Owners who are health-conscious about their pets are also very interested in the food they feed them every day. If you've come to this column, you've probably thought at least once about incorporating vegetables into your dog's daily meals to help keep them healthy.
As you can imagine, while eating vegetables can have positive effects on your dog's health, there are also some caveats and drawbacks to be aware of.
This time, we will explain from a practical perspective the advantages and disadvantages of feeding your dog vegetables in their daily meals, as well as things to be careful about when actually feeding them vegetables.
Can I feed my dog vegetables every day?
First of all, is it okay to give your dog vegetables every day?
Of course, dogs are better suited to a diet closer to humans than wolves, but they are not particularly adept at digesting high-fiber vegetables. Giving them more than the recommended amount can cause indigestion symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, and in some cases can even cause allergies due to overfeeding.
There is nothing wrong with giving your dog vegetables every day, but it is important to be mindful of maintaining a proper nutritional balance with dog food and meat, and to be mindful of the appropriate amount.
The benefits of feeding your dog vegetables
So what exactly are the benefits of feeding your dog vegetables?
Recommended as a nutritional supplement
The vitamins and minerals contained in many vegetables are known to be beneficial for maintaining your dog's health. Beta-carotene helps prevent aging and disease, calcium strengthens bones and joints, and B vitamins help maintain healthy eyes, skin, and coat. It's great to know that you can expect these kinds of health benefits from your dog's daily diet.
Also, although we mentioned earlier that dogs are not good at digesting dietary fiber, that doesn't mean that dietary fiber only has negative effects. In the right amounts, it can be a valuable ally that contributes to your dog's health, stimulating the intestinal wall to prevent constipation and maintaining a healthy balance of intestinal bacteria. The fact that it takes a long time to digest also means that it keeps you full for a long time, making it an ideal companion for dieting.
Great for hydration
Another great thing about eating vegetables every day is that you can naturally hydrate yourself. There are many vegetables that are rich in water, so you can efficiently increase your water intake.
In the summer, when the risk of heatstroke is high, many dogs lose their appetite due to the heat, so it is recommended to give them vegetables as a small snack to encourage hydration. Summer vegetables are in season and are particularly high in water content, so this is a great way to help.
On the other hand, in winter, the cold weather tends to reduce the amount of water your dog drinks each day, so it's a good idea to use vegetables to make up for the lack of fluids. If your dog isn't eating well, try warming the food to body temperature or simmering it with soup.
Also useful for managing your dog's eating habits and managing the health of senior dogs
Maintaining health through a diet that includes vegetables is recommended for dogs who have irregular eating habits and don't eat much dog food, or for senior dogs who have lost their appetite and can no longer eat the same meals as they did when they were younger.
We once had a super senior dog who lived to be 19 years old, and once he reached the stage where he had to stare at his blood test results every day, a simple homemade diet of chopped and boiled vegetables was a great help. If for some reason your dog isn't eating his dog food well, it's a good idea to use vegetables wisely to help manage his health.
However, from the perspective of nutritional balance, it is true that the most reliable way to ensure your dog's health is to eat high-quality dog food that has the ideal nutritional balance for them every day. If your dog has no problem eating dog food, you should feed it as its main food, and think of vegetables as a supplementary food.
The disadvantages of giving your dog vegetables
So far we've looked at the benefits of feeding vegetables to dogs, but if you're going to include them in your dog's daily diet, you should also be aware of the drawbacks.
It's hard to find the perfect nutritional balance
We've mentioned the benefits of vegetables being good for your dog's health, but of course, it's not enough for them to just eat vegetables.
For example, for dogs, who have changed from being carnivorous to being omnivorous, meat is an important nutrient that is essential for maintaining their health. Also, it is widely known that dogs can consume less salt than humans, but not consuming any salt at all can also cause health problems.
As you can see, a healthy diet for dogs requires a balanced distribution of the necessary nutrients, but it can be difficult for beginners to figure out the perfect nutritional balance from scratch. You should be a little careful before simply switching to a completely homemade diet just because you want your dog to eat vegetables.
Some vegetables can be harmful to your dog's health
Vegetables such as onions, leeks, and chives are widely known as the top foods that dogs should not eat, but there are actually other vegetables you need to be careful of.
For example, vegetables such as radishes and turnips are expected to have beneficial effects such as promoting protein digestion, improving immunity, and recovering from fatigue, but they are also cruciferous vegetables that contain a substance called "goitrogen." This goitrogen has the property of inhibiting the secretion of thyroid hormones, so they are not suitable for dogs with thyroid disease.
