Is Oregano Safe for Your Dog?
We’ve all asked ourselves at some point if some ingredient or another is safe to give to our dogs. Dogs can eat and drink a lot of similar things to us. They eat meat, certain kinds of vegetables, and crave salt like we do. However, dogs also eat kibble, love to dig around in the dirt and eat grass, and will pick up and eat roadkill like it’s nothing. So while there are similarities, there are also a lot of differences between what humans and dogs can/will eat.
So this begs the question, what about oregano? Well, according to the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), oregano is “a gastrointestinal irritant” and has put oregano on the list of foods that have toxicity for dogs. However, it’s not all black and white.
Good In Moderation
Oregano, like many things, can actually be a positive in moderation. It can actually be helpful to older dogs that suffer from things like arthritis due to the high amount of antioxidants in oregano. Oregano can also be helpful if you’re giving your dog something fresh to eat like salmon or chicken. Because oregano is a spice, it can enhance the flavor of these meats and it may be useful for dogs that are more picky about their food.
Uses For Oregano
Ok, the taste factor is obvious, but oregano can also have several other benefits. It’s been theorized that oregano could potentially help with things like a sore throat, bronchitis, and even asthma.
Oregano could potentially even work on things like acne, canker sores, and warts. When you couple this with the applications it can have as an antioxidant, oregano is starting to sound like a super food! Even though the ASPCA warns against oregano as a toxic food due to the gastrointestinal implications, there have actually been theories that it could actually have a positive impact on things like bloating, heartburn, and other stomach issues.
Reminders
While we’ve made quite the case for oregano being good for dogs, it’s important to remember that oregano, like lots of things, is only good in moderation. You shouldn’t be giving your dog oregano on a regular basis or in large doses. Oregano Oil is quickly becoming a new-age aid for lots of the things we’ve previously mentioned for humans, but oregano oil can be highly dangerous for dogs. Even if it’s watered down heavily, oregano oil can be dangerous.
If you’re looking for a healthy snack or supplement to give to your dog, Houdi’s Foodies is the answer. With natural, holistic ingredients, Houdi’s Foodies can give your dog a healthy boost to help support them. Houdi’s contains small traces of oregano which adds antioxidants to the treats making them perfect to help support things like arthritis. If you’re interested in trying out Houdi’s Foodies, check us out here: https://houdisfoodies.com/.