Eat Your Veggies (Tell That to Your Dogs!)
Here’s support for those of us who feed veggies to our dogs from a study in JAVMA (Vol 227, No. 1, July 1, 2006). My great Chinese medicine DVM vet, Dr. Jody Bearman, looked it up for me after we talked about diet and health the last time she came out to treat Will and Lassie. In brief, the study looked at the prevalence of a certain type of cancer in, admittedly, just one breed of dog–Scottish Terriers, and found that the consumption of green leafy, and yellow-orange vegetables at least 3 times a week correlated with lower rates of urinary bladder carcinomas. Now… this is just a correlation, not proof of causation. Additionally, it’s one type of cancer, in one breed of dog. However, given the overwhelming evidence in human health and nutrition that colorful vegetables are rich in phytochemicals believed to have anticarcinogenic properties, it is an interesting study that deserves attention.
By the way, “green, leafy vegetables” included spinach, greens, and leaf lettuce but not the cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower. The latter did NOT show a significant correlation between high rates of consumption and low rates of cancer, but the authors pointed out that they were fed rarely and the sample size was extremely low. In humans, crucifers are believed to be chock full of bioactive compounds that promote health, so I’m not going to take them out of my dog’s diet (right now their veggies mix is broccoli, spinach and carrots, but that’s this week… who knows what I’ll cook up next week!)
Meanwhile, back on the farm, the Chipping Sparrows fledged this morning (finally! say Susi and I both), the Wrens appear to be feeding their babies in the shrubs under the vent and the poor Barn Swallows keep flying into the garage in the evening and being shut out during the day. In the evenings I’m painting the car port that Jim built on the side of the garage to protect the farm truck while listening to the throaty buzz of bumblebees, the semi’s of the bee world, and the plaintive call of the Pewee PEEEE AH WEEE as I paint away.
Here’s Willie from last night, moving Martha, Lady Godiva and lambs off the feeder so I can pour in their grain. (Martha is doing beautifully by the way, but now her daughter in the other flock sounds sick. Just call them my own economic stimulus package to the veterinary profession.) Notice the intent look on Will’s face as the lambs turn and stare.
The ewes above look like they were paying no attention to Will, but they have actually just turned their heads away from Will (and the food behind him) and in a moment did this:
June 4th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
His eyes say, “Don’t make me come over there.”
Thanks for blogging, BTW. I’m always happy when you post.
June 4th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
My dog is almost never interested in any vegetables except carrots … unless they’re cooked into something else, preferably something meat-based. When I was visiting a friend a couple months ago, though, she casually split a “spring-green” salad between her two labs and they happily devoured it. My dog and I just looked at each other in disbelief. Me thinking, “I can’t believe they’re eating LETTUCE,” and him probably thinking something along the lines of “Better them than me,” and “I hope Mom doesn’t get any ideas.”
But, see? Now I’m getting ideas again … Maybe I’ll start adding more veg to the food I cook for him. It couldn’t HURT, right?
June 5th, 2009 at 9:45 am
broccoli?? We don’t eat no stinking broccoli:
http://thebrowndogblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/pit-bull-vs-broccoli-2.html
June 5th, 2009 at 9:48 am
How do you get your dogs to eat veggies? Mine turns his nose up at vegetables, but he’s crazy for fruit. Go figure. The best I’ve been able to do is put some veggies in the blender with chicken broth and pour that over his food. He won’t eat all of it, but he’ll eat some of it that way.
June 5th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Ranger’s diet is still a work in progress. I’m always delighted when I find confirmation of my own ideas. I’ve always thought he should have some fruits and vegetables in his diet. Not that he always agrees with me but he’s always had favorites that he’ll eat. And I’m finding that the more I experiment the more things he’s willing to try. And I’m learning to wait to try new things until I know he’s hungry.
I wonder if the desire to eat spring grass has anything to do with needing green leafy veggies. I’ve noticed most dogs seem to go for that spring grass.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
You have a sheep named Lady Godiva!
Our last dog who was medium sized and brown was Godiva. And we named her brother Tom to fit in with the story. I haven’t heard of another animal or human named Godiva before now (other than the original Lady Godiva).
June 7th, 2009 at 9:31 am
It like I have a zillion questions about this subject, probably because my own diet has changed in the last year or so, that nasty pet food thing, and well, it’s not like my krimpet came with a list eat this, not that. I know, I know… but I too want know why my dogs eating grass, or dirt, or whatever, does it really make him feel better or is he lacking some nutrient, are vegetarian kibbles good for dogs?
We use carrot bits & frozen peas for treats, low cal, and he really likes them, haven’t yet tried the leafy greens yet, did check out ASPCA no-no foods, and one healthy dog cookbook, who would have thought banana & yogurt? still a little skeptical…
Do those sheep interact with Willie or is it strictly a business relationship? funny they look like their saying “oh look, it’s him again, Let’s go”
June 8th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I hope I’m doing my dogs justice by supplementing their fresh meat with “Honest Kitchen”, which pretty much consists of all kinds of human grade dehydrated vegetables.
In addition the dogs get egg yolks, bone meal, seameal and the big girl gets Hyaluronic Acid.
I just noticed that my dogs eat healthier than I do. Oh dear !
