Can I give my dog quinoa?

Quinoa has become popular as people seek out healthy choices. Dog owners are no different and so it makes sense to address the question of giving your dog such an excellent food.

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This grain, a pseudo-cereal, is fabulously nutritious. If you aren’t against occasionally giving your dog some table scraps, then quinoa would be among the best choices. So we think it can be a great treat for canines.

It’s likely that your dog will agree. What’s particularly great about Quinoa is how light it is compared to something like potatoes or most other starches. So, the verdict on this food is in!

Can I Give My Dog Quinoa? Answer: Yes, cooked & start w/ small amounts

It’s an amazing gluten free seed that contains high levels of essential amino acids which are hard to find in any other food.

Your dog can safely have some quinoa but start out with small portions. Better yet, get holistic dry dog food that contains quinoa! All in all, it’s difficult to find anything to criticize about this super food. The outstanding overall nutritional value explains why it continues to gain in popularity. Take a look at the following 100 gram nutritional breakdown of this super power food:

Calories – 372
Carbs – 71.2 grams
Protein – 11.5 grams
Fat – 4.9 grams
Calcium – 66 milligrams
Iron – 8.5 milligrams
Niacin – 1.4 grams
Thiamin – 0.24 of a gram
Riboflavin – 0.23 of a gram

Various kinds offer slightly different nutritional values compared to those listed above. In any case, dogs don’t typically get to consume such quality foods but your pooch is worth it!

Quinoa for Dogs, For Real

If your dog gets lots of exercise, Quinoa may be a great treat because of the high doses of protein and complex carbohydrates it contains. But not everyone, including dogs, react to new foods in the same way. It could be that your dog’s stomach will disagree with it. Perhaps you can try a high quality canine snack which incorporates quinoa.

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Always practice moderation when introducing a new food to Fido. The definitive yes or no answer comes after you provide a taste test for your dog. That’s the most reasonable approach for feeding your best buddy some nutritious quinoa.

Rinse, Wash & Cook

One key piece of advice is to rinse, wash and cook your Quinoa before serving it to anyone including your dog. Doing this is very important because it usually is coated in an unseen chemical called saponin which is toxic and probably more dangerous for dogs than it is for us.

Quinoa Question Marks

The only drawback to Quinoa, specifically when it comes to our four-legged friends, is that their digestive systems aren’t geared towards plant-like food. In general, dogs don’t take well to foods containing oxalates because they are insoluble. Since Quinoa is plant-based, even though it’s actually the seed you’d be serving up, there is some chance they could reaction poorly.

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If you do decide to offer some cooked quinoa to your pup, be sure to monitor them afterwards just in case. Negative symptoms could include pawing at the mouth, lack of appetite, drooling, vomiting and oral pain or swelling of those areas. Generally, reactions to oxalates in dogs are mild if noticed at all.

Will Your Dog Try It?

The only way to know if your dog can consume this seed cereal wonder crop is to cautiously give them a small portion. If some of those above symptoms sound scary then by all means stick to dog food because, after-all, canines don’t actually need to be eating quinoa. It also can’t hurt to consult with your vet first.

Conclusion on Quinoa

Yes, dogs should be able to handle some properly prepared quinoa. Start out by providing a small amount. If your dog’s stomach ends up agreeing with quinoa, it could actually make for a great snack alternative since it’s loaded nutrition. But keep in mind that even though this food is very healthy, it can’t replace your dog’s regular dog food which should be primarily meat-based.

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