Yesterday I attended the housewarming party of my friends Patty and John. They prepared a really great assortment of snacks and refreshments. Like me, they are big advocates of healthy eating and there were a lot of healthy goodies – different types of hummus, celery stalks, baby carrots, salads, flaxseed crackers and much more. Jo, my happy-go-lucky mix of Welsh Corgi, came with me to visit her friend Arnie, Patty’s and John’s adorable Yorkie. I think they had as much fun as we had!
While crunching on the celery stalks and Jo watching me with those adorable big eyes, I thought to myself, can dogs eat celery? How safe is it to give to Jo? As usual, I decided to find out and checked with my trusted vets and online sources. Here is what I found out:
Yes, dogs can eat celery safely, when served in moderation and only from time to time. Celery stalks are a great and healthy treat, recommended for fresh breath and even for battling dogs’ obesity. You should always chop the celery stalks into small pieces, approximately ½ inch long so your pup can chew and digest them quickly. Dogs can also eat celery leaves in small quantities; usually, a few pinches sprinkled on their regular food. When it comes to celery root, also known as celeriac, you should always cook it before serving it to your dog. From time to time, in small amounts, cooked celery root can add a nice variety to your pup’s diet.
To learn more about which parts of celery are safe for your dog, how much celery dogs can eat and why it is a healthy and tasty treat, keep reading:
Contents
- Is Celery Good for Dogs?
- Can Celery be Toxic?
- Which Parts of Celery can Dogs Eat?
- How Should You Feed Celery To Your Dog?
- How Much Celery can Dogs Eat?
- Conclusion
Is Celery Good for Dogs?
Yes, celery is an excellent treat for dogs. Celery is packed with vitamins A, C and K, folate, potassium, manganese, phytonutrients and at the same time have almost no fat and cholesterol.
Although celery consists of 95% of water, it’s a great source of fibre, so it’s filling, too. One cup of celery has 5 grams of dietary fibre. That’s why celery is an excellent treat if you are trying to manage your pup’s weight and obesity. Dogs love crunchy treats so you can’t go wrong with small pieces of celery stalks. Besides, due to all the healthy nutrients, celery also aids the digestion process and keep your pup’s digestive tract in good condition. So you make sure the number 2 is never an issue.
Celery also has a therapeutic effect when it comes to relieving the symptoms of arthritis, which is an inflammatory disease of joints. Celery has more than 20 anti-inflammatory compounds which can ease up the swelling and joint pain. Consult your veterinarian to learn more about how celery can help in case of arthritis.
Can Celery be Toxic?
Celery, on its own, is not toxic, neither to animals nor to us humans.
The problem of toxicity is caused by pesticides which are used in commercial agriculture. If you or your pup consume too much of non-organic celery, and in fact of any kind of fruit and vegetable, it may happen that the pesticides residues from them accumulate in your bodies. This may cause various issues later on.
To be safe, buy organic fruits and vegetables which are not treated with pesticides. If you don’t have a chance to do so, make sure to wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly before serving them to you, your family and your dog.
Another point which you should consider is also that celery is known as allergenic food. Allergy to celery is not that common in dogs; however, if your pup hasn’t tried celery yet, you should always introduce it in tiny quantities. The symptoms include rash, trouble breathing and swelling and usually come on rapidly, within minutes. Make sure to watch your pup after feeding her anything new.
Which Parts of Celery can Dogs Eat?
| Celery Part | Is it Safe for Dogs to Eat? |
|---|---|
| Celery Stalks | ✓ Yes – an excellent treat for dogs when chopped into small pieces, about 1/2 inch long |
| Celery Leaves | ✓ Yes – a few pinches of fresh or dried celery leaves sprinkled in dogs food |
| Raw Celery Root (Celeriac) | ✖ No – it’s hard to chew and digest and can pose a choking hazard |
| Cooked Celery Root (Celeriac) | ✓ Yes – in small amounts – one to two spoons occasionally in dogs food |
Celery is a plant that has been cultivated by humans for thousands of years. They are a part of cuisines of many cultures and can be eaten raw, cooked, steamed and roasted.
Celery plant consists of:
- Stalks
- Leaves
- Root (celeriac)
Can Dogs Eat Celery Stalks?
Yes, dogs can eat celery stalks. They are the best part of celery to give to your pup. They are crunchy and full of vitamins and other nutrients. However, you should feed it to your dog only occasionally, as a treat in small chopped pieces and, of course, only if she likes it.
Can Dogs Eat Celery Leaves?
Yes, dogs can eat celery leaves as a rare addition to their regular dog food. The best portion is a few pinches of fresh or dried leaves.
When we talk about celery leaves, there are some awesome soup recipes you should try: Tasty Celery Soup Recipe
Can Dogs Eat Raw Celery Root (Celeriac)?
No, you should not give raw celery root, also known as celeriac, to your pup. The raw celery roots are hard to chew and digest.
