There are a lot of precautions you have to take while looking after a dog’s diet. You need to be very careful about what your dog can or cannot eat. One common question that arises is, “Can dogs eat mint?”
Yes. Your dog can eat mint. Taken in moderate quantities, mint can even be beneficial to your dog. Too much mint can cause a lot of harm to your dog.
Usually, the types of mint that you usually grow in your backyard or buy at the supermarket are safe for your dog. However, there are some poisonous varieties of mint as well, which can be dangerous for your dog.
Benefits of mint
Mint is a versatile herb with a lot of benefits.
Vitamins and minerals
Mint is rich in vitamins A and C. Both vitamins are good for energizing your dog. They are also important for strengthening your dog’s immune system.
A strong immune system helps dogs recover quickly from any illnesses while providing reinforcement to healthy dogs.
Vitamins also help provide a smooth and glossy coat of fur for your dog.
Mint also contains a lot of minerals such as Calcium, Iron, Manganese, and Folate. These minerals are essential for the proper functioning of the body.
Calcium helps the formation and strengthening of bones as well as for proper nerve functioning. Folate helps in amino acid metabolism. Manganese helps speed up the activity of enzymes in the body.
Menthol
Menthol is a great help in nasal decongestion. It is very effective as a remedy against the cold for dogs, as it helps break the thick mucus and phlegm and prevents it from building up again.
Remedy for upset stomach
An excess amount of mint can lead to stomach aches. However, a moderate quantity of mint actually aids digestion.
For issues like motion sickness, gurgling stomach noises, or any gastrointestinal problems, mint can be an effective solution.
It provides dietary fibers, helping in the digestion process of the body.
If your dog suffers from inflammatory bowel syndrome or gassiness, mint can help relieve these symptoms as well.
Antioxidants
Mint has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants provide a lot of benefits. They can protect the dog’s cells from free-radical and oxidation damage, keeping them healthy.
Anti-microbial properties
Mint has anti-microbial properties that make it a natural remedy for bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
The chemical composition of mints helps in fighting the attacks by these organisms, helping to keep the body of your dog safe and healthy.
Allergy relief
Some dogs suffer from seasonal allergies or allergies that can cause skin conditions. Usually, people opt to take their pet to the vet to get allergy shots.
However, some of these symptoms can be cured with the help of mint because it contains rosmarinic acid. It also contains menthol, which is a natural decongestant.
Breath
The different characteristics that make up mint give it the ability to freshen breath. Mint has antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal properties that help fight bad breath.
That is why mint is one of the prime ingredients in toothpaste, gum, or other mouth freshener options.
Is mint safe for dogs?
Yes, mint is safe for dogs, but in limited quantities. Too much mint can cause problems for your dog. However, taken in the right quantity, mint has several benefits.
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What type of mints is safe for dogs?
Peppermint: Just like in humans, peppermint can help soothe a dog’s stomach.
Spearmint: Spearmint helps with the bad breath that dogs generally have. It can even help repel fleas.
Wild mint: Wild mint has a lot of nutrients and antioxidants that can keep your dog healthy and strengthen its immune system.
Catmint: The catmint is not a part of the Mentha genus, but belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It usually has a calming effect on dogs. It is also safe for cats, as the name suggests.
What type of mints is not safe for dogs?
English Pennyroyal: The English Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is a commonly found mint. It is also known as Churchwort. This plant is extremely toxic for dogs, and it should not be eaten by dogs in any quantity.
This plant contains the chemical pulegone, which is highly toxic to dogs and even humans. This chemical gives the plant its minty smell.
Some effects of ingesting this plant can include changes in heart rate, low blood pressure, liver damage, cardiac arrest, multiple organ failure, etc.
Perilla mint: The Perilla mint is not a part of the Mentha genus, but is a part of the mint family. The leaves of this plant are used extensively in Asian cuisines.
However, it is extremely toxic for dogs and should not be ingested by them at all.
