Dogs love food and they enjoy every single snack. If it were up to them, they would probably have snacks all the time. However, there is one food that is more interesting to dogs than anything else – human food. Yes, whatever you are eating your dog is a fan of it, for sure, even if he never tasted it.
There is a reason why dogs should eat some food and why they should avoid some human food at any cost. After all, their bodies are designed differently than humans are. So what about asparagus? Should you share this yummy green vegetable with your dog?
Can Dogs Eat Asparagus?
What we know about asparagus is that it’s full of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for humans. Moreover, it’s also delicious. Overall, asparagus is a healthy and highly recommended food for humans. But is it also safe and healthy for your canine?
Long story short, asparagus is not toxic for dogs so they can safely eat it. But, before you serve a tone of asparagus to your dog, there are some things that you should know and keep in mind when it comes to feeding your dog with this delicious vegetable.
Providing proper nutrition is a must if you want your dog to have a healthy and happy life. Although animals are in general, carnivores by nature, they should eat a vegetable as well.
Actually, fruit and vegetable should be included in their diet by approximately 10%. Of course, if your dog is fond of some fruit or vegetable you shouldn’t force him to it, even if it is healthy for him.
A quick tip: Always check if your dog should eat any type of fruit or vegetable. Some fruit and vegetable can be dangerous and even deadly.
Is Asparagus Safe For Dogs?
In general, asparagus is safe for dogs. However, there are a few things that you should keep in mind before you make asparagus a regular addition to your dog’s diet.
Asparagus Stalks Are Tough
When was the last time that you saw a human eating a raw asparagus stalks? That’s right, probably never. The reason for this is that asparagus sticks are extremely difficult to chew.
This can be a challenge for a dog as well. Dogs can easily choke if they can’t or don’t chew the food. That’s also the main reason why you should be careful when you give your dog bones. So, before you give asparagus to make sure that you slice it to ultra-small pieces (we don’t advise to feed your dog raw asparagus).
Avoid Raw Asparagus
Even your dog easily eats asparagus or only a piece of it, it can lead to numerous problems that will appear in just a few hours. So, if your dog eats raw asparagus, the chances are high that he will afterward experience gas, diarrhea, or vomiting. That being said, make sure that you always give your dog cooked asparagus. Cooking asparagus will make it easier to chew.
But… How Beneficial Cooked Asparagus Is?
Sometimes it’s easier to cook food, but it doesn’t mean that it’s healthier. When you cook a vegetable, for you or your dog, bear in mind that nutrient content decreases with every second. When you are cooking asparagus to your dog make sure that you avoid the use of cooking or butter oil. These oils can make your dog sick.
Always simply steam or boil the vegetable. Also, if you notice that your dog has trouble digesting raw asparagus, it might be smarter to change a veggie and maybe introduce him to a veggie that is significantly easier to digest raw, like carrots, cucumbers (cucumbers can be used to make wonderful and easy summer treats for dogs), or celery. Your dog will get more vitamins from this veggie.
Think about choking hazards and always cut celery and carrots. This is especially important if you have small dogs. Always cut them into bite-size chunks before feeding.
Good to know: Once you give your dog asparagus, you may feel unpleasant urine smell (this happens in humans, also). This is just something that you should keep in mind.
Nutritional Breakdown Of Asparagus
Once you compare asparagus with the best nutritional/multivitamin pill – you will see many similarities in nutrition. Moreover, you will see the difference in price as well. Check this fast nutritional breakdown of vitamins and minerals in asparagus that may serve your dog.
- Manganese
- Selenium
- Phosphorous
- Vitamin C Magnesium Protein
- Chromium
- Vitamin E Zinc Beta-Carotene
- Thiamin Potassium Rutin
- Vitamin K Iron Riboflavin
- Niacin Copper Amino Acid
- Vitamin B6 Calcium Dietary Fiber
Health Benefits Of Asparagus For Dogs
As listed above, you can see that the majority of health benefits in asparagus are linked with the plant’s rich antioxidant properties. Their main purpose is to flush away toxins from the bloodstream. Therefore, asparagus works as a helpful diuretic.
