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Ingredient file // Fruit or vegetable

Celery

A vegetable accent, not heart medicine

Celery is an aromatic vegetable added fresh or dried to dog food. It contributes flavor and a little fiber. Claims that celery in a recipe lowers a dog's blood pressure or cholesterol go beyond the evidence.

What it is
Edible celery stalks, sometimes with leaves, prepared fresh or dried for use in dog food.
Made from
Harvested celery stalks and sometimes leaves
Main job
Vegetable flavor and some fiber
Typical amount
Not published
Watch for
Whole raw stalks pose a choking risk
Not the same as
Celery seed extract

Straight answer

Is Celery safe for dogs?

Read it as garnish, then judge the food

Celery low on a bag is a small flavor and fiber addition. Judge the recipe by its main ingredients, calorie information and nutritional analysis. If the package promises blood pressure or cholesterol control from celery, set that claim aside; the cited studies do not show those effects in dogs.

Why it is in the food
Vegetable flavor and some fiber

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 64 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

2%

50 of the 3,204 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 11 brands. 24 dry dog food, 10 frozen dog food, 9 freeze-dried dog food.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 10.5. In the top five of 8 foods, so it is usually a minor ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

81%

Listed before the salt in 81% of foods. In the rest it is under about 1% of the recipe.

Price per lb

Foods with it $2.86
All foods $3.25

Median of the cheapest bag price across 30 priced foods, 12% below the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.

Who leans on it

42%

of the foods that list it are from Fromm. 11 brands use it in total.

What it is

How it is made

Celery is grown and harvested as a food crop. Growers trim the stalks for sale. A food maker can chop the edible stalks for fresh use or dry and grind them for easier storage and mixing.2,3,7

  1. 01 // Source Harvested celery Growers harvest celery when the stalks reach marketable size, before the outer stalks become pithy.
  2. 02 // Process Trim and wash Outer stalks and leaves may be trimmed; stalks used for food are cleaned before further preparation.
  3. 03 // Process Chop or dry Stalks may be chopped for fresh use or dried to remove water before grinding.
  4. 04 // Output Prepared celery Chopped celery or ground celery powder reaches the food maker as an edible vegetable ingredient.

What is in it

Composition, dry matter

6.01

% crude fiber

Measured in dried stalk powder. Crude fiber misses some dietary fiber, so this figure does not describe all of celery's fiber.

Crude fiber 6%2
Crude protein 6.1%2
Ash 6.2%2
Crude fat 2.1%2

These figures come from stalk powder in one study, not a published range. Leaves have a different nutrient mix, and fresh stalks contain substantial water, so the preparation matters.2,5

Why it is in the bag

What the manufacturer gets

  1. 01

    Adds savory flavor

    Celery has a mild, savory aroma. A small addition gives a recipe a recognizable vegetable flavor without making celery its main nutrient source.7

  2. 02

    Contributes some fiber

    Dried stalk powder contains measurable fiber. Fresh stalks bring substantial water, so a small fresh addition is an inefficient way to supply a recipe's main fiber.2,5

  3. 03

    Uses an available crop

    USDA tracks celery sold for fresh use and processing. That supply gives food makers a source, although shipping fresh stalks moves mostly water and drying removes it.5,8

How much The opened sources give no usual percentage or celery-specific dog feeding level; an ingredient list does not disclose either amount.6

Our read // The claims

What the evidence supports

Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.

