Can Dogs Eat Spinach? Is Spinach Good for Dogs?

While a dog is a carnivorous animal, it still must have plant food. If the owner feeds the pet with ready-made dry food of good quality, then the issue of vitamin deficiency is eliminated. But if the food consists of natural products, you need to monitor the balance of vitamins. However, not all plants can be used in an animal’s diet. A dog’s digestive system is not designed initially to digest leafy greens. However, can dogs eat spinach?

Is spinach good for dogs?

SpinaSpinach, popular among people, is saturated with iron, potassium, calcium, and vitamins B, A, and K. Spinach is very good for a dog’s digestion. This plant reduces the risk of developing cancer in animals. In addition to useful substances, spinach contains oxalate, which is harmful to pets. However, the dog must eat many servings to feel the plant’s harmful effects.

The high content of fiber promotes bowel function. Fiber and coarse fibers of spinach are not completely digested The high content of fiber promotes bowel function. Fiber and coarse fibers of spinach are not entirely digested but swell and thus cleanse the intestines. Spinach helps to get rid of constipation and normalizes peristalsis. Spinach also helps to remove toxins from the body.

The high iron content in the product helps to normalize the hemoglobin level in the blood so that the body’s tissues are better supplied with oxygen. Spinach helps to balance metabolism, has mild diuretic and laxative properties, and has a tonic effect on the entire body. In addition, a regular diet of spinach may delay the development of malignant tumors. This plant is often also called a storehouse of nutrients since it contains, and in large quantities, such elements:

• Vegetable proteins (they cannot be compared, of course, with animal counterparts but are also beneficial for any organism)
• Fast carbohydrates, which are easily digestible and provide animals with a large amount of energy necessary for a robust life
• Unsaturated fats, including essential ones (not produced by the body itself)
• Vitamins of many groups (see above)
• Fiber to improve intestinal microflora

During heat treatment, most vitamins, trace elements and minerals are not destroyed. In a fresh product, they are Most vitamins, trace elements, and minerals are not destroyed during heat treatment. Fresh products are presented in greater quantities, but in cereals and soups for dogs, the leaves remain very useful and nutritious.^[1]

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Will spinach upset a dog’s stomach?

The dog’s digestive system is not prepared to digest leafy vegetables, but spinach reduces the risk of cancer, and some other leafy green vegetables are antioxidants. Greens have a very low nutritional value; therefore, its benefits, compared with other vegetables, are negligible.

Limiting Limiting your dog’s food intake is essential because too many fruits or vegetables will never benefit your dog’s stomach. Eating large amounts of spinach in one sitting can cause stomach upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.

If a pet has an upset stomach, it is not recommended to give it food for two days, and not eating will help stop diarrhea. If the animal has a watery stool, dry food or other habitual food, especially treats, should not be offered to him.

You can offer the dog light foods when establishing the cause of the soft consistency of the stool. These include rice porridge boiled in water or beef or chicken broth. Food from fermented milk products will help restore the stomach’s microflora. After the above food is present in the diet, it can be supplemented with hard-boiled eggs and non-fat-boiled meat.

If the animal vomits no more than three times and there is a brown stool color without blood and mucus, then treatment should be carried out according to uncomplicated diarrhea. In the presence of diarrhea in a dog, sorbents can be given to it. With a stable condition of the animal, it is necessary to follow a sparing diet (3-5 days). In the presence of severe symptoms observed for more than a day, you should seek treatment from a veterinarian, who will prescribe several necessary measures. Strict adherence to the doctor’s recommendations regarding the feeding and drinking regimen is essential. To avoid dehydration, offer the dog plenty of water for diarrhea.

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What are the health benefits of eating spinach?