Overall, asparagus turned out to be a great addition to a dog’s general wellness and health. Also, numerous vitamins and minerals will support the dog’s immunity and even organ function. On top of this, you may notice improvement on skin, coat, eyes, and teeth. By regularly flushing out the toxins, you will decrease the risk of heart disease and even cancer.
Asparagus VS Dog Treats
Asparagus is tasteful and healthy food when served right. Because your dog needs veggie to keep his health right and coat shiny you will always find the percent of veggie in doggy food. However, provide a small bit of extra veggie can’t do any harm, as long as you provide safe food.
Asparagus is a great way to rich your dog’s daily food and maybe even say ‘goodbye’ to all of the expensive dogs treats out there. When compared with fancy dog treats asparagus is cheaper, making it more affordable.
Actually, asparagus is cheap once you compare it with the most expensive dog treats out there. But the imperative here is that asparagus should be prepared right to be healthy and safe for your dog.
How To Serve Asparagus To Your Dog?
As mentioned earlier, you should avoid feeding your dog with raw asparagus. Always cook it or grill it before you serve it. This way you won’t lose too many nutrients and veggie will be more digestible, and therefore safer for your dog. Why is it so difficult for dogs to digest raw vegetables? Their bodies are designed to break down and absorb meat primarily, and not raw vegetables. So, when they eat food that’s hard on their stomach it may lead to numerous stomach issues.
Bear in mind that you shouldn’t prepare food for your dog as you prepare it for yourself. That means that you shouldn’t use oil, garlic, oil, or butter. What makes your delicious won’t work the same for your dog.
After all, any form of garlic powder or onions is dangerous for your dog, even more than fresh forms. Also, oil and butter are fats and too much of those can lead to obesity or it can simply inflame your dog’s pancreas.
Side Effects Of Asparagus For Dogs
Your dog has most likely already had mild stomach problems if he got to grab something from the kitchen counter, and it’s ok, that doesn’t mean that you are a bad pet owner. However, when you can prevent some thing s you should do everything that’s in your power to stop your dog from feeling ill.
So, if you are giving your dog food directly make sure that you know how to prepare it, serve it, and most importantly that food is safe for your canine.
Therefore, when it comes to asparagus you can expect some side effects if you introduce this veggie to your dog in the wrong way. As mentioned earlier, your dog may have a bad urine smell, and he may even change the color of his stool. This is something that commonly happens in humans as well.
If your dog eats more asparagus than he should, your dog may experience vomiting, diarrhea, and severe gas. But, asparagus is healthy and safe for dogs? It is, but just like any other food (no matter how safe it is), it can always lead to stomach disturbance.
As always, as soon as you notice anything unusual or any digestive upset, you should stop feeding your dog with asparagus and stick to normal dog food. Of course, if your dog loves asparagus you can serve it once in a while, in small amounts, always cooked or grilled, and never raw. Think about this veggie more in the form of a treat, than regular dog food.
A Word Of Caution About Asparagus Fern
Although asparagus is safe for dogs, asparagus fern is part of the plant that is extremely toxic for dogs. So, if you are passionate about this vegetable and you are personally growing asparagus in your garden, you should keep your dog away from the plant. Think about putting a fence around the plant.
Can Dogs Eat Asparagus – Conclusion
So, can dogs eat asparagus? Yes, but the real question is how they should eat it. It also matters how you serve this veggie to your dog and how often.
Asparagus may be difficult for them to digest and chew, so you should prepare it properly (always cooked or grilled), meaning that it has to be soft for your canine to eat it safely. Otherwise, your dog may safer from severe stomach issues.
Maybe you should think about changing asparagus for a softer vegetable instead. Don’ forget that you must keep your dog away if you are growing your asparagus.
