Can Dogs Eat Asparagus? Benefits and Risks

If you’re a fan of the vegetable, you may be wondering: Can dogs eat asparagus? While asparagus isn’t toxic for dogs, how you cook and serve it makes all the difference in the world. Plain, boiled asparagus makes a great snack for dogs, but you should keep raw, seasoned, or fried asparagus to yourself.

Keep reading to learn more about dogs eating asparagus.

The Benefits of Asparagus for Dogs

Asparagus provides various nutrients for dogs, including:

• •Fiber

• •Iron

• •Zinc

• •Thiamin

• •Folic acid

• •Potassium

• •B-complex vitamins

• •Vitamins A, C, E, and K

The Risks of Asparagus for Dogs

While asparagus contains many nutrients, it can pose some risks to dogs, especially when it’s raw or cooked with ingredients that are harmful to dogs.

Choking Hazards of Asparagus

Asparagus—especially when raw—can pose a choking risk for dogs. If you choose to share this veggie with your dog, you should cook it (plain) and then cut it into small pieces to reduce the choking risk.

Gastrointestinal Reactions

Dogs’ digestive tracts are not well suited to digesting plant matter, so the high fiber amount in asparagus can cause a variety of stomach problems for dogs, including gas, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, or constipation. Cooking asparagus (rather than serving it raw) and only giving it in small amounts helps reduce the risk of it upsetting your pup’s stomach.

Hazardous Cooking Ingredients

Many of the ways that people enjoy asparagus—like fried or cooked with butter, oil, onions, or other problematic ingredients—can be hazardous to dogs. The extra fat involved with frying asparagus or cooking it in butter or oil can cause pancreatitis, and onions along with some other spices are toxic to dogs, so only share asparagus with your pup when it’s been cooked plainly.

Avoiding the Asparagus Fern

If you grow asparagus ferns in your yard, know that they are toxic to dogs. While the edible part of asparagus is fine, you shouldn’t let your dog eat the rest of the plant.

Feeding Dogs Asparagus Safely

Here are a few tips to help you safely share asparagus with your dog.

Cut it Up and Keep it Small

Small pieces of asparagus are not only less likely to pose a choking hazard to your pup, but giving them small portions also decreases the risk of the veggie upsetting your dog’s stomach. A couple of small bites of plain, cooked asparagus is plenty for your furry friend.

Avoid Additives and Cook it Properly

To avoid an upset stomach or even worse complications, only give your dog asparagus that has been steamed, boiled, or otherwise cooked in a plain matter. Don’t give your dog asparagus that has been fried, cooked in butter or oil, or coated in seasonings.

Can Dogs Eat Asparagus Cooked or Raw?

Dogs can eat cooked asparagus as long as it hasn’t been fried, cooked in oil or butter, or coated in potentially harmful seasonings. Dogs should not eat raw asparagus because it is very difficult for them to digest. If your dog sneakily eats some raw asparagus, you don’t need to rush them to the vet, but keep a close eye on them and look out for a potentially upset stomach.

Conclusion: Can My Dog Eat Asparagus?

While dogs can eat plain, cooked asparagus, it isn’t really the best treat out there for dogs since it’s difficult to digest and is often cooked in ways or coated in ingredients that are harmful to dogs. Better fruits and veggies to share with your dog include pumpkin, cucumbers, and strawberries.

Beyond Asparagus: Can Dogs Eat Raw Meat?

Since you’re wondering, “Can my dog eat asparagus?” you clearly want what’s best for your dog. Did you know that a species-appropriate raw diet is the best food you can give your pup?

Although dogs look quite different from wolves on the outside, their digestive tracts are nearly identical. Hinged jaws, pointy teeth, acidic stomachs, and short digestive tracts indicate a body designed to thrive on raw meat and bones rather than highly processed carbohydrates.

In fact, studies have shown that frozen raw dog food is easier to digest than any other type of dog food.

Raw feeding doesn’t need to be complicated. We Feed Raw makes it easy with our raw pre-portioned patties made from approximately 80% muscle meat, 10% finely ground bone, and 10% organ meat plus added vitamins and minerals for a diet that’s complete and balanced for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large breed puppies.

Worried about germs? We Feed Raw uses a cold-pressure process to inactivate potential pathogens, making our food safe.

Learn more about what makes We Feed Raw the best food for your dog, or get started on a meal plan today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can a dog eat asparagus safely?

Yes, a dog can eat asparagus safely because it isn’t toxic to dogs. However, raw or fried asparagus, as well as asparagus that has been cooked in butter or oil or coated in onions or other toxic seasonings may cause an upset stomach.

Is it safe for a dog to eat asparagus?

Yes, it is safe for dogs to eat asparagus. While asparagus isn’t toxic to dogs, you should only feed them asparagus that has been boiled or steamed with nothing on it. Frying asparagus, serving it raw, or coating it with other ingredients can wreak havoc on a dog’s digestive system.

Is cooked asparagus good for dogs to eat?

Yes, cooked asparagus is good for dogs to eat as long as it hasn’t been fried, cooked in butter, or coated in problematic ingredients like onion powder, salt, or spices.

Can dogs eat raw asparagus?

If your dog sneaks a piece of raw asparagus, they will probably be OK. However, you should not intentionally give your dog raw asparagus because it’s very difficult for dogs to digest.

Can dogs eat cooked asparagus?

Yes, dogs can eat cooked asparagus as long as it is plain and hasn’t been fried or cooked in butter or oil.

Can dogs eat asparagus raw?

While eating asparagus raw probably won’t harm your dog, it may cause some digestive upset. It’s better to feed your dog plain, cooked asparagus rather than raw asparagus.