Can dogs eat broccoli?
Can dogs eat broccoli? – I still remember battles with my mother when she wanted to force me to eat my portion of broccoli. It was one of my most hated foods, and apparently, some animals don’t share this hatred I had for vegetables.
Broccoli is a vegetable famous for having a large number of health benefits. But it can be dangerous for dogs if it is introduced into their diet in large quantities. Can dogs eat broccoli? That is why it is imperative to know its advantages, but you must also consider the risks that dogs are exposed to if there is excessive consumption of broccoli.
Benefits of broccoli for dogs
Broccoli is a vibrant food supplement since it has high fiber content and provides many vitamins. It also includes magnesium and is low in fat. What makes its incorporation in the diet have several positive effects even in the body of a dog.
Broccoli Super Powers
The “superpowers” generated by broccoli come from the variety of vitamins A, C, E, and K that it contains. These may cause some improvements in the system.
Broccoli in dogs makes their immune systems heal faster and better, making them more resistant to viruses. Besides, it also helps sharpen your ability to see in the dark and improves your physical image: the appearance of your coat, nails, and teeth. Broccoli can even increase a dog’s physical performance, heart health and strengthen its defenses (as it does when taking fish oils ).
Can dogs have broccoli?
In addition to all of its benefits already mentioned, broccoli works to remedy dogs at risk of anemia. This is because it contains a series of components that make it a great predictor of anemia, although it is not a drug recommended by a specialist. We are not talking about an infallible cure. Keep in mind what your dog eats if you want to avoid anemia.
Dangers of excess consumption of broccoli for dogs
Not all are benefits and is that excessive consumption of broccoli has its dangers.
Broccoli contains a well-concealed ingredient among its leaves but potentially dangerous. We are talking about isothiocyanates, a component that can cause a large amount of gas and intestinal irritation in dogs.
It seems contradictory that something that works well for digestion can cause this. But we are talking about excessive intake.
How much is broccoli intake excessive for dogs?
Like any other food, broccoli should be eaten in its proper measure. Dogs can eat only 10% of their body weight daily in broccoli. That is already a lot. Let’s say that if your dog weighs a maximum of 20 kg, it will be able to eat 2 kilograms of broccoli, which is quite a lot.
Just over 25% broccoli would be toxic to a small dog.
As you can see, it will depend on the weight of the dog. Don’t even think about giving 2 kg of broccoli to a 1.5 kg puppy first, that the broccoli bag is undoubtedly bigger than him. Second, he could not eat them even if he wanted to, and in any case, its maximum proportion would not be 5 kg but 375 grams.
If you want to guarantee your dog’s health, you must take care of its diet, which can be varied, but above all, that it be balanced and correspond to its size and age.
Can dogs eat raw broccoli?
It is quite apparent, but, just in case I tell you: especially in small dogs, it is very likely that they will try to swallow this “rich” vegetable directly. Consuming without chewing is a custom (and option) for predators who need to eat quickly to survive after hunting their prey, like dogs.
However, this works against you when eating things other than meat, such as broccoli. Due to its tree shape, broccoli can become a hook trapped entirely in the middle of the esophagus.
It is advisable to chop the broccoli before giving it to a dog to avoid choking.
How to feed broccoli to a dog?
In general, vegetables should never form the central part of the dog’s diet. That is evident since we are talking about predatory animals; most of what they eat must be meat.
As we have indicated above, this makes broccoli, as a vegetable, food that you should occasionally eat. Broccoli can be used as a prize.
Can my dog eat broccoli?
When given without any additives (such as salt or pepper), broccoli can be gulped. And, in case you were wondering, yes, you can give it raw. Wouldn’t it be found raw if it were found in the middle of nature? Of course, clean it to prevent your dog from eating impurities that it does not have to digest.
If you want to start giving broccoli to your dog, as always, give it in small portions.
This may be a small piece of broccoli that you have leftover. To see how your body reacts. If it seems that it does not have side effects such as gas or diarrhea, you can go ahead and give it a little more the next day (always chopped), and so you will get the puppy’s body getting used to the vegetables.
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