July 19, 2024, 3:29 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Asparagus is one of the few vegetables that is not always available fresh. For this reason, many people are therefore eagerly awaiting the start of the asparagus season and want their four-legged friends to enjoy it too. But can dogs eat asparagus? And if so, how much? A veterinarian provides the answer.
Even if asparagus is probably not the first vegetable that comes to mind as a possible dog food, “Dogs can eat asparagus — green and white”, says Dr. Julia Fritz, owner of the specialist veterinary nutrition consultancy Napfcheck, veterinary specialist for animal nutrition and dietetics and EBVS® European Specialist in Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition.
Is asparagus healthy for dogs?
Dr. Julia Fritz advises offering asparagus cooked and peeled, just as humans eat it. Asparagus has as few calories (8/100 grams) (8/3.5 ounces) as a cucumber. Therefore, it could be used as a light, slimming side dish, although it is admittedly an expensive option.
Overall, asparagus is a water-rich vegetable. It contains potassium, which is found in many vegetables, as well as minerals, iron, folic acid, and vitamin C, although the nutrient levels are relatively low. For comparison: while the iron content in asparagus is in the microgram range, it is in the milligram range in meat.
Do dogs get asparagus urine?
Asparagus contains asparagusic acid, which, in some people, is converted into sulfur-containing compounds by an enzyme in the body. This leads to the characteristic smell of urine after eating asparagus. It cannot be ruled out that it is similar in dogs. This is why Dr. Julia Fritz recommends not giving asparagus to lactating female dogs, as the milk could also take on the taste.
Can dogs eat too much asparagus?
Otherwise, “There are no contraindicated ingredients in asparagus that would prevent it from being fed,” says Dr. Julia Fritz. Dr. Julia Fritz cannot confirm the fear that it contains oxalic acid or purine.
Asparagus poisoning can therefore be ruled out, as it simply does not contain any toxic substances. However, diarrhea and abdominal pain can, of course, occur if the dog has eaten too much asparagus or is not used to it.
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Is it okay to feed dogs asparagus with potatoes and hollandaise sauce?
White asparagus with hollandaise sauce, ham, and potatoes is a popular combination and many people like to eat it during the season. Dogs can actually enjoy it too!
Cooked pork ham is lean, low in calories, and extremely tasty for dogs. It can be fed without hesitation. Aujeszky’s virus, which is fatal to dogs, only affects raw pork and usually affects wild boar, not domestic pigs.
Hollandaise sauce contains eggs and butter, rich ingredients, and delicious flavor carriers. “The egg yolk is full of good fatty acids, vitamin A and D,” says Dr. Julia Fritz. However, it is correspondingly high in calories. It is also important to ensure that the hollandaise sauce is prepared without alcohol, even though the amount is negligible and boils away during preparation. Ingredients such as vinegar and lemon juice, on the other hand, are safe for dogs.
Peeled, boiled potatoes are also a suitable food and a satisfying source of energy for dogs. They contain potassium, iron, and magnesium, as well as vitamins B1 and B2.