Can Dogs Eat Sesame Seeds? What You Need to Know!

Most dog owners don’t think to give their dog a heaping spoonful of sesame seeds each day. In fact, most times, this question comes up when it comes to a sesame seed bun, some Chinese food, or a bagel. If your dog got into the Chinese food containers, don’t be concerned that the sesame seeds are going to hurt them. Your dog should be completely fine!

Since sesame seeds pack some nutritional benefits for humans, it may lead you to wonder if there are health benefits to giving your dog some sesame seeds. Here is some information that will clear things up for you when it comes to dogs and sesame seeds.

What Are the Health Benefits of Sesame Seeds for Humans?

When it comes to the benefits humans can obtain from eating sesame seeds, the most common are lowering cholesterol, increasing fiber intake, and protein intake. Humans tend to use sesame oil in cooking, as its benefits can outweigh those of olive oil. Sesame seed oil can be useful for your hair and skin as well. So, do these health benefits transfer over to your dog?

Do Those Same Health Benefits Apply to Dogs?

No, dogs don’t really see much of a health benefit from sesame seeds. They are not harmful to a dog’s system; instead, they just sort of pass-through. A dog’s body is well accustomed to breaking down meats, but when it comes to seeds, it doesn’t do anything to retain any of the nutritional benefits.

What Dogs Should Not Eat Sesame Seeds?

If your dogs have had any issues with pancreatitis, you should avoid not just sesame seeds but all seeds. Since a dog’s system is not used to breaking down seeds and nuts, they may struggle to digest them. This could lead to blockages or vomiting. If your dog tends to choke on food, you will also want to avoid seeds as they can become difficult to swallow.

Are There Other Seeds That Dogs Should Have?

Not really. Some human foods work really well for dogs, like carrots and apples, and even a little bit of olive oil, but seeds don’t. Again, if your dog gets a few seeds on a hamburger bun, it won’t hurt them, you will likely just see the seeds pass through in a day or two. They won’t be broken down, and no nutritional benefits will have been applied to the dog.

What About Seed or Nut butter?

Many people use seed or nut butter to help give their dog medicine or to put in a marrow bone to keep a puppy busy for a little while. The fact that seeds are not a great idea for dogs has some pet owners worried that seed and nut butters could also be an issue. Luckily the seed and nut butters are much more natural for the dogs to digest and turn out to be a great source of protein.

Don’t take this information too far and start making your dog a peanut butter sandwiches each day. If you need to use nut or seed butter to give your dog medicine or to lower a puppy’s anxiety when a bunch of people are in the house, feel free to do so. Seed and nut butter have a lot of calories, so be sure to remember this if you have a dog that has some weight gain issues.

Can Dogs Have Sesame Oil?

Some oils can indeed be suitable for dogs. All this talk about sesame seeds may have you wondering if sesame oil may be a good thing to give to your pet. Unfortunately, sesame seed is not the best oil to give to a dog. You are much better off sticking with fish oil or cod liver oil. Both of these will be higher in real nutritional value. Please, keep in mind that anytime you introduce a new food into your dog’s diet, it is essential to make sure that you talk with your vet first. Only you and your vet know the health and wellness of your dog to make these types of decisions.

Conclusion

If you came here to find out if your dog is going to be ok after they just grabbed a hamburger bun off the table while you were grilling, rest assured they will be fine. Sesame seeds are not dangerous to dogs; they are just kind of pointless to feed them. The sesame seeds will pass right through the dog’s body without providing them any health benefits. If you want to give your dog some healthy treats, look into carrots, olive oil, even a little cottage cheese will be better than sesame seeds.

See also:

• Can Dogs Eat Stuffing? What The Science Says!
• Can Dogs Eat Catfish? Vet Approved Facts & FAQ
• Can Dogs Eat Veggie Straws? What You Need To Know
• Can Dogs Eat Vegetable Oil? Vet Approved Advice

Featured Image Credit: dabok2014, Wikimedia Commons