Can Dogs Eat Sesame (Seeds or Oil) Safely?

They’re a fan favorite when it comes to human consumption. We enjoy them on our hamburger buns and the classic Chinese takeout sesame chicken. But what does that mean for our dog? The last thing we want to do is feed our dogs a delicacy that will cause them harm such as garlic.

You love your dog and not only is taking care of him your responsibility but something you enjoy. However, as with the majority of human foods, sesame seeds come with their ups and downs. Fortunately, there’s more good news than bad. It’s perfectly fine to give your dog sesame seeds. They aren’t toxic or lethal like xylitol and aren’t harmful to their overall health either.

The Good News About Sesame Seeds

Despite popular opinion, we’ll start with the good news first. The good news is that sesame seeds aren’t dangerous for your dog and can even add some nutritional benefits to spice up his diet. Sesame seeds are loaded with vitamins and nutrients that are essential for every dog’s diet. They can be a great option if you ever want to break the monotony of your dog’s normal, boring kibble.

Even though sesame seeds have lots of benefits, it’s best for your dog to have them in moderation.

Nutritional Benefits Of Sesame Seeds

When it comes to sesame seeds, there are far worse things you could flop down in front of your dog. Sesame seeds can boast the following:

• Phosphorous
• Calcium
• Selenium
• Manganese

Sesame seeds come with quite a bit of calcium and phosphorous. Both are required in your dog’s diet to promote strong bones and teeth. Selenium has bragging rights of its own. It plays a significant role in boosting your dog’s immune system and thyroid gland. Selenium also has properties of zinc, vitamin E, vitamin B6, and linoleic acid. While manganese is especially important for puppies, it also benefits your older dog as well.

It plays an important role in ensuring bone and cartilage. It also aids in mitochondria function–the cell’s most significant energy source. Additionally, sesame seeds are a great source of B vitamins. They promote healthy blood function and are beneficial to your dog if he has a low iron count. Long story short, sesame seeds are a vitamin dynamo. 

The Bad News About Sesame Seeds

Bad news may not be the correct phrase here. It’s more along the lines of not-so-good news. This is because sesame seeds can also come with potential hazards. While sesame seeds present numerous health benefits for your dog, they are in no way required for your dog to live a happy, healthy life. Best served in moderation, overconsumption is one thing you should watch out for. Overconsumption can lead to many things such as:

• Bowel irritation
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

When serving your dog sesame seeds, you should start with the smallest amount possible. Afterward, you should take note of your dog’s behavior to see how he reacts. Though not toxic to your dog, there is still the possibility of an allergic reaction. This is why monitoring your dog’s reaction is essential. 

Another downfall to feeding your dog sesame seeds is the fact that your dog’s digestive system may have some trouble. This is because your dog’s digestive system isn’t built to digest things of this nature. To summarize, sesame seeds aren’t going to be the reason you have to drop everything for an emergency trip to the vet’s office. The moral of the story is they won’t kill your dog.

While sesame oil won’t hurt your dog, it doesn’t have the same nutritional benefits as other oils.

Your Dog And Sesame Oil

Like sesame seeds, sesame oil won’t cause your dog any harm. If you’re serving your dog sesame oil, it’s best served on fresh meat and veggies. All you have to do is throw a splash on the serving. If you’ve never served your dog fresh food, that’s perfectly fine.

You can also add sesame oil to your dog’s kibble for added nutrients. There’s nothing wrong with adding sesame oil to your dog’s diet if you want to add a little spice. However, if you’re shooting for the most nutritional benefit, there are better options out there:

• Fish oil
• Krill oil
• Coconut oil
• Flaxseed oil

These four oils are loaded with fatty acids that boast anti-cancer properties. They’re a great alternative to sesame oil if you want the maximum nutritional benefit. 

Tips For Serving Your Dog Sesame

Sesame seeds and oil can be served in many different ways. Since sesame seeds are difficult for your canine to digest, they are best served on something, not by themselves. If it’s your dog’s first rodeo, give him a small amount to see how he reacts to it. Aside from that, the best route to take when feeding your dog sesame seeds or oil is to sprinkle a little on their normal food. This is a great way to spice up their diet.

The End Of The Line

As a pet owner, you probably imagine how bored your dog becomes eating the same thing every day. This is the reason why you are continually looking for a way to add some excitement to their diet. For this purpose, sesame seeds are a great route to take. The numbers speak for themselves. Aside from the vitamins and minerals, sesame seeds taste fantastic. Additionally, sesame seeds can promote strong bones and teeth, boost your dog’s immune system, and give him more energy. How could you go wrong with that?

The most important thing you have to watch out for, however, is overconsumption. Being so small, it’s hard to imagine you can give your dog too many sesame seeds. But it is possible. Sesame seeds pack quite a punch. At the end of the day, you shouldn’t be nervous about feeding your dog sesame seeds. They won’t harm your dog in any way. This is great to know if you’re like most pet owners and tend to worry too much. The major downfall of sesame seeds is that there are better things out there. Other than that, you should have no problems feeding your dog these delicious seeds.