Can Dogs Eat Broccoli?
As a dog owner, you clearly want to do whatever is best for your dog. That involves making sure that she eats all of the right foods and that you give her a few treats along the way, provided that they’re safe. A lot of people accomplish this by purchasing treats that are specifically made for dogs, but just as many use table scraps in order to do much the same thing. The question is, how do you know if a food is safe for your dog or not? Unfortunately, lots of well-meaning dog owners often give their pet something that could potentially hurt them. They certainly don’t mean to, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t accidentally give treats that could potentially hurt their beloved pet without meaning to. Take broccoli, for example. It is a healthy food for humans to eat, but can your dog eat it safely? The answer isn’t as simple as you think it might be. Keep reading to find out more.
Can Dogs Eat Broccoli?
The short answer is yes, dogs can eat broccoli. In most cases, they can eat it safely but you have to carefully regulate the amount of broccoli that you give them or you could cause them to have a severely upset stomach. In some cases, they could become very ill. Broccoli tends to upset the digestive tract of a lot of dogs, largely because the florets contain isothiocyanate. It won’t typically hurt your dog provided you only feed a couple of pieces at a time, such as in any given 24-hour period. However, feeding broccoli in large amounts is definitely not recommended. By the same token, you have to be careful about feeding broccoli in any amount to a dog that is well known to have a history of stomach upset, diarrhea or other digestive issues. Think about it this way. When most humans eat broccoli, they have a tendency to spend quite a bit of time in the bathroom after a few hours have passed, largely because the broccoli has initiated extra activity in the digestive system. This can happen in the form of gas, diarrhea or even bloating along with stomach cramps. In some cases, you’ll experience all of these things together. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the more broccoli you eat, the more likely it is that you are going to experience these symptoms. It should also go without saying that some people are clearly more susceptible to these things than others. Of course, there are people out there that can eat loads of broccoli without any perceived issues and others that can’t hardly touch the stuff without running straight to the bathroom. Your dog really isn’t that much different. Therefore, you have to use caution when feeding her broccoli because she may not be able to handle it as well as your neighbor’s dog.
Can Feeding Your Dog Broccoli be Beneficial?
Provided that your dog can handle eating broccoli, there are some potential health benefits that are commonly associated with feeding it to her. For example, broccoli has a lot of vitamin K in it. This can help increase the bone density in your dog’s skeletal system, something that becomes more important as she ages. In much the same way that humans have a tendency to lose bone density and grow more frail as they age, so too does your dog. The thing is, you don’t want your dog to have too much vitamin K. In a human being, vitamin K can be great in small doses, but too much can cause blood clots that can be potentially life-threatening. The same thing can happen to your dog. It’s not likely that she’ll develop a blood clot if you feed her one or two broccoli florets in a week’s time, but you don’t want to be feeding her loads and loads of the stuff every day, either. As far as other potential health benefits are concerned, broccoli contains a lot of fiber and vitamin C, both of which can prove beneficial for your dog’s health. The vitamin C can help to boost her immune system while increased fiber can help her have more complete bowel movements. As you can see, there are a lot of potential benefits but again, you have to use caution. Broccoli can sometimes act like something of a double-edged sword. Just like Vitamin K is a good thing, but only in small quantities, it’s interesting to note that while it has fiber which can help with digestive issues, it can also cause digestive issues in and of itself. If you’re feeling confused, rest assured that most pet owners feel confused at first as well. Fortunately, it’s not really all that difficult to sort it all out. It all starts with knowing your dog as well as her health history.
Knowing Your Pet
As previously mentioned, you have to know your dog well in order to know whether or not broccoli is a good idea. Does she typically have digestive issues anyway? If the answer is yes, it’s probably best to leave the broccoli alone entirely. By the same token, you might be concerned about whether or not she could choke on the broccoli itself. If you’ve ever eaten it, you know that it has a tendency to choke you more than popcorn, so any dog that has issues with choking might not be the best candidate when it comes to eating broccoli. It’s also worth noting that a dog that has previously suffered from pancreatitis, already has blood clotting issues or is allergic to a wide array of different things should probably not be eating broccoli (or any other table scraps for that matter). In cases like these, your best bet is to work directly with your veterinarian to decide on a diet and then stick with it. At the end of the day, it’s not likely to hurt a healthy dog to have one or two broccoli florets. Don’t overfeed them when it comes to this particular vegetable and don’t feed your dog broccoli if she already has digestive issues or other medical concerns. As long as you’re mindful about it, it’s usually not a problem. That said, it’s always best to follow your gut instinct.
