Read time: 3 mins
10 May 2023
Yes, dogs can eat celery.
Celery is included in the list of vegetables that are safe for pooches to chow down on and has multiple benefits, such as helping weight maintenance and boosting vitamin intake.
Celery is a vegetable that’s often called ‘calorie-negative’, meaning it takes more energy to eat it (all that chewing, then chewing some more) than it provides in the first place. In reality, each stalk contains around 10 calories, which is pretty good going and explains why celery is a popular choice with human dieters. Even if the taste is rather love-it-or-loathe-it.
Long, thick celery stalks and the bright green leaves of the plant are made up of ruffly 95% water. It’s a low-carb vegetable with minimal fat and cholesterol, which is why it has so few calories. For these reasons – and because it's filling – feeding it to your four-legged family member as a snack is an excellent idea, especially if they're trying to lose some pounds.
Because it's fibrous (remember the chewing), celery's filling, too. And it contains beneficial antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. All this could make it a pawfect addition to your dog's diet.
Yes, dogs can eat raw celery.
If there’s one thing about our furry friends we could change, what would it be? The correct answer is (obviously) nothing, but, hmmm, it might be nice if their breath was a little fresher, right?
While you can brush your dog’s teeth (and it's really beneficial to do so), a quick-fix for dislodging trapped food between gnashers is to feed them a raw celery stick. The crunchy stalks require a lot of chewing (we might have said that already) to make them digestible, and this chomping acts as a natural tooth cleaner and mouth refresher. The fibrous stringy bits are just like dental floss for dogs.
No matter if your pooch is perfectly sized or a bit on the chunky side, it’s recommended that no more than 10% of their diet is made up of treats, even if they’re considered healthy.
Having a low-calorie, low-carb and low-fat option to hand out instead of processed nibbles lets you reward your pup without worrying that it's throwing their diet off-kilter.
Whilst celery has a whole host of benefits it should not be the main component of your dog’s diet as it does not contain enough nutrients to meet their needs. They need a complete diet.
Celery is a welcome addition to your dog’s diet, but there are a couple of things to remember. If you have a smaller dog or a dog prone to gulping down food, it’s best to cut the stalks into bite-size chunks to avoid potential choking.
Celery can be fed in various forms, whether that's raw, boiled or steamed. We wouldn’t suggest frying it though as this diminishes a lot of the goodness and oils that are used for frying are unsuitable for dogs to eat.
We would recommend monitoring your dog when feeding them, especially if they’ve never eaten the food before, so that you are able to quickly recognise any adverse reactions.
As always, be sure to introduce any new food to your pooch slowly to make sure they get on well together. No upset tummies on our watch.
Celery is joined by an army of other pooch-pleasing vegetables, such as: