If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to commercial dog treats, you may be asking yourself the question, can dogs eat beets?
The good news is that yes, they can! In fact, when given in moderation, beets make a wonderful addition to your dog’s diet. Beets are often added to commercial dog food, too, so that your dog gets the best benefits from them.
Today we’re going to cover what makes beets such a great treat for your dog, as well as how your dog can enjoy them.
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Why are beets good for dogs?
Beets are incredibly beneficial for your dog. This root vegetable is packed full of lots of fantastic micronutrients such as fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, and vitamin C. These are highly beneficial for your dog’s digestion and immune system.
They also work to maintain healthy skin and fur. If your dog is suffering from stomach problems, unhealthy skin, or fur loss, your vet will likely recommend adding some beets to their diet.
It will be important to feed your dog beets in moderation. While beets have a beneficial impact on your dog’s health, vegetables should only make up around 15% to 25% of your dog’s diet.
They will need lots of protein instead of regular veggies, but beets can be a fantastic addition to give your dog’s immune system a little extra boost.
Will beets hurt dogs?
Giving your dog beets won’t harm them, no. You’ll be relieved to know that beets aren’t toxic for your dog in any way.
That being said, it will be best to only give your dog beets in moderation. This is because your dog’s diet mainly relies on protein, and veggies should only make up a small portion of their diet.
Another thing to consider is that some dogs can be allergic to beets. However, this is often very rare. If you’re in doubt as to whether you should give your dog beets, you can give them a fairly small portion and then monitor their reaction over the next 12 hours or so.
Chances are that your dog will be perfectly fine when eating beets. However, in the very slim likelihood that your dog is allergic to beets, you will know not to give it to them again.
If you’re concerned about giving your dog beets, you should always consult with your vet. They will be able to best advise you on whether you need to incorporate this root vegetable into your dog’s diet.
How do you cook beets for dogs?
If you want to add beets to your dog’s diet, it will be important to prepare them properly. Your dog’s stomach will struggle to digest beets that are given to them in large chunks. So your best bet will be to puree or mash them before you add them to your dog’s normal diet.
Before you can mash or puree the beets, you will need to soften them up. Make sure you wash them thoroughly first. Next, you will need to boil, blanch, or steam your beets so that they can soften up.
It will also be worth chopping them up into smaller pieces before you do this so that they cook quicker. Once the beets have been softened up, you can add them to your food processor.
Set it to the pulse function or whizz the beets away until you’re left with a soft mash or puree.
Remember not to season the beets when you cook them. This is because additional seasoning like salt could actually be harmful to your dog.
You will want to serve them plain for your dog to really get the benefits from them. When you’ve prepared your beets, you can add this puree or mash to your dog’s bowl alongside their usual food, or you can feed it to them on their own.
Remember to wait for it to be cooler before you give it to your dog in case the hot food burns them.
What are the benefits of beets?
So we now know that beets are packed full of helpful vitamins and minerals. But what are the exact benefits of this root vegetable?
These vitamins and minerals combine to help give your dog’s digestive system a boost. Adding beets to your dog’s diet can help to alleviate stomach problems, which is a massive benefit on its own.
Some of the other health benefits that your dog can get from eating beets include healthier skin, shinier and healthier fur, as well as a boosted immune system.
This means that beets will be a welcome addition to your dog’s diet alongside their normal protein and carbohydrates.
Most dog food companies also include beets as an ingredient in their products to make sure your dog gets the benefits of beets alongside their fully balanced diet.
Are dogs allergic to beets?
In some very rare cases, dogs can indeed be allergic to beets. This will be a very unlikely occurrence, but it’s important to monitor your dog’s reaction to the veggie if you do choose to feed them beets.
A dog that’s allergic to beets will suffer from inflammation. So it will be important to only give them a small amount at first to ensure they can safely eat this root vegetable.
As for dogs who aren’t allergic to beets, this vegetable could give them support for other allergies. This is because beets actually have great anti-inflammatory properties for dogs who aren’t allergic to them.
Beets can even help to prevent and alleviate any skin problems or itchiness that your dog may be suffering from.
In summary
So there you have it! Beets are perfectly safe to give to your dog as a dietary supplement.
They will even come with a whole range of health benefits for your dog, such as boosting their digestive and immune systems, and improving the health of their coat and skin. Remember to give beets to your dog in moderation.
It will also be important to prepare the beets properly so your dog can get the best out of this tasty vegetable.