  1. Owners say

    Celery is a low-calorie dog treat

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    One analysis measured 18.7 kcal per 100 g of fresh stalk. A small plain piece is a low-calorie treat for a dog; celery on an ingredient list says nothing about the finished food's calorie content.5,9

  2. Brands say

    Celery fiber keeps a dog's stools regular

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    A 12-dog trial found different stool effects from beet pulp, cellulose and grass fed as fiber sources. It did not test celery. Celery contains fiber, but its presence on a bag does not promise firmer stools.1,2

  3. Brands say

    Celery lowers a dog's blood pressure

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    A review of 10 randomized human studies found lower blood pressure across varied celery preparations. A separate celery powder trial found no clear cardiometabolic benefit. Neither tested dogs eating celery in food.3,4

  4. Brands say

    Celery antioxidants protect dogs from disease

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    Celery powder showed activity in a laboratory antioxidant assay, with an IC50 of 0.53 mg/mL. That measures a chemical reaction, not disease protection. The study did not test an antioxidant health effect in dogs.3

  5. Brands say

    Celery lowers a dog's cholesterol

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    Across 6 human studies involving 383 participants, a review found no significant change in total cholesterol. Those studies used varied preparations, and none shows a cholesterol benefit from celery in dog food.4

Straight answers

What owners ask

  1. Q01

    Is it just filler?

    Mostly garnish

    Celery adds flavor and some fiber, but fresh stalks bring substantial water. Low on a list, it is a minor vegetable ingredient. It does not replace the recipe's main protein or concentrated fiber sources.2,5,6,7

  2. Q02

    Does celery seed mean celery?

    No

    Celery seed extract is a different preparation from chopped stalks or stalk powder. Human studies often test seeds or extracts, so their results cannot be assigned to the celery listed in a dog's food.3,4,7

  3. Q03

    Can my dog eat it raw?

    Yes, chopped

    Plain celery is an acceptable occasional snack. Cut raw stalks into small pieces, especially for a small dog, and keep treats secondary to a complete diet. A whole stalk poses a choking risk.9

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Fromm 21 / 67
  2. Smallbatch 10 / 23
  3. Grandma Lucy's 6 / 24
  4. Darwin's Natural Pet Products 2 / 4
  5. Raw Bistro 2 / 7
  6. Wellness 2 / 118
  7. Halo 2 / 41
  8. Evanger's 2 / 30
  9. Bones & Co 1 / 9
  10. Wysong 1 / 20

Foods that list it / all the brand's recipes we track.

Plus 1 more brand.

Amazon best sellers that list it

  1. #60 Fromm Four-Star Beef Frittata Veg® Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Rank on Amazon's dog food best seller list, checked October 2026.

Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it

  1. Chicken 36%
  2. Potatoes 34%
  3. Pearled Barley 30%
  4. Dried Tomato Pomace 30%
  5. Chicken Meal 26%
  6. Carrots 24%
  7. Mixed Tocopherols 24%
  8. Oatmeal 24%
  9. Broccoli 22%
  10. Sweet Potatoes 22%
  11. Peas 22%
  12. Brown Rice 22%

On the shelf

Foods that list Celery

50 foods in our catalog list it, highest on the label first.

