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The quick answer: Yes, bell peppers are a safe and healthy snack to share with pets.
Benefits of bell peppers
Bell peppers and sweet peppers can be found in a variety of colors: red, orange, yellow, and green, all of which are safe and healthy to share with your dog. This fresh, crunchy snack is best enjoyed raw to get the maximum benefits of the nutrients. Bell peppers contain vitamins A, B6, C, E and K, potassium and folate. They are also low in calories and a good source of antioxidants.
Serving bell peppers to dogs
Just as you would for yourself, remove the seeds and stem of a bell pepper before sharing bites with your pet. They are not toxic but can be difficult to digest (and why serve your dog something you wouldn’t want to eat either?). For eager gobblers and smaller breeds, cut peppers into bite-sized pieces to avoid a choking hazard.
This crunchy veggie is safe to feed raw, steamed, boiled, or seared.
Hazards of bell peppers for dogs
Though bell peppers that have been cooked plain are safe to feed, never allow your dog to eat bell peppers that have been cooked with onions or garlic (or seasonings that contain them). These are toxic to dogs and cats—if your pet has consumed any form of onion or garlic, contact your veterinarian. Traces of butter, salt, and pepper won’t cause harm, but it’s best not to intentionally feed your pet vegetables that have been seasoned and cooked in butter or oil. The extra sodium can cause dehydration and too much fat can cause pancreatitis, vomiting, or diarrhea, in addition to playing a role in weight gain.
Stick to the sweet varieties of peppers: don’t ever feed your pet spicy peppers such as jalapenos or chili peppers. These can upset the digestive system which isn’t used to spicy foods, causing vomiting and diarrhea.
