your dog, which will vary depending on its age and its level of daily activity. From the total energy that your dog needs, you must subtract the energy provided by protein (which must represent at least 20% of the ration) and by fat (which must represent at least 5.5% of the ration). The rest of the energy can be provided by ingredients rich in carbohydrates (mainly cereals and vegetables such as chayote).

Therefore, as you can guess, the exact amount of chayote What can be included in the dog’s diet? it will be different for each animal. If you provide a homemade ration to your pet, it is important that you have the advice of a veterinarian / animal nutrition specialist, who helps you design a balanced ration and indicates the proportion of ingredients that you must include in the ration, to comply adequately with the energy and nutritional requirements of your dog.

If you decide to include chayote in your dog’s ration, you must take into account the following recommendations, so that the contribution of this vegetable is adequate and safe for your pet:

• Select immature fruits: unlike other fruits and vegetables, chayote should be eaten when it is still immature, since during the ripening process, the fruit becomes harder and more fibrous.
• Remove the spines, peel and seed: There are several varieties of chayote, some of which have their shell covered by thorns that, although small, are hard and pointed. The thorns can cause lesions in the oral or digestive mucosa of dogs, and the hard, fibrous shell of the fruit is often difficult for dogs to digest. For this reason it is important to peel the chayote before offering it, to remove both the shell and the thorns. The central seed, although edible, should also be removed, as it poses a choking and choking hazard to dogs.

Can dogs eat cooked, raw or cooked chayote?

Although dogs can consume chayote raw, the usual thing is that it is that enjoy this vegetable more when it is cooked, since its texture becomes finer and more delicate (similar to that of a boiled potato). To cook the chayote, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the chayote for about 30 minutes (cooking time may vary depending on the variety and size of the vegetable).

After this time, take out the chayote and try to open it in half with your hands. If the fruit separates in two easily, it means that it is ready. Once open, separates the pulp from the skin with the help of a spoon, and mix the vegetables with the rest of the ingredients of your dog’s ration.

In general, the contribution of chayote does not have to produce any unwanted effect on the health of dogs. However, when used improperly, it can cause damage such as:

• Lesions in the oral cavity or digestive mucosa: when the thorns of the fruits are not removed.
• digestive disorders (abdominal pain, impaired digestive transit, etc.): when the fruit shell is added.
• Choking or suffocation: when the seed of the fruit is provided.
• nutritional imbalances: when it is provided in excessive quantities.

If you wonder if chayote hurts dogs, the truth is that you have to be careful. Although chayote is a vegetable suitable for dogs, there are certain situations in which its contribution may be contraindicated:

• dogs with food allergies.
• buts with food intolerances.
• Dogs with a particularly digestive system sensitive to diet changes.

If you want to read more articles similar to Can dogs eat chayote?we recommend that you enter our Home Diets section.