If you want to increase the colors on your dog’s plate, you are not alone. Many pet parents turn to fresh veggies and fruits to add variety and nutrition to their dog’s diet. However, it’s always important to understand which fresh veggies are dog-friendly before feeding them to your dog.
Although our canine companions are our best friends, their body functions quite differently from our own. What might be safe for us to eat, is not always safe for dogs. Luckily, a variety of vegetables are totally safe to feed your pup.
Benefits of Feeding a Dog Beets
Beets are a safe and healthy addition to your dog’s diet as long as it is in moderation. Just like any other human food, beets should be fed sparingly to your pup.
Beets are bright red root vegetables that add flavor to many dishes. You may have beets on hand or pick them up at any grocery store. Beets are a great source of several key vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Beets are loaded with Vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, Iron, potassium, and zinc.
Vitamin C and zinc both support healthy immune function and calcium absorption. Calcium helps build and maintain strong bones and joints. While potassium is essential for healthy muscle function, including the healthy function of the heart!
It’s no doubt that beets contain a variety of nutrients that will help your dog feel and look its best. Beets also have a great amount of digestible sugar and carbohydrates, making this veggie a great source of energy for your busy pup.
Like many other veggies, beets have a high fiber count. This helps promote healthy digestion and bowel movements in dogs. Best of all, beets are low-calorie and can be fed as a replacement for other higher-calorie snacks like dog biscuits.
Risk of Feeding a Dog Beets
Beets are non-toxic to canines and a healthy snack for most pups. However, every dog is different, and beets may not be tolerated by all dogs.
Though the risk is minimal, some dogs can be allergic to beets. In the rare circumstance that your dog is allergic to beets, eating this snack will cause undesired side effects, such as:
Lethargy.
Pain in the abdominal region.
If you see any of these signs in your dog after feeding beets, be sure to discontinue feeding them beets immediately. When introducing your dog to beets for the first time, it’s important to start slow, with very small portions. That way if your dog does have a reaction to the beet, it will be minimal.
Even if your dog is not allergic to beets, there are a few other risks to consider. Raw beets can be hard to chew and digest for dogs and may pose a threat as a choking hazard. That’s why it’s recommended to prepare beets in other ways, which we will dive into later.
You can prevent adverse reactions to beets by feeding them in small portions, cut up, and prepared in a way that makes it easy for your dog to eat.
Can Dogs Eat Radishes?
Speaking of feeding dogs’ beets, some people may wonder if radishes are safe for dogs, too. Radishes are root vegetables that share a lot of similarities to beets. One of these similarities I radishes are also safe for dogs in controlled portions.
Just as with beets, radishes need to be fed in moderation. Feeding too large a portion can cause stomach upset and loose stool due to the high fiber content of radishes. Radishes can also be a choking hazard to a dog when fed raw or in too large of portions. So, it’s important to follow all the same precautions with radishes that you do with beets.
However, radishes are non-toxic to canines and a great snack packed with nutrients and vitamins. In small portions, radishes provide antioxidants and fiber to your dog’s diet. Antioxidants help clear the blood of free radicals and may prevent cellular changes, like cancer. Fiber helps regulate the digestive system and promotes healthy bowel movements in dogs.
How to Prepare Beets for a Dog
Dogs can eat both raw and cooked beets. Cooked beets are much easier to chew and therefore it’s recommended to cook beets to avoid any threat of choking. However, if you are careful to slice raw beets up into bite-size pieces for your pup, they may enjoy the raw taste and consistency of a beet.
There are several ways to cook beets before feeding them to a dog. You can steam or boil beets before serving them to fido. When cooking beets, be sure not to add any extra seasonings or oils. Oils and seasonings such as butter, salt, or pepper can upset a dog’s stomach and cause serious side effects.
So, when cooking beets for your dog, plain boiled water is best. Dogs will enjoy the natural taste and smell of beets – no additives necessary!
Many humans make juice from beets to concentrate their nutrient-rich goodness down to an easy-to-drink form. You may wonder, can beet juice also be given to dogs?
The short answer is no. Beet juice concentrates several beets down to their base form, which includes a high sugar content. Usually, several beets are used to make just one serving of juice. Though beets are safe for dogs, they are not safe in such quantities. Feeding your dog beet juice will provide them with way too much natural sugar and fiber, which can cause an array of issues for your pup.
Canned and pickled beets should also be avoided. These options are highly processed and usually loaded with additives, like preservatives, which are not ideal for a dog’s sensitive GI tract. Although your dog may be attracted to the smell of pickled beets, it’s advised to never serve this to your dog. Pickled beets contain a high sodium count which can seriously disturb your dog’s stomach!
In short, beets can be boiled, steamed, or baked for your dog. You should feed in very small quantities and beets should not make up the bulk of a dog’s meal.
What Other Vegetables Can a Dog Eat?
If you’ve tried feeding your dog beets and/or radishes, and they just aren’t a fan, you have other options you can try. There are several veggies that are non-toxic to canines and provide beneficial nutrients, too. Some examples of dog-friendly veggies include sweet potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, bell peppers, onion, and asparagus.
So, if your dog doesn’t like one veggie, you can always try another kind. As always, any new veggie should be introduced slowly into your dog’s diet and fed in moderation.
Conclusion
Beets are a safe and healthy snack for your pup. They provide tons of vitamins and minerals that are essential to your dog leading a happy and healthy life. Beets are best for dogs when they are prepared by steaming, boiling, or baking them. Some dogs may like raw beets, but it can be a choking hazard.
In moderation, beets can provide tons of good nutrition for your dog. Just be sure to always consult your vet before introducing beets to your dog’s diet and feed fresh veggies in small quantities.