Mint poisoning
Your dog could get mint poisoning if it ingests mint essential oils. It can also happen even if the oil is just applied to its skin.
If your dog has come in direct contact with mint essential oil, use detergent to wash it off immediately and take your dog to the vet.
The symptoms of mint poisoning due to essential oils include vomiting, lethargy, or diarrhea. Your vet will diagnose and examine your dog thoroughly and take blood samples.
Ingesting mint essential oils can lead to liver failure in extreme cases. That is why blood work is important as it will show the condition and intensity of the problem.
The treatment for mint poisoning will depend on every individual case. Usually, the dog is provided IV fluids that flush out the toxins and replenish fluids that were lost due to diarrhea or vomiting.
The vet might try to get your dog to vomit out the mint oil it ingested. When you take your dog home, you have to ensure that it drinks plenty of water.
Can dogs eat mint for bad breath?
Yes. One of the benefits of mint for your dog is that it can help to improve your dog’s breath. You can even make homemade mint toothpaste for your dog that is completely safe to use.
Can dogs eat mint candies?
It is not recommended for dogs to eat mint candies. Feeding your dog any type of mint candies can cause a lot of problems.
Mint candies such as Altoids, Thin mints, Junior mints, Polo, etc. have sugar in them. Sugar is not good for the health of your dog. It can lead to high blood sugar levels, decaying of teeth, as well as obesity.
Sugar-free mints are sweetened with xylitol, sorbitol, and sucralose. Sorbitol and sucralose are not safe for dogs.
Xylitol is poisonous for dogs. If your dog ingests xylitol, it will likely experience unpleasant side effects and can be fatal for the dog.
Candies like Junior mints have chocolate coating along with sugar, corn syrup, peppermint oil, like most other candies. All these ingredients are harmful to dogs and should not be had by them.
Try to avoid any mint candies that are made for human consumption. There are some mints you can try that are made especially for dogs and are therefore completely safe for dogs.
Can dogs eat mint sauce?
No. While fresh mint leaves in a small amount can be beneficial for your dog, you should never let your dog eat mint sauce.
The reason for this is all the ingredients that are used to prepare the mint sauce. Ingredients like vinegar, salt, sugar, preservatives, and other additives that make the sauce so tasty for humans are really bad for your dog.
Also, make sure that your dog does not try to lick your plate when you have had mint sauce. Vinegar, especially white vinegar even in the smallest of quantities can make a dog seriously ill.
If your dog does accidentally ingest a tiny amount of mint sauce, keep an eye on it for any signs of illness, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Call the vet for advice. If your dog has ingested a large amount of sauce, take your dog to the vet immediately.
How much mint can a dog eat?
The amount of mint that is okay for your dog to eat will depend on how big or small your dog is. Mint has several nutritional and remedial benefits, however, too much of it can be poisonous for your dog.
You can incorporate a few mint leaves in your dog’s treats, so as to avoid your dog from eating it excessively on its own. It is also a good idea to consult your vet before adding mint to your dog’s diet.
Do dogs like mint?
Whether or not dogs like mint depends on every individual dog.
Some dogs like to chew on mint leaves. Some theories suggest that dogs like the taste of mint.
A lot of dog treats that are targeted for cleaning their teeth or to help with bad breath use mint as one of the main ingredients. Studies show that a lot of dogs enjoy those treats.
Some people also believe that dogs eat mint because of its numerous digestive benefits.
If your dog likes mint, make sure that any product containing mint is kept away from your dog.
Mint-flavored candies should be especially kept away. Excess mint can cause a lot of problems to dogs.
Likewise, there are some dogs that do not like mint. One of the major reasons is the strong smell of mint, which can be very annoying for some dogs.
Because of their strong sense of smell, smells that are mild to us are often very strong and overwhelming for dogs. Peppermint oil is often used as a flea and tick repellant.
The smell of the oil can make your dog sick, and ingestion of the oil can cause a lot of problems like vomiting or diarrhea.
