Can Dogs Eat Dill? Vet-Approved Facts & Safety Guide

Dill is a flavorful herb that is used in a variety of human dishes. It is commonly added to pizza, but it can be used in many other ways as well. It particularly complements boiled potatoes and sliced cucumbers.

However, what is safe and suitable for us isn’t always safe and good for our canines. There are many things humans love that dogs can’t have.

Luckily, a small amount of dill is pretty safe for most dogs to eat. There is nothing blatantly poisonous about dill, so you don’t have to worry if your canine accidentally chows on some from your garden.

With that said, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should feed your dogs dill. In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about offering your dog dill.

Is dill poisonous for dogs?

No. There doesn’t seem to be anything in dill that is potentially dangerous for dogs, according to the ASPCA.¹ However, some dogs may experience stomach upset. This is simply because they eat food they are not used to, though – not because dill is poisonous.

Another possibility is skin and eye irritation in case of prolonged contact with dill, and sometimes respiratory irritation if there is inhalation of powdered dill.

Some dogs may be more sensitive to dill than others, although there is no evidence-based information or research data on this. However, for most dogs, there is nothing to worry about.

Can dogs have dill seasoning?

Dill seasoning is typically nothing more than dried dill. In this case, it is probably okay for most dogs to eat a very tiny bit, but there should be no reason to offer it to your pooch. They won’t gain much from it, and it may cause a degree of skin, respiratory, or gastrointestinal irritation.

But not everything labeled as “dill seasoning” contains only dill. For this reason, you need to take a close look at the ingredient list before deciding that the seasoning is okay for your dog. Sometimes, these seasonings can contain onions and garlic, which are not okay for canines to eat.

There is a recognized amount of dill that can be safely added to commercial pet food and is used purely as a flavoring additive.

Does dill have health benefits?

The effects of dill on dogs has not been widely studied. There are currently no studies supporting any health benefits that dill is claimed to have – for dogs at least. With that said, there are a few health benefits that many people claim dill has for our furry friends.

Dill contains volatile oil constituents. These may provide an anti-foaming benefit in the stomach, which may help reduce gas. They can also help with bad breath. Of course, you should not use them to cover up rotting teeth or anything of that sort, and science has not yet confirmed these presumed benefits. However, if your pet has bad breath, a bit of dill might help, as long as your vet gives you the green light.

Ground seeds may help combat some gastrointestinal parasites in people, but more research is needed to investigate these reports. And, there is some data that a rinse made of dill can discourage rat fleas. There have been no studies to prove either of these effects for issues relevant in dogs, though, and remember that dill can cause skin irritation and should never be applied on dogs’ (or cats’) skin.

Closing Thoughts

Yes. Dill in very small amounts should not hurt your canine but is unlikely to have any real health benefits.  Your dog needs a balanced and complete diet, with adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, alongside minerals and vitamins, to thrive, and dill contains very little of these things. However, you do not need to worry about your canine munching some dill in the garden.

While we don’t recommend using dill to treat any health conditions your dog might have, there is absolutely no problem with your pet sneaking a bit of dill.

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