Is it OK for dogs to eat Asparagus?
Yes, you may give asparagus to your dog, but it is not usually recommended by veterinarians as there are a lot of vegetables that can prove to be beneficial instead. Dogs can eat a lot of vegetables but not all vegetables can be as edible as it is for us, asparagus is one of them.
Asparagus is a non-toxic vegetable for dogs but there are some inedible parts which are toxic, therefore needed to be removed before giving it to your dog. if you’ve grown asparagus in your garden you should make sure that your dog stays away from it because eating raw asparagus with toxic parts can be very dangerous.
What is Asparagus? And what are the nutritional contents in Asparagus?
Asparagus is a green vegetable which is used in salad, cooking food, also used for medicinal purposes. It grows 100-150 cm tall above the earth surface. Asparagus have leaves as needle like structure and flowers are bell shaped. The seeds of asparagus are sown in the winters and are harvested in the spring therefore it is also known as a spring vegetable.
Asparagus contains Vitamin-A, C, K, E and Vitamin-B3, dietary fibre, folic acid, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, titanium, selenium etc. which has a number of health benefits.
What are the benefits of Asparagus?
The vitamins and minerals can boost the immune system of your dog, maintain healthy coat, strong teeth and sharpens the eyesight. It can also make the bones strong.
Despite of the health benefits it has always been questioned, if giving asparagus is worth the risk?
Will Asparagus hurt my dog?
Yes, asparagus can hurt a dog as it has strong stalks which can lead to choking if swallowed as a whole, but the risks can be minimized if proper precautions are taken. Some parts of asparagus is poisonous for dogs and humans too therefore it is always suggested to eat asparagus at its tender shoot stage.
Why can’t dogs eat asparagus?
Eating asparagus can upset your dog’s stomach. For some dogs digesting asparagus is not easy and can cause gas, vomiting and diarrhoea because asparagus is high in fibre, generally fibre is good for digestion but too much fibre can cause stomach related issues. The fern of asparagus can also cause severe abdominal pain and intestinal discomfort.
Does Asparagus make dog’s pee smell?
Yes, after eating asparagus urine / pee of your dog can smell unpleasant as it is for humans. Asparagus contains asparagusic acid, which releases sulphur after breaking down and causes pee to smell. The young asparagus has more amount of asparagusic acid and can lead pee to smell more.
What precautions can be taken while feeding Asparagus to your dog?
As a caretaker if you are giving asparagus to your dog make sure that all its inedible parts are properly removed as they can lead to a number of intestinal issues. Raw asparagus can be eaten but make sure that you cut it into small pieces before giving it to your dog. If your dog faces any kind of difficulty in eating try to boil the asparagus till it gets soft and ready to be easily eaten.
It is important to boil asparagus and not to cook, because after cooking the nutritional content decreases and if cooked using salt, pepper, onion, garlic, cheese or other tasty treats, it can affect the health of your dog.
Therefore, it can be clearly seen that there are numerous benefits of eating asparagus but on the other hand, it can prove to be very dangerous and harmful if not given proper attention. There are many vegetables that can be given to dogs instead and you might want to give something softer and less risky. But if you really wish to give asparagus to your dog, try giving occasionally.
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