Bones & Co Boosters Bark Boost Dog Food TopperBones & CoBones & Co Boosters Bark Boost Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 2 on the labelSmallbatch Raw Rabbit Sliders Frozen Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Raw Rabbit Sliders Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 3 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s Pureformance Pre-Mix Grain-Free Dog Food TopperGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s Pureformance Pre-Mix Grain-Free Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 4 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s Artisan Pre-Mix Grain-Free Dog Food TopperGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s Artisan Pre-Mix Grain-Free Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 5 on the labelSmallbatch Frozen Raw Lamb Patties Frozen Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Frozen Raw Lamb Patties Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 5 on the labelFromm Four-Star Diner Classics Charlie’s Chicken Pot Pie Pâté Wet Dog FoodFrommFromm Four-Star Diner Classics Charlie’s Chicken Pot Pie Pâté Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelRaw Bistro Turkey Entree 4 Pack Frozen Dog FoodRaw BistroRaw Bistro Turkey Entree 4 Pack Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 7 on the labelRaw Bistro Turkey Entree 6 Pack Frozen Dog FoodRaw BistroRaw Bistro Turkey Entree 6 Pack Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 7 on the labelHalo Holistic Healthy Grains Chicken Recipe Adult Wet Dog FoodHaloHalo Holistic Healthy Grains Chicken Recipe Adult Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 7 on the labelWellness Complete Health Turkey Wet Dog FoodWellnessWellness Complete Health Turkey Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelWellness Core Bowl Boosters Functional Toppers Digestive Health Dog Food TopperWellnessWellness Core Bowl Boosters Functional Toppers Digestive Health Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 8 on the labelEvanger’s Super Premium Chicken with Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Super Premium Chicken with Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 8 on the label
Show 38 more
Grandma Lucy’s - Pureformance Fish Freeze-Dried Dog FoodGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s - Pureformance Fish Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 5 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s - Pureformance Chicken Freeze-Dried Dog FoodGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s - Pureformance Chicken Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 5 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s - Artisan Chicken Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s - Artisan Chicken Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 5 on the labelGrandma Lucy’s - Artisan Pork Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodGrandma Lucy'sGrandma Lucy’s - Artisan Pork Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 6 on the labelSmallbatch Lamb Sliders Freeze-Dried Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Lamb Sliders Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 6 on the labelSmallbatch Raw Duck Sliders Frozen Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Raw Duck Sliders Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 6 on the labelSmallbatch Duck Sliders Freeze-Dried Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Duck Sliders Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 7 on the labelSmallbatch Lightly Cooked Turkey Frozen Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Lightly Cooked Turkey Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 7 on the labelSmallbatch Raw Pork Patties Frozen Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Raw Pork Patties Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 7 on the labelSmallbatch Turkey Sliders Freeze-Dried Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Turkey Sliders Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 8 on the labelSmallbatch Pork Sliders Freeze-Dried Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Pork Sliders Freeze-Dried Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 8 on the labelSmallbatch Raw Turkey Sliders Frozen Dog FoodSmallbatchSmallbatch Raw Turkey Sliders Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 8 on the labelDarwin’s Natural Pet Products Intelligent Design for Dogs Joint Support Grain-Free Frozen Dog FoodDarwin's Natural Pet ProductsDarwin’s Natural Pet Products Intelligent Design for Dogs Joint Support Grain-Free Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 10 on the labelDarwin’s Natural Pet Products BioLogics Raw Chicken for Healthy Dogs Grain-Free Frozen Dog FoodDarwin's Natural Pet ProductsDarwin’s Natural Pet Products BioLogics Raw Chicken for Healthy Dogs Grain-Free Frozen Dog FoodFrozen // No. 11 on the labelWysong Archetype Burgers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog FoodWysongWysong Archetype Burgers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog FoodFreeze-Dried // No. 12 on the labelEvanger’s Grain-Free Chicken with Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog FoodEvanger'sEvanger’s Grain-Free Chicken with Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 12 on the labelPinnacle Grain-Free Chicken & Vegetable Recipe Dry Dog FoodPinnaclePinnacle Grain-Free Chicken & Vegetable Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 14 on the labelHalo Adult Vegan Holistic Garden of Vegan Recipe Dry Dog FoodHaloHalo Adult Vegan Holistic Garden of Vegan Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 17 on the labelFromm Heartland Gold Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Heartland Gold Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 18 on the labelFromm Heartland Gold Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Heartland Gold Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 19 on the labelFromm Heartland Gold Large Breed Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Heartland Gold Large Breed Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 19 on the labelFromm Heartland Gold Large Breed Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Heartland Gold Large Breed Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 20 on the labelFromm Four-Star Highlander Beef, Oats, ‘n Barley® Recipe Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Four-Star Highlander Beef, Oats, ‘n Barley® Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 21 on the labelFromm Four-Star Beef Frittata Veg® Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Four-Star Beef Frittata Veg® Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 23 on the labelFromm Gold Coast Weight Management Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Gold Coast Weight Management Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 24 on the labelFromm Puppy Gold Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Puppy Gold Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 24 on the labelFromm Large Breed Puppy Gold Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Large Breed Puppy Gold Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 24 on the labelFromm Four-Star Surf & Turf Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Four-Star Surf & Turf Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 24 on the labelFromm Large Breed Weight Management Gold Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Large Breed Weight Management Gold Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 25 on the labelFromm Weight Management Gold Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Weight Management Gold Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 25 on the labelFromm Small Breed Adult Gold Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Small Breed Adult Gold Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 25 on the labelFromm Reduced Activity & Senior Gold Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Reduced Activity & Senior Gold Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 25 on the labelFromm Large Breed Adult Gold Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Large Breed Adult Gold Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 25 on the labelFromm Adult Gold Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Adult Gold Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 25 on the labelFromm Four-Star Whitefish & Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Four-Star Whitefish & Potato Formula Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 25 on the labelFromm Four-Star Chicken À La Veg® Recipe Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Four-Star Chicken À La Veg® Recipe Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 25 on the labelFromm Adult Ancient Gold Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Adult Ancient Gold Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 26 on the labelFromm Four-Star Salmon À La Veg® Dry Dog FoodFrommFromm Four-Star Salmon À La Veg® Dry Dog FoodDry // No. 26 on the label