Beta-carotene, found in large amounts in carrots and other vegetables, is known for its antioxidant properties, but excessive intake is prohibited as it places a strain on the liver. Oxalic acid, found in large amounts in cabbage and broccoli, can cause urinary stones, so it is best not to feed them to dogs with urinary tract diseases. Potassium, found in many vegetables, is a nutrient necessary for normal cell function, but it can lead to hyperkalemia in senior dogs with declining kidney function, so careful consideration is required when giving it to dogs.
It's important to remember that even vegetables that are generally considered to be healthy may be best avoided depending on your dog's constitution, age, or chronic illnesses.
Find out the right amount of vegetables to feed your dog
Although this varies depending on the type of vegetable, if you feed your dog vegetables, try to limit them to at least 10% of their daily calorie needs.
However, this number is only the upper limit in terms of calories. For low-calorie vegetables, even 10% can be a significant amount, so it's important to find the appropriate amount based on your dog's weight and age.
By the way, there are various opinions, but the ideal nutritional balance for a dog's diet is
Protein [1]: Vegetables [1-2]: Carbohydrates [0.5-1]
It is said to be about that level.
There is nothing wrong with consuming vegetables every day as long as the amount is appropriate, but you will need to make sure that your dog is also getting other nutrients that are essential for their health.
Important points to keep in mind when giving vegetables to your dog
Now that we've looked at the pros and cons and the appropriate amounts, let's make sure to take note of the things to be careful about when actually giving vegetables to your dog every day.
First, consult your doctor
As mentioned in the disadvantages section, even vegetables that are generally considered healthy can be harmful to some dogs. The scary thing is that it's difficult to make a blanket statement, as the characteristics and individual differences of each breed can affect the diseases that dogs are prone to.
If you are thinking of incorporating vegetables into your dog's diet on a daily basis, it is recommended that you first consult with your veterinarian and carefully consider in advance which vegetables are okay to give to your dog and which ones you should avoid.
Not as a main dish, but as a topping
If you are going to give your dog vegetables every day, it is recommended that you give them as a supplementary topping to their dog food, especially at first.
Dog food is like a complete nutritional diet, made with the necessary nutrients and balance in mind. To be honest, the quality varies widely, so you need to find a good quality dog food that suits your dog, but basically, as long as your dog eats dog food, he will be getting a balanced diet.
Especially for beginners who are not used to making homemade meals, it is best to supplement the main meal with dog food and only give vegetables as toppings or snacks.
The key is to choose the right cooking method
When giving your dog vegetables every day, you should also be careful about how you cook them.
Depending on the vegetables you are feeding your dog, be sure to check beforehand whether they are safe to eat raw or whether they should be cooked. Many vegetables have a hard texture when raw, so for dogs that tend to swallow their food whole without chewing it much, it is better to cook them properly and then cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Also, depending on the type of food, heating it can cause the nutrients to be lost, or conversely, heating can reduce the components that cause disease, so it would be even better if you could cook while considering the characteristics of the nutrients it contains.
Be careful not to feed them the skin or seeds
As a general rule, it is best to remove the skins and seeds of vegetables before feeding them to your dog, as they are often difficult to digest and contain substances that are toxic to dogs.
In particular, vegetable and fruit seeds can cause serious symptoms such as intestinal blockage if swallowed, so be careful when giving your dog vegetables.
Healthy with the best of both worlds: Saesa's Vegetable Furikake for Dogs
For pet owners who want to feed their dogs vegetables every day, we highly recommend Saesa's dog furikake.
We have established our own human-grade standards, such as "only domestically grown vegetables as ingredients," "completely additive-free," and "safe for humans to eat," and are committed to producing high-quality food that you can safely feed your beloved dog every day.
Just sprinkle it on your dog's regular food and you can easily get the nutritional benefits of vegetables. Even busy owners can easily continue. It's individually wrapped, so it's easy to take with you when traveling or on the go.
Saesa's furikake comes in three varieties: the well-balanced "original," the naturally sweet "apple" that stimulates the appetite, and the "protein" that supports healthy bones and muscles. Choose the one that best suits your dog's preferences and constitution.
→Click here for a list of saesa products
Conclusion
As long as you keep the key points in mind, there's nothing wrong with giving your dog vegetables every day.
Be sure to pay attention to the appropriate amount and feeding method, and enjoy a healthy and delicious diet with your beloved dog.