Overview
Yes, dogs can eat capers. Capers have various vitamins and minerals that offer several health benefits to dogs. However, most store-bought capers have high salt content, and overfeeding capers to your dog could cause adverse health effects.
Can dogs eat Capers?
Benefits
- Capers are a good source of calcium, vitamin K, and magnesium for dogs, promoting healthy bones and teeth.
- Capers are rich in fiber, promoting healthy digestion and preventing gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and constipation in dogs.
- Capers are packed with antioxidants that protect against cell damage for dogs and regulate inflammatory responses.
Risks
- Capers are typically preserved in brine which has high sodium content. Therefore, excessive consumption can lead to sodium poisoning in dogs.
- Whole caper buds are a choking hazard to dogs.
- Store-bought capers are generally safe for consumption; avoid foraging capers from the wild as there are a few lookalikes from the Capparis species that are poisonous to dogs.
Servings
- Soak the capers and rinse with running water to remove the excess salt. Remove the stalks, give them to your dog in moderation as an occasional treat.
