Can Dogs Eat Broccoli? Is Broccoli Bad for a Dog
Have you ever wondered what healthy snack that you enjoy eating, but could share with your dog at the same time? While there are many different vegetables and fruits that are considered to be off limits when it comes to your dog (things such as garlic, grapes, and onions), there are other fruits and vegetables that can actually make a delicious and healthy addition to your pup’s diet.
This is exactly where broccoli comes into play. If you really want to reward your pup for their great behavior, or even simply give them a healthy snack that they will love between meals, broccoli is a perfect choice. Broccoli is a much better snack to give your dog than processed dog snacks that are packed full of artificial flavors and other chemicals they probably shouldn’t be eating. Most of these treats usually have extra sugars, dyes, synthetic vitamins, as well as many other potentially toxic to your dog ingredients.
Here is a broccoli feeding guide that you can use in regards to giving your dog broccoli as a snack, as well as the risks and health benefits that come along with it. Simply follow this guide and your dog will love to snack on broccoli, even if you don’t.
Just be sure to keep in mind that while broccoli is safe for your dog, it is only meant to be fed to them in smaller amounts. Unlike you, dogs don’t require as many vegetables and fruits to be healthy. So depending upon the size of your dog, it will vary the amount of broccoli that you should be feeding to them in their regular diet.
Health Benefits of Broccoli.
While broccoli is a great low-calorie snack, it is also an incredible source of fiber for your dog. Even though the typical dog doesn’t require a whole lot of fiber, it will just help to keep your pup ‘regular’ and shouldn’t cause any type of trouble at all. Besides providing plenty of fiber, broccoli is also a great source of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients as well. Some of these include calcium, iron and even potassium. This is great for your dog, as it will help them to fight off any potential diseases they may come into contact with or be at risk of contracting.
On top of providing tons of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, broccoli also contains sulphur-containing compounds that have been proven to help reduce any type of cancer. These cancers relate mainly to the gastrointestinal tract, prostate and pancreas, but broccoli helps combat them and will prevent your dog from contracting them. Another great benefit of incorporating broccoli into your dog’s diet is that it will even help protect them from melanoma, a type of skin cancer.
Health Risks of Broccoli and Dogs
While broccoli is rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, it is also a potential choking hazard for your dog as well. Broccoli is a hard, crunchy food that can easily get stuck within your dog’s throat, blocking their airway. Since dogs don’t normally chew their food very well, or at all for that matter, it is always best to be present and supervise the eating of the broccoli by your dog whenever you are giving it to them as a snack. Another tip is to break up the broccoli so that you are only feeding them smaller, bite-sized pieces. This will help prevent the broccoli from getting stuck in your dog’s throat, or even their digestive system.
When you do decide to start incorporating broccoli into your dog’s diet, you will want to do so slowly. While this is true for all new foods that you decide to feed your dog, it is especially true for broccoli. When you slowly introduce broccoli into your dog’s diet, you will be reducing the odds of your dog experiencing any vomiting or diarrhea. Just remember that like anything else, it will take your dog’s system some time to get used to the new type of food that is being fed to them.
Broccoli, as well as other types of cruciferous vegetables such as kale, cauliflower and cabbage, can also potentially cause your dog to have extra gas and to bloat as well. This is why it is recommended that you only feed your dog broccoli in smaller amounts. If you do decide to feed your dog excess amounts of broccoli and notice that they are starting to have gas and bloating, try easing up on the amount of broccoli that you are feeding them, as well as how often they are eating it.
Giving Your Dog Broccoli
Since broccoli is a harder, crunchier vegetable, you may want to try cooking it before giving it to your dog. Some of the most popular ways of cooking broccoli before feeding it to your dog include either steaming it, or even sautéing it. When you steam broccoli, it will help to soften all of the stalks, as well as reduce the risk of your dog being able to choke on it. If you decide to sauté it, you can always add a little bit of olive oil or coconut oil while doing so as an extra little treat for your dog. The extra oil is packed full of healthy fats, but will add some additional flavor to the broccoli as well. This will surely make it your dog’s favorite snack.
When your dog is eating broccoli, try not to add any additional toppings to it. While you may enjoy eating your broccoli with salt, butter or even ranch dressing, your dog should eat it as plain and simple as possible. The extra ingredients will only add more calories to your dog’s diet, as well as increases the chances that the broccoli will irritate your dog’s stomach.
While broccoli is a great food for your dog, just keep in mind that it should be used as a snack only, and not as a main meal. You want your dog to have plenty of energy and an appetite for eating the regular food that you feed them. If you have any questions about feeding your dog broccoli, you can always speak with your veterinarian about it as well.
