Beetroot Dog

Over time, your dog's taste buds have evolved based on their current diet. In the wild, your dog's ancestors likely ate the game and greens they found around them. Today, dogs have a much more balanced diet that includes both meat and vegetables.

Can dogs eat beetroot?

Yes! Your dog can eat beetroot in moderation and is a healthy source of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, manganese and potassium. These vitamins and minerals are good for your dog's digestion and immune system, as well as for a healthy skin and coat.

Although rare, some dogs can be allergic. Watch your dog if you decide to feed him beetroot.

Nutritional information of beetroot

Beetroot is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C. It is an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, sodium and iron. It is also a notable source of choline, folic acid, iodine, manganese, organic sodium, potassium, fiber and carbohydrates in the form of naturally digestible sugars. Beets get their red color mainly from the antioxidant pigment betalain.

The health benefits of beetroot

There are several benefits to feeding your dog beetroot. As with most foods that are not part of your dog's regular diet, moderation is key. Don't overdo it on "human" food as their internal system is not the same as ours. You should also consult your veterinarian before including this or any other food in your dog's diet.

Nutritional Benefits of Beetroot

Beetroot contains many of the nutrients your dog needs to stay healthy. They support general well-being, but also specific areas such as the immune system, the digestive tract, the skin and the oxygen balance. Take a look at the nutritional benefits of beetroot:

Requirements:

Beetroot is high in iron, which is essential for dogs, especially if they suffer from anemia. Iron helps carry oxygen to your blood cells and physiological processes.

Fiber:

Beetroot is high in fiber. It is recommended that dogs get between 1 and 10% fiber with each meal. This nutrient supports the digestive system and gut health. It adds volume to the stool and helps move it through the digestive tract.

Vitamins and Minerals:

Beets, especially beet tops, contain many other vitamins and minerals that support the immune system, regulate pH and even strengthen the coat and skin.

Other Beetroot Benefits

Besides the nutritional values mentioned above, there are some other important benefits that can be useful. Beetroot is low in calories. This makes them a great treat for dogs that need to lose a little weight.

Beetroot is also high in carbohydrates, which will fill your pet up faster. Again, beetroot isn't meant to be a daily staple, but can be useful when trying to get your dog to a healthy weight.

Other advantages are:

• Helps relieve skin allergies
• Are low in calories and promote a healthy weight
• Promotes an efficient metabolism
• Increases nutrient absorption and proper digestion of dog food
• Provides relief from inflammation
• Strengthens the immune system
• Provides powerful antioxidant support

How to prepare beetroot for your dog

Now that we've discussed the benefits and risks of feeding this vegetable to your dog, it's clear that while it's not the most nutritious food, it can be a tasty treat for your pet. Apart from that, there are different ways to prepare and consume beetroot. Some of these are good for your pet, while others you should avoid.

Raw or cooked?

Boiled beets are one of the best ways to feed beets to your pet. Cooking will soften the vegetables and make them easier to cut into bite-sized pieces. It also makes it easier to digest.

You should cook the beets without any other ingredients like butter, salt, sugar, pepper, sauces, or other seasonings. All of these ingredients are harmful to your animal and deprive the beetroot of the nutrients it gets from the root.

You can also feed your dog raw beets. However, we do not recommend raw beets for small dogs or for puppies with sensitive teeth. As already mentioned, it is easy to choke on the fresh beets. They are also more difficult to chew and can cause digestive problems.

Raw beets are more likely to cause digestive problems due to the consistency of the feed. If your dog prefers them fresh, you should cut them into small pieces that won't cause any problems. Keep in mind that most dogs inhale their food and don't bother to chew it.

Canned beetroot

Canned beets are not recommended. Most canned products are not healthy for your dog. They contain high levels of salt, preservatives and other additives that are harmful to your dog. Turnips in particular are heavily processed.

In general, salt is the biggest problem when it comes to canned food. Salt is very harmful to dogs. It causes many serious health risks. Salt poisoning can be fatal. Therefore, it is better to use fresh or frozen beets.

Pickled turnips

Unfortunately, this form of red vegetable is a no-no for your dog. Again, it's about salt. Pickled beets are pickled in a brine. As mentioned earlier, too much salt is harmful to your pet.

Beetroot juice

Crushing the root and squeezing it into a juice is a great way to enjoy the nutrients. However, this is not the best option for your dog. Instead of the salt, this time the sugar is fatal.

Beets are already rich in natural sugars. If you squeeze them into juice, the sugar will become even more concentrated. Too much of this sweetener in your dog's diet can lead to obesity, high blood sugar, dental problems, and other problems.

A warning

Beets are high in oxalic acid, which can lead to kidney stones and a lack of calcium in the body, so feed them sparingly. Dogs suffering from or at risk of kidney stones, gout, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, as well as dogs with sensitive stomachs, should avoid foods high in oxalic acid.

Some dogs have allergies to beets, which can lead to inflammation. Always check with your vet first, then start with small portions to see how your dog reacts.

The disadvantages of beetroot

Although beetroot is non-toxic, there are some health concerns that make this vegetable a little less desirable. But not only that, there are also some other downsides that you should be aware of.

Health concerns of feeding your dog beets

Root vegetables have some great nutritional benefits, but there are also some downsides that outweigh the benefits or, in some cases, even make them less nutritious.

Total nutrition:

Although beetroot contains iron, fiber, and other additives, your puppy would need to eat large amounts of them for them to have any meaningful effect as they absorb the minerals. As you will see, feeding your dog beetroot daily is not recommended.

Zucker:

Beetroot is high in carbohydrates, which mainly contain sugar. Even though they are natural sugars, a lot of them are unhealthy for your pet. Because of this, beets are best eaten only as an occasional treat.

Gastrointestinal problems:

Beets are an acidic vegetable that can be difficult for some dogs' stomachs to digest. It can cause bloating, diarrhea, and upset stomach.

Blasensteine:

Another common disease in dogs is urinary stones. Research has shown that the presence of oxalates in the urinary tract is associated with urinary stone formation. Unfortunately, beets contain high levels of this mineral, which can lead to the development or worsening of the disease.

Other cons

Aside from these health concerns, there are a few other aspects that can make beetroot an undesirable dog food. For example, they can pose a choking hazard to smaller dogs. If you have a small puppy, you should boil beets and cut them into small portions.

If you're a beetroot fan, you also know what a mess they can make. The red sap gets everywhere and pollutes everything. If you have a white or light-colored puppy, the fur on their face will most likely be pinkish-pink for a while.

Your puppy's stool can also turn red from the beetroot. And strikingly, bright red. This is completely harmless, but can be very worrying. Incidentally, this can also happen in humans.

Even more seriously, large chunks of the raw vegetables can cause intestinal obstruction. This can be a life threatening situation. Raw vegetables, including beets, take longer to break down in your dog's digestive tract. This can cause it to get lodged in the system and block (or partially block) the digestive organs.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, it's okay to feed your dog beetroot as long as it's done in moderation. We find that a small amount of this red root once or twice a week is a great amount to give your pet beets.

We've also found these vegetables to be a great treat or snack. It's better than some of the store-bought options because it's lower in salt, sugar, and processed ingredients. Overall, beets are safe for your pet to eat, as long as you don't overdo it. However, it is not essential to their diet.

This includes beetroot