Can Dogs Eat Beets? Should You Serve Beets To Your Canine?

Written by: Bojana Radulovic
How safe are beets for dogs? Should you serve it to your canine or not? Read on to discover if your canine should eat beets or not.

Do you love beets? If so, you probably have great health and energy. Beets are rich in many nutrients, and those with a lack of iron can benefit tremendously from this ancient vegetable.

When it comes to dog’s nutrition and their eating habits, where does beet fit in?

Can dogs enjoy this vegetable? Is it safe for them? Can you serve your canine fresh beet juice? Or you should keep this vegetable away from those paws? Let’s discover.

So… Can My Dog Eat Beets?

Shortly said, yes! Your dog can eat beets in moderation.

Beets are a great source of vitamin C, fiber, folate, potassium, and manganese. These minerals and vitamins are a great addition to your dog’s health, as they support digestion and the immune system.

Plus, if you want your dog to have healthy skin and a coat, you should add some beets to his diet.

However, some dogs can be allergic to beets, which is why you should monitor your dog closely if you decide to feed him with beets.

Beets And Dogs

Beets are easy to grow and can be easily found in every store. They are known for having vibrant colors, and for being healthy.

This vegetable is packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and can last for months in your fridge.

Plus, you can use beets to make fresh smoothies all year long.

As mentioned earlier, some dogs may be allergic to beets, which is why you need to be careful when introducing beets to your canine.

Even if your dog isn’t allergic there are some precautions that you must consider when giving your dog this vegetable. Now, let’s see what are the major health concerns of feeding your dog with this red vegetable.

Health Concerns of Feeding Your Dog Beets

Beets can be a choking hazard. Even for humans, chunks of raw beets can obstruct the small intestine.

So, when thinking about serving beets to your dog, you should prepare them as if you are about to eat them.

It’s best to chop them up and cook first. This way you will soften them and minimize the risk of choking.

Serving Ideas

The best way to serve beets to your dog is to prepare it right. To avoid any possible issues, you should serve beets to your dog only in the following ways:

  • Cooked
  • Mashed as a treat from time to time
  • Shredded

It’s best to stick to suggested beets preparation options. Plus, preparing beets can be messy, so keeping the whole preparation within a bowl would be great.

Did you know the beet dye can get caught in your dog’s fur and create a real mess?

If you don’t clean it on time, that red dye could easily end up on your floors and furniture. On top of that, beets can also turn your animal’s feces a blood-like red.

If this happens, and you know that your dog ate beets, don’t stress!

If you notice any blood in your dog’s stoll any other day, make sure that you contact your veterinarian.

The biggest fear of beets? They can cause some health problems for your dog.

Beets are extremely high in oxalates. What does this mean to your dog? This means that dogs who are predisposed to bladder and kidney stones could experience the negative side of eating beets.

They are also acidic, which can lead to gastrointestinal upset resulting in gas and diarrhea.

If your dog has any issues of this nature, you should talk to your veterinarian before you make any changes in your dog’s diet.

Also, if you have noticed that your dog suffers from eating beets don’t force it, because you can serve to him other vegetables, such as broccoli, or cucumber – safer options, but still healthy.

Health Benefits of Beets for Dogs

Your dog will thrive on foods thats rich in fibers.

Since beets do contain fiber and vitamins, your dog would need to eat a huge amount of beets to get the maximum health and nutrition benefits from them.

Beets are also rich in carbohydrates, which means sugar, and aren’t the best option for your dogs. Dogs should avoid sugar, and industrial sugar should never be served to them.

Again, don’t force foods that aren’t extremely beneficial for your dog. Choose other foods thats easier to serve and have fewer negative side effects on dogs.

Which Vegetables Are Good for Dogs, And Which Aren’t?

If you want to enrich your dog’s diet with vegetables you should focus on leafy greens first.

Spinach, cabbage, and lettuce are ok for dogs, as long as you prepare it right.

Remember: cooked veggies are always the best option.

Plus, leafy greens are also a great source of fiber.

You can serve some root vegetables as well, and if you are thinking about raw food diet talk to your veterinarian first to understand the pros and cons of the raw food diet perfectly.

In the meantime, mix commercial dog food with raw carrots (but again, dogs can benefit the most from cooked vegetables, just like humans do).

Always choose to serve vegetable and fruit that has the minimum sugar in it.

Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, corn and cucumber are great addition to your dog’s diet.

These veggies can be used as summer treats – you can mix cucumber with water and freeze it in cubes for great summer treats.

Just make sure that you always peel them. Whenever you are changing your dog’s diet monitor him carefully for any possible changes.

If you have any doubt about a dog’s weight or nutrition, make sure that you talk with your veterinarian about it.

All in, adding a vegetable to your dog’s diet should improve his health as long as your serve it right. If you notice any sign of al allergy or stomach disturbance in your dog, contact your veterinarian.

What About Beet Juice?

Since it’s safe for dogs to eat beets in small amounts, it’s up to you to decide if you are going to serve your dog this vegetable or not.

If you decide to do so make sure that you always serve it in small pieces and in the safest way possible.

If you are thinking about just serving beet juice from time to time (like over the dry food) there are some things that you should consider.

As the first and the most important step, you should find beet that toxic-free.

You need beets that don’t contain harmful ingredients such as sugar, fillers, or any other chemicals such as artificial colors or artificial flavors.

Beets packed with these features have no nutritional values and can even have negative effects on the dog’s body, and overall health. This is why you should consider either organic or healthier beets.

You will want to limit the amount of beet juice you feed your dog. This is because beet contains a lot of sugar and sugar (just like in humans) can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and other major health issues in your dog.

Just like with any other juice it can be hard to determine just how much is enough, so you might want to rethink your decision of feeding your dog with beet juice.

It’s best to serve beets in small cooked chunks and once in few months. For any doubts about beets and dog nutrition, talk to your veterinarian.

How to React if Your Dog Doesn’t Like Beet Juice:

If you notice that your dog dislikes beets you should force him to eat them. You should serve beet juice neither.

Sometimes it’s best to let them make their own decisions. If he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t like it, and thats ok. Maybe cucumber is your dog’s first choice.

How to React if Your Dog Likes Beets:

If your canine turns out to love earth-like beet taste, you should do the following:

  • Only serve him organic or chemical-free beets
  • Do not over feed him
  • Serve beets cooked and in small chunks
  • Don’t feed your canine with too much beet
  • Serve beet juice in small amounts and infrequently – but always choose first the cooked one

Tips for Feeding Your Dog Vegetables

If your dog like beets and you can find organic one for the great price, great. All you have to do is to cook beets, cut them in small sizes, and serve to your dog in small amounts, from time to time.

If your dog doesn’t like this vegetable don’t force it. Instead, focus on serving differnet vegetables and providing a more diverse diet:

  • Have frozen cucumbers in ice cubes for hot summer days. This summer treat can keep your canine hydrated and entertain for hours.
  • Another summer idea: mix water with chicken broth in an ice tray. Your dog will love it.
  • When cooking vegetables for your family, place some extra vegetables and hold them in the fridge to serve them to your dog in the morning.
  • Avoid table scraps that might harm your canine. If your dog avoids vegetables all the time, try to mix them with dry and wet food.
  • You can always mix safe dog peanut butter with vegetables to make it more appealing.

Don’t forget that dogs love rewards.

After a nice training or after mastering a new command, you can always reward your dog with vegetable chunks. This way you will connect healthy foods with rewarding practice, and your dog will love it.