I was cooking dinner the other night, and I was preparing some asparagus. I’m a fairly health-conscious person, so I try to eat as healthy as I can, and sometimes I like to introduce healthy foods to my dog’s diet.
But, this made me wonder. Can dogs eat asparagus? Is it safe for them?
Let’s have a look.
Yes, dogs can safely eat asparagus in moderation because it contains important nutrients such as folic acid, potassium, thiamin, vitamin A, and vitamin B6. It also contains fiber which promotes healthy digestive systems in dogs. However, it is important not to feed your dog raw asparagus as it can be difficult to digest. It is also important to only feed your dog parts of asparagus such as the tender, cooked stalk, and tip.
Antioxidants are also found in asparagus, and they are very beneficial to a dog’s health because they help eliminate toxins and free radicals.
Please take note though that it is not a good idea to feed a dog the whole asparagus as it can be a choking hazard, and too much asparagus can cause an upset stomach in dogs due to its fiber content.
Feeding Asparagus To Dogs
Ok, so now that we’ve established that dogs can eat asparagus, let’s have a look at how you should prepare and feed it to your dog.
Bought Asparagus vs Self-Grown Asparagus
I normally buy asparagus from the local supermarket, but I know many people grow asparagus in their gardens. While the asparagus that you buy in the stores are safe for consumption by humans and dogs, the asparagus that you grow in your garden can be dangerous when consumed.
Raw asparagus from the garden has little red berries which can be poisonous to both humans and dogs when consumed, so you need to take care and always make sure to remove these red berries before preparing asparagus for consumption.
If ingested, these red berries can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea. So, please be careful.
Always Cook The Asparagus
Have you ever eaten raw asparagus? If you have, then you will know how difficult it is to chew. Well, it will be equally difficult for your dog to chew so always make sure that you cook the asparagus before giving it to your furry friend.
Use Dog-Friendly Seasonings
Many people like to prepare asparagus with seasonings such as garlic and onions. These seasonings are toxic to dogs and should be avoided at all costs when preparing asparagus for your dog.
Cut Into Smaller Pieces
Feeding your dog whole asparagus is a bad idea because it can be a choking hazard. Rather play it safe and cut it into smaller pieces and make sure that you only feed your dog the tender, cooked stalk, and tip part of the asparagus.
Feed In Moderation
It is important that you consider asparagus as an occasional treat for your dog. One or two spears of asparagus will be fine every now and again. If this is the first time that your dog is eating asparagus, only give him a small piece and see if he likes it and if he is showing any signs of digestive distress.
Can Dogs Eat Asparagus Fern?
No, dogs should not eat asparagus fern as it is toxic to them, and ingesting this plant can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and severe digestive distress. If you have an asparagus fern plant in your house or garden, make sure that your dog does not have access to it.
Conclusion
As you can see, asparagus is a vegetable that is perfectly safe for dogs to eat. In fact, it contains nutrients such as fiber, folic acid, potassium, thiamin, vitamin A, and vitamin B6 that can benefit a dog’s health.
A word of caution. Only feed your dog the tender, cooked stalk, and tip part of asparagus and not the whole asparagus. Also, be sure not to feed your furry friend raw asparagus as it can be difficult to digest.
And finally, if you grow your own asparagus please make sure that you remove the little red berries before preparing for your dog, or for yourself. These red berries can be poisonous to both dogs and humans when consumed.