Spinach, which occurs naturally in the wild, grows in Central Asia. Garden spinach is grown for human consumption, and it has been in cultivation for more than 2000 years. Spinach contains proteins, carbohydrates, and even fats; organic, saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids; fiber; starch, sugars; vitamins A, E, C, H, K, PP, many B vitamins; beta-carotene, calcium; magnesium; sodium; potassium; phosphorus; iron; zinc; copper; manganese and selenium. There is a lot of protein in spinach leaves; however, there is more in legumes – young beans and green peas. Such essential vitamins as A and C in spinach are resistant to temperature effects – they are preserved during heat treatment.

In addition, spinach contains iodine, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland. It also has a lot of fiber and chlorophyll, so spinach stimulates intestinal activity. Spinach also has other beneficial effects:

• Elimination from the body of toxins and waste products of cells
• Strengthening reproductive functions. As a result, if you are planning offspring, then this product will be very appropriate for both the expectant mother and father
• Prevention of oncological diseases
• Increased immunity. In general, spinach is used as an adjunct to medicines in the treatment of colds and other viral diseases
• Prevention of periodontal disease and some other diseases of the teeth and oral cavity
• Improved vision and sense of smell are very important for a dog
• Vitamin K contained in the plant contributes to the rapid and efficient absorption of animal fats

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Dog’s diet: treats you can make at home

People love surprises and treats and our pets are no exception. Try making spinach, carrot and zucchini treats for your dog at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree. You can use ready-made or make raw pumpkin puree yourself: cut the pumpkin into slices, load it into a thick-walled saucepan, cover with a lid and put over a slow fire, stir from time to time, simmer until soft, beat with a blender into a puree.
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (can be replaced with any vegetable)
• 2 eggs
• 0.5 cups of oatmeal
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 carrot
• 1 zucchini
• 1 cup spinach (can be replaced with any leafy green vegetable)

Cooking:

• Grate carrots and zucchini, and finely chop the greens.
• Mix pumpkin puree, eggs and oil with a blender; add oatmeal and, gradually, flour. Mix with carrots, zucchini and herbs.
• Knead the dough. It should be moderately thick and not stick to your hands. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Cover the baking sheet with baking paper and place dog treats on it. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes.

What is better – raw or cooked spinach?

Some animals independently eat spinach from the garden. It is important to monitor the amount of product consumed – overeating in any of its manifestations does not bring health benefits.

You can serve boiled spinach to a dog; for example, in soups or cereals with rice, buckwheat or oatmeal. In this case, the lettuce leaves are finely chopped and scalded with boiling water (they do not need to be cooked for a long time) and then added to the dish. Heat treatment of spinach (boiling, frying) can reduce the content of oxalates, but not by more than 15%.

An allergy to this plant is not excluded, which manifests itself within a few hours after eating. Spinach actively absorbs all the pesticides that are processed during cultivation. It can adversely affect the functioning of the thyroid gland; however, heat treatment can reduce the concentration of goitrogenic substances.

Spinach leaves spoil quickly. Even in the refrigerator, these greens do not last more than eight days. By the end of this period, it loses the bulk of its vitamins. To preserve nutritional properties for a longer period (up to 8 months), fresh spinach leaves are pressed or rolled into balls and then frozen. After thawing, boil spinach or stew it with other vegetables.

Thus, greens in the diet of your beloved dog are certainly important and useful. But carefully monitor possible contraindications, and most of all, consult with your veterinarian first.

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What are possible side effects?

Spinach also has a drawback: it is high in oxalic acid. Spinach should not be used for problems with the kidneys and urinary tract, or diseases of the duodenum, liver and biliary tract.

There is very little oxalic acid in baby spinach – it accumulates only in old leaves, so you should not eat overgrown spinach at all. And, of course, like any product in the dog’s diet, introduce spinach little by little and in limited quantities.

Never feed the dog food that you are not sure is safe. And contact your veterinarian immediately if something goes wrong. ^[2]

FAQ

Article Sources:

1. “Osteoporosis Diet & Nutrition: Foods for Bone Health.” Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation, 10 June 2022, bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/patients/treatment/nutrition/.
2. “Storage Time And Temperature Effects Nutrients In Spinach.” ScienceDaily, 23 Mar. 2005, sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050323124809.htm.