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There’s nothing quite like a warm bowl of vegetable soup on a cold day. But can dogs eat vegetable soup too? And is it good for them?
We asked veterinarian Dr. Littlejohn about the health benefits and dangers of letting your pup indulge in this winter favorite.
So can dogs eat vegetable soup?
Yes, vegetable soup is actually very healthy for dogs as it contains beneficial vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes. The biggest concern is the salt, onion, and garlic found in some vegetable soups. So just make sure to go with a vegetable soup low in sodium and free from harmful ingredients.
In this article, you’ll discover:
- Why dogs should avoid eating vegetable soup
- The dangers associated with dogs eating vegetable soup
- What to do if your dog eats vegetable soup
- And much more
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
Can Dogs Eat Vegetable Soup?
The answer is yes, but there are a few things you should keep in mind.
“Many commercially prepared soups are quite high in salt, which can be detrimental to your dog’s health in large amounts,” says Dr. Littlejohn. “If you’re making soup at home, use low-sodium broth or water, and avoid adding salt.”
Another thing to consider is the type of vegetables you’re using. “While most veggies are safe for dogs to eat, a few can cause digestive upset or other problems,” says Dr. Littlejohn. “Onions and garlic, for example, can cause anemia in dogs, so it’s best to avoid them.”
Vegetable soup can benefit dogs when the salt and harmful ingredients are removed.
It’s packed with nutrient-packed vegetables containing healthy vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes.
Can Dogs Eat Canned Vegetable Soup?
While a homemade vegetable soup is always the best option, you might be wondering if canned vegetable soup is ok for dogs to eat.
The answer to this depends. If the canned soup is free from harmful ingredients and doesn’t contain much sodium, it’s likely fine for your dog to have.
Usually, you’ll want to avoid feeding your dog canned vegetable soup and stick to homemade soup where you can control all the ingredients.
Keep in mind that our daily recommended sodium intake is far greater than dogs, so keep this in mind when looking at sodium contents.
For example, If you look at a recommended daily sodium intake for a dog that’s 33 lbs, it’s less than 100mg of sodium. For people, over 14 years old it’s recommended they consume no more than 2300 mg of sodium per day.
Related Reading: Can Dogs Eat Ramen Noodles? Raw, Instant, or Cooked?
Health Benefits Of Vegetable Soup For Dogs
Vegetable soup can benefit dogs when the salt and harmful ingredients are removed.
It’s packed with nutrient-packed vegetables containing healthy vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes.
“The health benefits of vegetable soup for dogs include increased hydration, improved digestion, and relief from allergies and joint pain,” says Dr. Littlejohn.
Here is a list of healthy vegetable choices for dogs that you can use in a vegetable soup:
Here is a list of some vegetables that are healthy for your dog:
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Potatoe
- Pumpkin
- Cucumber
- Broccoli
- Green beans
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Parsley
- Brussels sprouts
So if you’re looking for a way to add some extra nutrition to your dog’s diet, vegetable soup is a great option.
Just be sure to use a low sodium version and avoid adding harmful ingredients like onion or garlic.
Dangers Of Dogs Eating Vegetable Soup
When it comes to canines and soup, the biggest concern is usually the sodium content.
The other big concern is some select ingredients that are in vegetable soup.
Here is a further look at the dangers of some types of vegetable soup:
High Salt Content
Dog’s are not he same as human when it comes to their intake of salt.
A big danger of feeding dogs vegetable soup is the high content of salt.
The average American diet contains about 3,400 mg of sodium a day.
Dogs should have no more than 100 mg per day.
This means that just a cup of some soups can provide your dog with an entire day’s worth of sodium. Of course, your dog’s size plays a role into how much salt they can actually have but its much less then humans.
Here are the common symptoms of a dog with salt poisoning:
- Discomfort
- Excessive thirst
- Frequent urination
- Lethargy
- Muscle weakness or tremors
- Seizures
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Elevated body temperature
- Blood pressure changes
- Unconsciousness (coma)
Onions & Garlic Toxicity
As I mentioned before, some vegetable soups contain garlic and onion.
These ingredients can be toxic to dogs in large quantities and can cause anemia.
Here are the common symptoms of onion and garlic toxicity in dogs:
- Vomiting
- No appetite
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy and weakness
- Increased heart rate
- Difficulty breathing
- Pale gums
- Fainting
- Red or brown discolored urine
- Ataxia (lack of coordination)
- Hyper-salivation
It takes 100 grams of onion (roughly the size of a medium onion) per 20 kilograms of dog weight to induce toxic side effects.
For example, a 45-pound dog would only need to eat 1 medium to large-sized onion to experience dangerous toxicity levels.
To induce harmful changes in a dog’s blood with garlic, 15 to 30 grams of garlic per kilogram of body weight is necessary.
To put things into perspective, a clove of garlic weighs between 3 and 7 grams on average.
So it’s unlikely a dog will experience any toxic side effects from the amount of garlic or onion in vegetable soup; however, it’s still unhealthy for them to eat these.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind Of Soup Can I Give My Dog?
The best soups for dogs are chicken, beef, or turkey broth that are low in sodium and free from harmful ingredients.
These can all be easily digested and contain nutrients that can benefit your dog.
Related Reading: Can Dogs Eat Pho? (We Asked a Vet!)
Can Dogs Eat Vegetable Soup With Tomatoes?
Tomatoes can be poisonous to dogs if they eat the plant’s leaves, stems, or unripe fruit.
The level of toxicity can vary depending on the type of tomato and how much your dog ate.
So long as the tomatoes are ripe and free from their stems and leaves, dogs can eat vegetable soup with tomatoes.
Can My Dog Eat Vegetable Broth?
Yes, dogs can safely eat vegetable broth as long as it is low in sodium and free from harmful ingredients.
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