Can I give my dog spinach?

Video: Does your dog eat spinach?

Everyone knows eating spinach is good for you. As children you learned this growing up. Remember Popeye the Sailorman? Let’s find out if this healthy green vegetable is also appropriate for dogs.

It’s tempting to give a bit of spinach to a pet for obvious reasons. The nutritional values are almost too numerous to list. The problem is that dogs and plant foods are a grey area.

In particular, you may have heard that spinach is harmful for dogs due to its oxalates. We’ll discuss this and other key factors, so pet parents can make up their own minds.

Can I Give My Dog Some Spinach? Answer: Yes, in moderation

Oxalates aren’t a factor for the amount Fido will consume.

Spinach isn’t toxic for dogs despite what you may have heard. You still need to limit portions. The canine digestive system isn’t well equipped for leafy greens. A moderate amount of spinach can benefit anyone, including your dog. If your pet’s stomach doesn’t agree, it’s a shame. At least then you’ll know not to share anymore spinach.

For most owners a quality grain-free wet dog food that incorporates spinach is a better way to go. It’s a more consistent and practical way to feed this fantastic food.

Spinach the Superfood

Being a dark green vegetable, spinach packs a powerful nutritional punch. It’s a boost to the immune system, restoring energy and vitality. Be warned if you already have an energetic dog!

Spinach is also known to prevent cancer and it’s also good for the heart. No doubt, your dog can benefit from consuming these healthy greens.

Vitamins A, C, B & K as well as calcium, iron, potassium, fiber, manganese and folate levels are impressive nutritional attributes. People, and their dogs, should add spinach to their diets.

Refrigerate leftover spinach since its health attributes quickly diminish.

Canines & Kidney Health

A questionable aspect of feeding spinach to a dog is the oxalate factor. Spinach contains high levels and cooking it doesn’t have any affect. Whether baby spinach or large leaf style, it’s unavoidable. This is also the case with quinoa and also beets.

This isn’t cause for concern since the amount and frequency your dog will be eating it is minimal. Kidney stones can develop if you eat spinach or not. Science linking diet to kidney stones is inconclusive.

Some rare medical conditions, however, do warrant oxalate restriction but this doesn’t likely apply to dogs.

Video: Dogs eating raw spinach !

How to Prepare Spinach

Feed spinach to your dog in a way that makes it easy to eat but also safe. Cook it first and, most importantly, keep it simple. Don’t add other ingredients like salt or onions.

If your dog doesn’t like bland cooked spinach, so be it. Hopefully they do, in which case you’ll need to chop it up to make it more digestible. Canines can’t chew it that well. You know how this plant gets all tangled together.

Place some spinach, here and there, in with your dog’s regular meals.

Reality of Pesticides

Spinach is, unfortunately, a heavily contaminated vegetable due to pesticide spraying. Thoroughly rinse it, but even then it could have been exposed to radiation.

We can’t live life worrying about these unavoidable factors. You just have to do your best for your family and your beloved dog.

Conclusion on Spinach

You can feed your dog some spinach. It’s healthy for people as well as dogs. Don’t worry about the oxalates. You won’t be providing this food very often. Wash your spinach thoroughly, cook it and cut it up to avoid a choking mishap possibility. Mix spinach in with dog food as a way to add extra nutrition to Fido’s meals.

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