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Many dogs enjoy small amounts of canine-friendly fruits and vegetables as a snack. But dogs’ bodies are not the same as humans’, so certain people foods may or may not be safe for dogs.

Asparagus is a yummy vegetable that is packed with vitamins and minerals. It’s a very healthy food for humans, but can dogs eat asparagus? Asparagus is for dogs, so they can But there are a few things you should keep in mind before feeding asparagus to your pooch.

Tips to Safely Feeding Your Dog Asparagus

First, asparagus stalks are quite tough. We humans don’t usually eat raw asparagus because it would be very difficult to chew. Dogs will also have this difficulty. To avoid the risk of your dog trying to swallow the asparagus whole and possibly choking, you should chop it up into small pieces before you feed it to them (though we don’t recommend it).

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Your dog might also have difficulty digesting raw asparagus. If your dog experiences vomiting, gas, or diarrhea after eating raw asparagus, next time try cooking it lightly before feeding it to them. Cooking asparagus lightly also makes it easier to chew. When cooking asparagus for your dog, do not use any butter or cooking oil, as these can make a dog sick. Simply boil or steam the vegetable.

More Asparagus FYIs

When you cook any vegetables, their nutrient content decreases. If your dog has trouble digesting raw asparagus, it might be smarter to switch to a veggie that is easier to digest raw, like celery, carrots, or cucumbers, because they will get more vitamins from those foods. When consumed whole, these vegetables can pose a choking hazard, especially for small dogs. Make sure you cut them into bite-size chunks before feeding.

Feeding your dog asparagus can also result in urine that smells unpleasant (this happens in humans, as well). But if your dog is fully housebroken, this should not be a problem.

The last word of caution about asparagus is that , the inedible part of the asparagus plant, is toxic for dogs. If you are growing asparagus in your garden, you should put up a fence to make sure your dog cannot eat this. Ingesting this part of the plant can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and severe abdominal pain.

Takeaways

So, can dogs eat asparagus? Yes, but there really is no point in giving it to them. It may be difficult for them to chew and digest raw, so you might want to choose a softer vegetable instead. Also, if you grow your own, be careful that your dog does not eat asparagus fern.