Can my Dog Eat Cabbage?: Cabbage is a leafy green, red, or white biennial plant grown as a vegetable crop for its dense leaved heads. Added to a lot of recipes, and also quite low cost and easy to use, has it ever crossed your mind whether your pet dog can enjoy its luxury?
Now it may sound weird and dumbfounding, after all, dogs are canines, why would you want to feed them cabbage? However, green veggies are a great source of nutrition and fibres and if you want to add extra veggies to your dog’s diet then these leafy greens are a good option to start.
Cabbage is a considerable choice for your dog’s diet as it is full of vitamins and is healthy for both, humans and animals.
Cabbage is a healthy veggie but it must be noted that too much of it can be dangerous for the health of your pup.
Dogs can eat cabbage; it is safe for them. But it should be fed to them with a balanced diet plan as too much cabbage can disturb the stomach of your dog. If fed in a proper way, it has a lot of benefits for the health of your dog which includes prevention from cancer, boosting of the immune system and an improved digestive system.
Is Cabbage Healthy for your Dog?
Cabbage is a healthy green vegetable that is packed with vitamins and minerals that helps to improve the performance of the stomach and immune system.
Anything eaten excessively can be dangerous, no matter if it is healthy food or junk food and the same is the case with cabbage, it is very healthy but if consumed in a balanced way.
Health Benefits of Cabbage for your Dog
Cabbage can provide your dog with a range of health benefits.
Cabbage is a wonderful source of many vitamins, such as vitamins K, C, B6, B1. It is considered as one of the most fibrous vegetable with a lot of essential minerals including potassium, manganese and copper.
Better yet, cabbage helps against cancer but particularly red cabbage is believed to have strong cancer-fighting properties.
Although dogs can get all the nutrients and minerals required by their body from their meal, yet it never hurts to offer a little amount of healthy human foods to them (unless your vet does not advise against it).
Moreover, cabbage is said to consist of high levels of antioxidant compounds called phytonutrients.
Cabbage’s polyphenols make it the cruciferous veggie with the most antioxidants, that can help sustain the health of both humans and canines alike.
Free radicals are a reason behind cancer and antioxidants help reduce the number of free radicals in the blood.
They can also help your little friend to fight against other diseases by boosting their immune system and can even reduce the risk of your dog developing heart diseases by improving blood flow.
Another major benefit of cabbage is that it helps to improve the digestion system due to its high fibre content. It allows digestion to happen smoothly while minimizing other stomach problems.
Cabbage can also help to maintain healthier skin from the inside out. It helps to finish irritation while making the skin smooth and shiny. It can be a good option for canines who suffer from either dry or rough skin.
We all know that dogs are carnivores so while giving them green veggies occasionally, still, meat should comprise most of their diet.
Dangers of Cabbage for Dogs
While it has a considerable list of benefits for your furball, cabbage also has some disatvantages like all things. However, one of the most primary threats is the same for humans as well as for dogs.
Eating too much cabbage can upset the stomach of your dog and symptoms like flatulency and excessive gas.
That’s why even though if something is healthy for dogs it does not mean that they should be allowed to eat it in an uncalculated manner.
Always consult a vet before offering anything new to your dog as your veterinarian will give you a piece of better advice that is perfectly apt to your dog’s health status.
Whenever you offer something new to your dog like cabbage, monitor him closely for at least 24 hours to check for any symptoms that this food might not be agreeing with him. Some symptoms can include a watery stool etc.
If your dog eats too much cabbage, he is likely to develop a state called ‘Hypothyroidism’, although your dog would have eaten a lot of raw cabbage on several days for this to happen.
Cabbage contains a natural compound called ‘Thiocyanate’ that impacts the thyroid gland. Though, cooking the cabbage thoroughly (either by boiling or steaming it) before offering it to your four-legged friend, is a good way to remove this compound.
Dogs can eat cabbage of any colour or form but it is good to cook it before feeding it to your dog. So, it would be quite easy for your furry to digest it and it will also prevent the risk of causing hypothyroidism.
And of course, whether you are preparing red, purple, Napa, savoy or any other type of cabbage, never add anything extra for the sake of taste such as spices or sugar as they can have negative effects on the health of your dog.
Trust me, your dog will happily eat the cabbage or any other vegetable as he will surely like their bland taste without any extra flavours.
How to Feed Cabbage to your Dog?
Cabbage can be prepared in a variety of ways to feed to your furry companion.
It can be cooked as a meal for your dog, it can be served as a treat or you may mix it with the regular meal of your dog.
In many ways, your furry can enjoy eating cabbage alongside his human parents.
Dogs eat the same food every day so when introducing something new can cause a stomach upset.
Cabbage is notorious for causing gas and to prevent this, it should be introduced slowly.
Start by giving them a small amount with their meal and remember to never feed them a big amount even if their stomach gets used to it because it can still cause gas.
These are a few ideas for serving cabbage to your dog:
- Cooked instead of raw. It is easy for your dog to digest.
- Added to a homemade meal that is balanced with a good source of protein.
- Sprinkled as a topping on the dinner of your dog.
Raw vs Cooked Cabbage
Cabbage is perfectly okay for your canine friend, but it should be cooked before feeding.
Cooked cabbage has many advantages which raw cabbage does not have.
The simple way to cook cabbage is to boil or steam it, in hot water and give it to your dog.
Even though raw cabbage is crispy and fun to eat for your dog, it is not good for their health due to some natural compounds found in it.
It is recommended to give cooked cabbage to your canine in a balanced amount.
Conclusion
Cabbage is a healthy nutritious food for your dog with a lot of benefits, but it can also be dangerous if overfed. Always feed cooked cabbage and never feed raw cabbage to your furball.
Whenever you are adding something new to your dog’s diet, make sure to consult your vet just to be sure, and add it slowly, to prevent any health problems.