On labels as

Fresh celery: what changes

One page covers every name. Here is what each label word adds, and whether it changes anything for your dog.

Fresh celery

Matters for your dog A little

Fresh Celery

What it means Fresh pet food as a product type has no AAFCO definition. AAFCO's feed term uses fresh for an ingredient never frozen, cooked, dried, rendered or hydrolyzed, with no added preservatives, kept only by refrigeration. It covers processing only, not how the celery was grown.

For your dog Ingredient lists count weight including water, so fresh celery, which carries substantial water, ranks higher than the same celery dried would. Once cooked or dried into the food it is no longer fresh, and no study shows a dog gains anything from the fresh form at these amounts.5,6,10,11,12

  1. Strong
  2. Some
  3. Thin
  4. None

Sources

What we read

Checked October 1, 2026.

  1. 1 The effects on nutrient utilization and stool quality of Beagle dogs fed diets with beet pulp, cellulose, and Miscanthus grass Journal of Animal Science, 2019 // Journal
  2. 2 Exploring the Effects of Celery Stem on Blood Pressure, and Associated Parameters as Social Determinants in Hypertensive Individuals: A Randomized Control Trail Annals of Human and Social Sciences, 2023 // Journal
  3. 3 The effect of celery (Apium graveolens) powder on cardiometabolic factors in overweight/obese individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A pilot randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial Food Science & Nutrition, 2023 // Journal
  4. 4 Effects of celery (Apium graveolens) on blood pressure, glycemic and lipid profile in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Frontiers in Nutrition, 2025 // Journal
  5. 5 Valor nutricional de hojas y tallos de brócoli, apio y betarraga disponibles en un mercado mayorista de Santiago de Chile Memorias del Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, 2022 // Journal
  6. 6 What’s in the Ingredients List? AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  7. 7 Celery UC Davis Postharvest Research and Extension Center, 2026 // University
  8. 8 Vegetables 2025 Summary USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2026 // Government
  9. 9 Sharing is Caring: Foods You Can Safely Share with Your Pet ASPCA, 2021 // Nonprofit
  10. 10 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Quality Claims Associated with Fresh Pet Food: Evaluating Scientific Evidence for Additives, Ingredient Quality, and Effects of Processing in Pet Nutrition Animals (MDPI), 2025 // Journal
  11. 11 Understanding Dog Food Labels Purdue University Center for Animal Welfare Science (Croney Research Group), n.d. // University
  12. 12 AAFCO Official Publication, Chapter 6: Official Feed Terms, Common or Usual Ingredient Names and Ingredient Definitions (2024, public access) AAFCO, 2024 // Regulator
An ingredient on its own tells you very little. What matters is how much of it there is and where it sits in the list. That is why we weigh the top five rather than reacting to any single name further down. Back to the wiki

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