Can Dogs Eat Spinach?
Yes, in small amounts and cooked. Spinach is nutritious, but it is high in oxalates, so it should not be given daily or to dogs with oxalate stones or kidney problems.
What it gives your dog
Spinach provides iron, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin K and beta-carotene with very few calories. The problem is oxalic acid: it is one of the vegetables highest in oxalates (around 1 g per 100 g raw). Oxalates bind to calcium and reduce its absorption, and in predisposed dogs they encourage the formation of calcium oxalate urinary stones, which are more common in breeds such as the miniature schnauzer, Yorkshire terrier, bichon frise and shih tzu.
A healthy dog would have to eat a huge amount of spinach to have an acute problem, so a few cooked leaves now and then are not dangerous. Boiling it and throwing away the cooking water significantly reduces soluble oxalates.
How to serve it
- Boiled for 3-5 minutes and drained, discarding the water
- Finely chopped and mixed into their food
- Fresh or frozen, with no salt
- Never creamed, in white sauce, with garlic or with cheese
How much can they eat?
1-2 times a week: small dog (under 10 kg / 22 lb), one tablespoon of cooked spinach (10-15 g); medium dog (10-25 kg / 22-55 lb), two tablespoons (20-30 g); large dog (over 25 kg / 55 lb), 3-4 tablespoons (40-50 g).
Risks
- Oxalates: calcium oxalate stones in predisposed dogs
- Reduced calcium absorption if given often
- Not recommended for dogs with kidney disease
- Creamed spinach or spinach with garlic
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs with bladder stones eat spinach?
If your dog has had calcium oxalate stones, it is best to avoid spinach, as well as other oxalate-rich vegetables such as Swiss chard or beets. If their stones are struvite or another type, the approach is different. In any case, the diet of a dog with stones should be set by your vet based on the stone analysis.
Raw or cooked spinach for my dog?
Cooked. Boiling spinach for a few minutes and throwing away the water removes a significant share of the soluble oxalates, and it also makes it easier to digest. Raw spinach is not toxic in a leaf or two, but if you are going to include it in their diet, boil it, drain it well and chop it. Do not reuse the cooking water in their food.
General information reviewed against veterinary sources. If your dog has eaten something that worries you, call your vet or a 24-hour emergency vet right away, without waiting for symptoms.