Great pictures – as always. Will is such a serious worker !
June 8th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I add fruit and veggies to my dogs’ diet, and if it’s not beneficial to them, at least it doesn’t hurt. This is one situation in which having two dogs makes things easier, at least for me. My boxer prefers fruit to veggies, and used to chew up carrots and spit them on the floor! My labbie girl, however, loves whatever I give her, including lettuce. And if she is getting something to eat, there is no way he will be excluded, even if it is a less-than-desirable treat. They eat apples, bananas, strawberries, cantalope, carrots, peas, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, potatoes and sweet potatoes.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:14 am
We have two Cardigan Welsh Corgis (i.e. stomachs on four short legs) who will eat almost ANYTHING! They get green beans with each meal plus like broccoli, asparagas, cucumber, almonds (a MAJOR treat), most fruits, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. The surprise to us is how much Bijou LOVES romaine lettuce stems – one of the few times she’ll get competitive with Zeppelin, who, (besides the fact he’s just a mellow fellow) really only wants the stems because Bijou likes them so much that they must be good! They’re not wild about summer squash or zuchini unless cooked and also aren’t at all interested in mushrooms. They love spring grass best but will “graze” year-round like a couple of furry, short-legged cows!
June 11th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Suki, my Blue Heeler, would not touch fruits / veggies. I have found a product called SOJOS which is a great variety of fruits / veggies in dehydrated form. A 2# bag makes about 18# fresh food. I reconstitute it about 30 min before feeding and add it to her (green tripe) soft evening meal. She devours every bit ! For the most picky eaters rehydrating in broth will be irresistable.
June 13th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Stetson, my Aussie, has always shared a morning banana at breakfast. When we added little Miss Lucy May, a Golden, she naturally followed suit, figuring what’s good for the guy must be good for me since “it’s all about me”! They both share apples and cantalope, but lettuce is news to me. I’ll see how they like Romaine. Didn’t know if strawberries were ok, but if Traci’s dog eats them, we’ll give it a try. And, yogurt is a favorite of theirs also.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:43 am
I have amazed my friends for years with the fact that my dogs (mainly shelties) have always shared veggies with us … when making a salad I can easily toss veggies out to the watching crew and they scamble to get the “goodies” … I even have a boy right now that will eat plain lettuce … and my “ahead of her time” mother decades ago “inherited” my brother’s grossy overweight 4 yr old dog (and totally untrained) when he moved and couldn’t keep the dog (thank heavens) … she totally house broke and taught him basic skills using green beans straight from the fridge!
June 19th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
It’s so interesting that so many dogs out there eschew vegetables. Have they been reading children’s books or something? Almost all of my dogs have been the “if I can put it in my mouth it’s food” variety, although Luke was very picky about food when he was young. Pippy Tay ate sunflower seed SHELLS under the bird feeder, and right now Lassie loves to dig in the grass and eat dirt. That’s right, good old American dirt. No sign of worms, beetles, etc, just dirt. I quietly discourage it by calling her to me, but heck, maybe it’s what is helping her stay so healthy? A note about lettuce: I am doubtful that dogs can absorb much nutrition from it if it’s not ground or cooked to break down the cellulose in the cell walls. Just a thought. Last night I cooked up green, leafy lettuce (I do not categorize ice berg lettuce as food!), spinach, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and broccoli for the dogs. That’ll last us 5 days or so, and then I cook up another stew of veggies to add to their dinners. Last night they got a little duck and potato kibble and 2 cooked eggs each. (And to Sabine, and all of us for that matter… please start taking care of yourself as well as you do your dogs! They count on you after all!)
June 25th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Ford’s littermate, Lacey, loves lettuce leaves as treats. Nice, leafy Romaine is her favorite. Ford started eating it only with a drop of ranch dressing on it, but now is happy to eat a dropped leaf in the kitchen even when plain. And dried sweet potatoes are a favorite in our house.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:50 am
I have made a veggie gloop with yogurt, raw eggs (including shells), pumpkin from a can, soft fruits (pear, a bit of banana, etc), summer squash, and greens (lettuce, kale, parsley), natural cider vinegar, mix all that up in a blender– though gradually. You can just about put anything in there. It is green and smells very nice. If not for the raw eggs and their shells, I would have some myself as a smoothie. If I am in the mood for cooking, I find this kind of fun. I make a whole blender full and freeze it in baggies. It doesn’t thaw great so I throw in some extra yogurt.
Torie loves this stuff, will eat it before anything except liver and fish. I also give her sweet potato, which she loves.
I did read a lot about the thing about cooking veggies. They can’t process them raw (I wonder how well we do.) You either have to totally mash them or cook them. I wouldn’t bother with iceberg lettuce either, and I don’t consider it fit for human consumption either.
Trish this is just a terrific blog!!
–Jane
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:50 am
I have a 9 year old American Bulldog and she loved to share my cooked creamed spinach and poached eggs in the morning. She also loves uncooked mixed salad greens….She was eating grass to keep regular so I decided to add some leafy vegetables to her diet. I also feed her Nutro Venison and brown rice dog food, which is good for her stomach problems and skin problems…AB dogs tend to have problems with hives and allergies. She is doing great and I hope to have her around for at least several more years…:)