Can dog's eat... Broccoli?

Yes, dogs can eat broccoli. Broccoli is one of the safe vegetables that both puppies and adults can enjoy in small amounts as part of a balanced diet. Most dogs will enjoy the crunchy sensation of eating broccoli and it adds a splash of texture and variety into meals if used as part of home cooked diets.  

When feeding broccoli, chop the broccoli into small pieces as broccoli is quite firm, and large pieces risk getting stuck in the oesophagus causing a choking risk.

#Are there any health benefits to feeding broccoli?

Nutritionally, it has many health benefits for your dog. Broccoli is low in calories, so the perfect training treat or reward for dogs who are on a calorie restricted diet, or senior dogs who have lower calorie requirements.

Broccoli contains lots of fibre, which benefits gastrointestinal health, and helps the formation of stools. This prevents gastrointestinal upsets or constipation issues. Read more about the benefits of fibre for dogs.

Other health benefits include the variety of minerals and vitamins that broccoli contains. From vitamins A, C, E, and K come immune boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. The minerals folate and potassium help in the bodily process of repair and maintenance, and glucosinoates have been linked to reducing cancer risks in people.

Looking for digestive care for your pet?

Enter their details to find the best digestive care product for your pet

Get started

##Can dogs eat broccoli stems?

Yes, dogs can eat broccoli stems, but remember they are a tough part of the broccoli to eat. If feeding your dog broccoli stems, chop or slice the stems into little pieces, and feed each piece individually to avoid any risks of choking. You can feed broccoli stems raw, cooked or steamed, just keep them plain with no extra toppings or condiments.

##Can dogs eat raw broccoli?

Yes, dogs can eat raw broccoli. This is broccoli in its natural form, so it's harder for your dog to digest and get the maximum benefit of vitamins and minerals in the raw form. Cooking makes it easier to digest and absorb all the incredible health benefits that broccoli brings.

If feeding your dog raw broccoli, they can enjoy the stem or floret part of the broccoli if chopped into little pieces. Dogs enjoy the variety in texture between the head and stem of the broccoli.

##Can dogs eat frozen broccoli?

It's not advised to feed frozen broccoli to your dog. It's a solid mass, so if ingested can cause either a choking hazard, or cause a gastrointestinal blockage if eaten whole. Always cook or allow broccoli to defrost before feeding and cut into little pieces to be completely safe.

Remember the nutritional value your dog will absorb increases with cooking, so all the more reason not to feed frozen broccoli to your dog!

##Can dogs eat tenderstem broccoli?

Tenderstem broccoli is naturally sweeter in flavour than your usual broccoli head, so may be a good one to try if your dog doesn't enjoy the regular broccoli. The stems of the tenderstem broccoli are larger, so the best way to safely feed is to cook, steam or roast first. Allow it to cool after cooking, then cut into small pieces and let your dog enjoy it.

#How much broccoli can a dog eat per day?

It depends on the size of your dog. A puppy or small breed can enjoy 1 or 2 florets of broccoli per day. A medium to large breed can eat around 3 to 5 florets of broccoli per day.

Feeding too much broccoli can lead to bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Whilst this resolves without the need for veterinary treatment, it can be uncomfortable and messy to clean up. 

Start small when feeding broccoli, to check your dog has no sensitivities and work up to the recommended allowance if you would like, or just keep the amounts you feed occasionally. By feeding a small amount, your dog's gastrointestinal system has a chance to adapt to the processing of the vegetable, rather than being overloaded with a huge volume to process at once.

Very rarely dogs can have food intolerances, and its always possible broccoli could irritate your dogs gastrointestinal tract. This is why its important to feed the first piece as single treat and then monitor for any signs of bloating, vomiting, diarrhoea or lack of interest in food. If this happens, we suggest not feeding broccoli in future, and looking to other safe vegetable options instead.

When feeding treats or extras, consider what you are feeding as a whole. A maximum of 10% of your dog's diet should be treats or rewards, and you need to reduce their main meals to reflect these extras. Your vet is an excellent source of advice if wanting to balance treat feeding and healthy weight maintenance.  

#Summary

Yes, dogs can eat broccoli as part of a balanced diet and they are able to benefit from its multitude of health benefits including being low calorie, high in anti-oxidants and fibre. Too much broccoli can lead to digestive upset, so balance feeding broccoli as part of their regular diet. Your dog can eat broccoli raw, cooked, steamed or roasted - just make sure it's always in its natural form with no sauces or condiments, as these can contain toxic ingredients to dogs.