Can Dogs Eat Beets?

 

Beets are roots vegetables that can be found in various areas worldwide. It comes with that amazing sweet taste. It also offers an array of benefits to humans. However, you are probably wondering if it is safe to give it to your dog. The simple answer would be yes, it is safe for the dogs to eat beets. According to the study, beets are great sources of essential nutrients. Nonetheless, you need to remember some rules when feeding your dogs with beets.

 

Dogs Can Eat Beets But Only in Moderation

 

A tiny amount of beets is perfectly safe for our canine friends. Unfortunately, giving your dogs a significant amount of beets can lead to diarrhea. Beets are the ideal source of dietary fiber that helps the digestive process of both humans and animals. Sadly, an increased dosage of the dietary fiber will cause excessive gas, diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain. Due to this, you need to make sure that you will only give them beets in moderation.

 

You should also not cut the dog's supply of dietary fiber. Eating beets in moderation would be beneficial to your dogs' digestive tract. The proper supply of fiber will help in preventing constipation and diarrhea. It can also help prevent the possibility of developing colon cancer and sustain an ideal weight.

 

How Much Should I Give to my Dogs?

 

It is quite easy for people to say that beets should be given in moderation. However, how do you know that it is a moderate amount? According to the experts, at least 25% of your dog's diet should include vegetables, and the remaining 75% should be protein. To provide your pet with a diverse nutrient source, the 25% should be different types of vegetables. It should not only be beets.

 

Contingent upon their size, our dogs will require 20-40 calories per pound of their total body weight. This means that the medium-sized pet that has an average weight of 40lbs will need a supply of 1,200 calories each day. The 25% of that would be 300lbs of vegetables, including beets. Since the beets have a low caloric content, you can probably give the dog four beets every day. If you have a smaller dog, reduce the number of beets to 2 pieces each day.

 

Most dogs tend to swallow huge chunks of their foods due to their inability to chew appropriately. This will make it more difficult for them to digest the vegetables. We advise you to cook the beets first and put them in a blender or food processor. This will help them to digest the food easily. To enhance the nutritional content of the beets, you may also add the puree to other ingredients like buckwheat.

 

We also recommend avoiding canned beets. It contains a large number of salts and preservatives. Our dogs cannot tolerate this amount of preservatives and salt. Too much salt may lead to poisoning, which is a life-threatening condition.