Paying proper attention to your four-legged companion's diet is the primary responsibility of every dog owner. At times, you might be unsure about which ingredients are safe and which are not. The best way to go forward is to do some valuable research | Hemp Seeds and Dogs

One question which dog owners might wonder is, can dogs eat hemp seeds?

Today, we will share some valuable insights into answering the question about the effects of hemp seeds on dogs. Once you go through this guide, you can decide whether you should include it in Fido's diet or not.

Can dogs eat hemp seeds?

Yes, dogs can eat hemp seeds; it provides a variety of benefits to your canine companion; that is why; you should include them in their diet.

When you look at the composition of hemp seeds, you will realize that they consist of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. The advantage of hemp seeds is that the ratio of these two fatty acids is in perfect proportion, which means that you will not be including excessive fatty acids in your dog's diet. With the proper balance of these fatty acids, you can improve your dog's health and provide various other benefits to their lives.

We will go in detail regarding the benefits of hemp seeds for your dog. It will help you understand why it is necessary to include it in their diet.

1. Improvement in skin quality:

The Omega fatty acids are directly responsible for moisturizing the skin and reducing itchiness. When you look at the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids in hemp seeds, it is 3:1, which is perfect for lowering skin diseases to promote a shinier coat. 

In addition to that, hemp seeds can reduce the shedding process. Most pet owners are tired of cleaning up pet hair all over the couch and floor. When you include hemp seeds in the diet, it will decrease the shedding, therefore, reduce the amount of hair around your home. With that in mind, Fido's coat will become aesthetically appealing and healthy.

Another benefit for your dog is to reduce the occurrence of allergies. When you look at the skin benefits alone, you will realize that hemp seeds are a must-have for your dog.

2. Decreases inflammation:

As the dog grows older, joint swelling and pain are a common health issue. Most pet owners rely on painkillers or prescription medication from the veterinarians, but a natural solution is to include hemp seeds in their diet. Hemp seeds, as we stated above, consists of omega-6 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties to reduce joint pain.

Keep in mind that there is a delicate balance to maintain because linoleic acid is found in Omega-6; an excessive quantity of this can trigger the inflammatory process. However, hemp seeds have the perfect amount to reduce joint inflammation.

It keeps arthritis away, which is another benefit of including them in Fido's diet.

3. Improves heart health:

Obesity can lead to the build-up of fats and cholesterol in the heart leading to cardiovascular issues. Fortunately, hemp seeds can play a role in keeping your companion's heart strong and healthy.

You might be thinking, how can hemp seeds improve the cardiac health of your dog?

The answer is that they can do so in multiple ways. We will go through it in detail:

• Hemp seeds contain a high amount of Amino acids and arginine. These components produce nitric oxide in the body, which functions to dilate and relax the blood vessels to improve blood circulation. When the blood vessels are relaxed, the blood pressure tends to be lower, therefore increasing blood flow to the heart and other organs.

• Hemp seeds promote better organ function in the body to decrease the chance of organ failure. When the organs function smoothly, it keeps the cardiac pressure low.

As you can see, hemp seeds can improve the cardiac health of your dog in more ways than one. 

4. Increases immunization power:

Hemp seeds consist of multiple nutrients like:

• Zinc

• Magnesium

• Iron

• Calcium

It is an antioxidant powerhouse that provides all these nutrients to enhance the immune system. In addition to that, hemp seeds contain a lot of fiber to promote a healthy digestive system. 

5. Calms your dog:

 
Various day-to-day activities can increase stress and anxiety in your dog. The events that we take for granted can have a significant impact on Fido's mental health. The adverse psychological effects can wreak havoc leading to excessive barking, urination, and disruptive behavior. 

These stressful situations can be trigger by:

• Fireworks

• Thunderstorms

• Temporary separation

• Travel

Instead of taking this anxiety for granted, it is better to do something about it. You might be thinking, how to fix this problem?

The solution is pretty simple. Hemp seeds!

Yes, you read it right!! Hemp seeds can reduce anxiety because of its calming effect. Not only that, they can mitigate various behavioral problems, such as:

• Stress

• Anxiety

• Obsessive behaviors

In the long run, the relaxing effect has various benefits on your dog's health and life span. Because of this, it is crucial to include hemp seeds in their diet.

6. Reduces the effect of aging:

As we stated above, hemp seeds consist of antioxidants so they can reduce the effects of aging. This includes reducing joint pain, allowing your dog to stay mobile. It can also fight against cancer and alleviates the side effects of chemotherapy. Hemp’s protein and fiber can promote a healthy cardiovascular system. 

With so many benefits, do you still want to keep hemp seeds away from Fido's diet?

We guess not!!

We understand that since it is a new trend, and you might still have some questions, we are more than happy to tackle these questions below to provide you with a holistic view of hemp seeds.

How much hemp seeds can a dog eat?

It is a common question that most dog owners have because excessive hemp seeds are not beneficial for your dog's health. That is why it is essential to understand how much hemp seeds you can feed your companion.

If you’re giving hemp seeds to your dog in the solid form, it is a good idea to limit it to 1 tablespoon per day, and if you’re feeding it to a puppy, you need to limit it to half a tablespoon.

Another alternative is to include hemp seed oil in your companion's food. You can add a single teaspoon of hemp seed oil per 1.2 LPS of food that you give to your dog. It is easy to add to any meal, which is why, if you have a picky eater, you can provide the hemp seed oil.

Once you are clear about the quantity, now it is time to look at other factors to keep in mind:

• Form:

As we stated above, you can include hemp seeds or hemp seed oil in your four-legged friend's food. The quantity that you need to add is different depending on the form.

• Veterinarian consultation:

It is a good idea to consult a veterinarian before you include hemp seed in your canine companion's diet. They do not have any side effects in most cases, but the veterinarian can let you know the exact quantity that you can feed your dog, and how to increase it to the safe amount.

• The digestive capability of your dog:

Does your dog have a sensitive stomach?

If yes, you need to experiment with a small number of hemp seeds, then gradually increase the amount to the standard level. If the dog suffers from diarrhea or other stomach issues, then it's best to avoid it altogether; after all, this might indicate an allergic reaction. 

Conclusion:

You can give hemp seeds to your four-legged friend; most dogs are completely okay with them. When you go through the guide above, you will realize that hemp seeds offer quite a few benefits to your dog, which is why it is time to think about including them in the food bowl. In case you’re worried about the form or the quantity, you can always follow our guide above to tackle both the issues. Find out more about our holistic approach to dog’s health here.