If you want to add variety to your pup’s diet, you can do it with cooked celery root. Just cut the celery root into small pieces, cook it in water without salt and other ingredients until it’s soft and mix it with the mixer or mash it with a fork. You can serve it in small quantities (one or two teaspoons), into your pup’s regular food.
Celery roots are known to have the biggest amount of allergens when compared to other parts of celery. Make sure to watch your pup afterwards if you are trying it for the first time.
Can Dogs Eat Celery Seeds?
Yes, dogs can eat celery seeds. You can sprinkle a pinch or two to your pup’s food, from time to time.
If your pup has arthritis, they are the best part of celery because they have the highest concentration of anti-inflammatory compounds. Otherwise, they may be quite expensive, so it’s cheaper to feed your pup celery stalks.
Can Dogs Eat Cooked Celery?
Yes, dogs can eat cooked celery stalks, leaves and roots (celeriac). There is no particular benefit of feeding your pup cooked celery, other than if she is a small dog. In such a case, she can chew it more comfortable, and it’s also easier to digest. Make sure to cut the celery into small chunks before cooking it. Otherwise, it is tough to chew and digest and can get stuck in your pup’s digestive tract.
Can Dogs Have Celery Juice?
There is not much research done on this topic, but considering that celery is safe for dogs to eat, in general, dogs could have celery juice. If they drink it, it is another interesting question. Celery on its own doesn’t have a specially good taste, so I can imagine celery juice will be the same.
In addition, when you juice celery, or any other vegetable and fruit, you are getting rid of the pulp with the dietary fibre, which helps the body to extract more of those excellent nutrients they have.
If your pup has arthritis and doesn’t want to eat chopped celery stalks, you could try juicing it and adding it with pulp into her food. Consult with your veterinarian about the best approach.
Can Dogs Eat Celery Pulp?
Celery pulp is the by-product of celery juicing. It includes the dietary fibre and a lot of vitamins and nutrients, so it’s not good to throw it out just like that.
If you like to drink celery juice and you end up with a lot of pulp, it is generally safe to give it to your dog in small amounts, from time to time, as part of their regular diet. However, considering that chopped celery stalks are an excellent treat, dealing with celery pulp is not worth it.
Can Dogs Eat Celery Salt?
No, dogs can’t eat celery salt and any salt for that matter. Salt increases blood pressure and causes stomach cancer, so it’s not good for your pup and you neither.
How Should You Feed Celery To Your Dog?
The best way to feed celery to your dog depends on the celery part. Some are good to feed fresh, some you need to cook. Find out how to feed celery parts to your dog:
How Should You Feed Celery Stalks To Your Dog?
You should always cut celery stalks into small parts before you feed them to your dog. Celery stalks are an excellent treat because of all the vitamins and nutrients they have.
Here is how you can prepare celery stalks for your dog:
- Cut the end (also called celery head)
- Peel the celery stalks off
- Wash each celery stalk properly under running water
- Cut the end of the stalks again
- Make a small cut in thirds of the stalk
- Peel of the strings which are hard to chew and digest
- Chop the thirds into small bits – about ½ inch long
- Prepare equal portions and store it in the fridge
Voila, you are finished. Now you have a healthy treat for your pup.
In the video below, you can watch how to cut celery like a chef on Jamie Olivier channel!
How Should You Feed Celery Leaves To Your Dog?
You can feed celery leaves to your dog either fresh, dried or cooked. If your pup doesn’t like to eat celery stalks, you could try to add variety to her regular food with a pinch or two of celery leaves from time to time.
How Should You Feed Celery Root (Celeriac) To Your Dog?
You should feed your dog with only cooked celery root (celeriac).
Here is how you can prepare the celery root for your dog:
- Cut off the stalk remnants
- Peel the skin
- Cut it into small pieces
- Cook it in water, without added salt and other ingredients, for about 10-20 minutes (depending on the size)
- Once it’s soft, use a mixer to mash it into a thick cream
- Give one-two spoons to your pup’s regular food
- Store the rest in the fridge
In the video below, you can follow the process again:
How Much Celery can Dogs Eat?
You should feed celery to your dog mainly as a treat unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian (in case of arthritis or other diseases).
When it comes to treats, as I already mentioned in the article Can Dogs Eat Pineapple, treats should equal a maximum 10% energy use of your pup. If you have a small dog that weights ±5kg and is not pregnant or lactating, she should get a maximum of 100 calories in her daily food to stay healthy and fit. It means that treats should equal ten calories. It would mean your pup should get maximum one celery stalk chopped into pieces, per day. This only if you don’t give her other treats during the day. I’d say giving your pup 2-3 chopped pieces per day, with other treats is enough. Don’t forget to keep variety in your pup’s diet and mix up celery with carrots and other tasty and healthy vegetables.
Conclusion
To sum up, celery should be given to dogs mainly as a treat and only from time to time. The best part of celery is celery stalk chopped in pieces so your pup can chew and digest it easily. If your dog suffers from arthritis, it may be useful to check with your veterinarian if adding celery into your pup diets may alleviate some of the symptoms.
I hope you enjoyed this article and it will help you make a better decision on your pup’s diet.
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