Can dogs eat spinach? Perhaps you’ve had this thought if your dog begged for a bite while you were chopping up some spinach in the kitchen as part of a lunch time salad. If humans can eat spinach, can dogs safely eat it too?
The short answer is yes, dogs can eat spinach. The leafy green vegetable can provide a number of vitamins along with nutrients that can help with digestive issues. But there are a couple of safety considerations that you’ll want to be aware of before adding spinach to your dog’s meals.
As always, you must ask your regular vet before sharing any human food with your beloved canine, including spinach. Here’s what you need to know about spinach and dogs.
How Is Spinach Good For Dogs?
Spinach is a great source of vitamins for dogs. It contains high amounts of the vitamins A, B, C, and K, along with good amounts of folate, iron, calcium, and fiber.
The benefits of a dog eating spinach include helping to improve the immune system, the heart, and the digestive tract.
How Can I Safely Give Spinach To My Dog?
The main potential problem that can come with feeding spinach to a dog is the presence of oxalic acid. If a dog ingests too much oxalic acid, it can hinder the way that calcium is absorbed by the body, which in turn can result in kidney damage.
But the issue of oxalic acid in spinach is also balanced by studies suggesting that a dog would need to consume a very large amount of spinach — even as much as their own body weight in spinach — for any damage to occur.
So the best way to incorporate the healthy benefits of spinach into your dog’s diet is to feed them a small amount, and preferably an amount that you’ve discussed with your vet. You might also want to consider lettuce as an alternative to feeding your dog spinach.
Finally, make sure to cook the spinach before serving it to your dog, as sometimes raw spinach can prove hard to digest. Steam the spinach without adding any extra salt and spices, and let it cool to room temperature before adding a small amount of spinach your dog’s regular meals.
Have you ever added a bit of spinach to your dog’s dinner? Did they like it? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!
