Learn whether or not your dog can safely eat asparagus, the benefits and risks and if raw versus cooked asparagus matters.
The good news is asparagus is not toxic to dogs.
If you’re all about asparagus (like we are!) in the spring and are wondering if you can share the bounty with your dog, the answer is yes.
That being said, there are some things to consider when feeding your dog asparagus that you’ll want to keep in mind as well.
CAN DOGS HAVE ASPARAGUS?
Asparagus is one of the many fruits and vegetables that are ok to share with your dog.
Similar to people though, dogs may find it easier to digest cooked asparagus versus raw asparagus.
Many people claim to experience digestive upset after consuming too much raw asparagus. So while there are recipes for shaved raw asparagus salads for humans that can be delicious in moderation, it’s best to stick with the cooked version of the vegetable for your dog.
As long as the cooked asparagus has dog-friendly seasonings (or none at all!), it’s safe to share.
This is important to keep in mind because asparagus is often cooked with ingredients like garlic, butter or onions, none of which your dog should be ingesting.
Raw asparagus is also just downright tough to chew for both humans and dogs! Especially the fibrous woody ends of the spears.
It can also be a choking hazard to them for this same reason and if not cut into manageably sized pieces.
Asparagus growing in the garden is something you should be a bit more cautious about.
While the spears we’re used to eating are fine for consumption by dogs, the small red berries the plant produces when it flowers in the ground are poisonous to both humans and dogs.
If ingested, the berries can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, etc. So either keep a fence around any asparagus you’re growing at home or make sure to keep out of reach from your dog.
IS ASPARAGUS GOOD FOR DOGS?
Like many vegetables, asparagus does provide a variety of nutritious vitamins and minerals.
Asparagus has higher amounts of folate, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. (source)
It’s also very high in fiber and touted as one of the best sources of pre-biotics (the type of fiber the good bacteria in our guts like to eat).
Antioxidants are also prevalent in asparagus which help eliminate toxins and free radicals.
Dogs will benefit from pretty much all the same health boasting properties of asparagus as humans do.
HOW TO FEED DOGS ASPARAGUS
We’ve already established dogs should only eat trimmed and cooked asparagus so if you’re wondering how to feed cooked asparagus to your dog, here are some easy ways:
- simply boiled
- roasted in the oven until tender with crispy ends (our favorite way for human and dog consumption!)
- steamed either in water or bone broth
Remember to not go overboard with any fruit or vegetable when sharing with your dog. A little goes a long way even with vegetables!
A spear or two (cut up of course!) is plenty for a treat, snack or served with their normal dog food.
Like our eggplant jerky recipe, asparagus can also be dehydrated or air fried for a crispy treat as well.
Somewhat related, the asparagus fern, a common indoor houseplant, while not the same as edible asparagus but in the same plant family, is toxic to dogs so be aware if you have that plant in your house!
And lastly, if you’re wondering if “asparagus pee” happens to dogs too, it does!
So, can dogs eat asparagus? Yes, but with caution and awareness.
Related Articles:
Can dogs eat green beans?
Can dogs eat cauliflower?
Can dogs eat leeks?