Vegetables and Dogs

First lets dispel the myth that dogs are carnivores, in fact they are omnivores and can quite happily exist on a WELL BALANCED vegetarian diet.

I emphasise well balanced because Dogs do need protein as a part of their diet, this is normally obtained through the ingestion of meat, but if constructed correctly a vegetarian diet can provide all that your dog requires. Talk to a qualified nutritionist if you want your Dog to go Veggie.

So you have decided that your Dog will be a veggie, so what vegetables can he eat? I have included a list here of some of the more common vegetables and the consequences of feeding them to your dog. I have split the vegetables into three groups OK, CAUTION and BAD, i.e. those that are ok for your dog and those that have undesirable side effects and those you shouldn’t ever give your dog.

OK

Romaine (COS) Lettuce	High nutritional value
Ice Berg Lettuce	has no nutritional value but is OK to feed. You can use as a filler.
Tomatoes (avoid the leaves and stems)
Carrots	These are high in sugars so be careful
Celery	Not much nutritional value but is a good diuretic.
Bok Choy
Parsley
Oranges
Apples	not the seeds
Bananas
Alfalpha Sprouts
Bell Peppers (Capsicum)	red, green and yellow
Fresh Pumpkin	not the canned pie filling
Silver Beat
Beet Root
Kale
Cilantro
Mustard Greens
Dandelions
Courgette/Zucchini
Yams
Sweet Potatoes
Asparagus
Jicama	remove skin
Parsnip
Turnips
Sprouts

Be aware that fibrous vegetables should ideally be pureed in a juicer of food processor in order to help with nutrient absorption as dogs have a short digestive tract and lack the type of teeth needed to effectively grind food. Very fibrous vegetables should be cooked for 1-15 minutes to break them down enough for the dog to digest easily.

CAUTION!

Garlic	fed in small amounts is very beneficial for your dog. It is considered natures antibiotic. However, too much can cause anaemia and upset stomach. So when making your veggie mix, use 1-3 cloves but no more.
Grapes / raisins	(in high amounts) Dogs exhibit gastrointestinal problems, including vomiting and diarrhea and then signs of kidney failure with an onset of severe kidney signs starting about 24 hours after ingestion of the grapes or raisins.
Aubergine/Eggplant	OK to feed the fruit but avoid any other parts. They can cause upset stomach, drooling, lethargy, heart failure
Avocados (& leaves)	Stay away from the leaves. The fruit part is OK to feed in small amounts.
Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Rhubarb	OK in small amounts. While these are not toxic, they are high in oxalic acid, a compound that interferes with calcium absorption, so don't feed these very often.
Cabbage/Broccoli/Cauliflower	OK to feed in small amounts but may cause gas. If fed frequently and in large amounts these will depress the thyroid.
Potatoes
Mushrooms	Can contain toxins. The kind of toxin in mushrooms vary with species. Some cause CNS effects including hallucinations, hyperactivity, and coma. Others damage the liver, heart, or kidneys causing death. Clinical signs usually occur within 6-8 hours following ingestion. Mushrooms grow in the wild in most areas, and pets need to be closely supervised to prevent ingestion, if access to the mushrooms cannot be prevented.

Be aware that if your dog is diabetic or has arthritis and has/had cancer then you may want to stay away from underground veggies because they convert to starch/sugar which aggravates arthritis. Cancer cells also thrive on sugars.

BAD

Onions & (onion powder)	upset stomach, and can cause Heinz body anaemia.
Chocolate	contains Theobromine. It can cause upset stomach, vomiting diarrhoea, trembling and sometimes death.
Pips of most fruits (apples, apricots, kiwi, pears, Avocados, peaches etc.)	These pips or seeds have a toxic effect and can cause, vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness and possibly death. Apple seeds for example contain small amounts of cyanide. Feed too much and your dog will get sick. So avoid the seeds and pips of most fruits and you should be OK
Cornstalk	upset stomach, drooling, laboured breathing
coffee / tea	these contain caffeine. This is toxic to dogs.
Alcoholic drinks (and hops)
yeast dough
salt
macadamia nuts	can lead to paralysis or weakness
tomato leaves and stems (green parts)
Potato Leaves and Stems (green Parts)
rhubarb leaves

That is really interesting Phil and very useful for those of us who feed a meat diet but also like to include vegetables - thank you.

I agree, great information Phil.

Carrot certainly works for Ruby as a treat. I just cut them in thick slices and she loves the crunch. Mjam mjam.

I gave Ruby banana yesterday. Flippin 'eck she seriously loved them. Nice 'n sweeet....and some vitamins for a change. Schlabber schlaber schmackofatz...

Missy wouldn't touch her raw carrot - but I put some in her bowl with her dinner for 3 days running .. now she eats chinese leaf, cucumber, tomatoes and raw carrots.