One of the healthiest breakfasts that we all enjoy is oats. Thanks to its loaded nutrients, it only gives health benefits without increasing weight. Most often, we see our dogs try to mimic us and beg for a portion of the oatmeal. Before that, we have to know: Can dogs have oats?
Luckily, oats fall into the category of safe foods for dogs. Most mammals can’t digest wheat because of the gluten or for any allergies. In that case, oats turn out to be a better alternative for them. However, offering these grains to dogs needs some specific rules that this article will tell you.
Can Dogs Have Oats?
For a high-protein, high-fibre, and low-cholesterol diet, oats can be a great addition to dogs’ meals. They have nothing but nutrients. Such as B vitamins, protein, iron, soluble fibre, beta-glucan, magnesium, zinc, etc.
Dogs who can’t consume gluten or wheat can take oats. It doesn’t have any ingredients that can pose health threats to them unless they take them in the right way. For instance, you must keep the amount moderate, offer the grains after soaking or cooking them, not add any extra ingredients, and so on.
As a wise dog owner, you must ask your dog’s vet whether oats are safe for him. Because sometimes our dogs are dealing with allergies, we can’t assume that certain foods can be unsafe for them.
What Are The Benefits Of Having Oats For Dogs?
Since oats contain ample amounts of nutrients, your dog will get health benefits from them. One of the main nutrients in oats is vitamin B. This can improve his cell growth, muscle health, bone health, heart health, brain health, etc. Along with vitamins, oats are packed with omega-6 fatty acids, like linoleic acid. It has a great role in preventing inflammation, fastening wound healing, and promoting skin and coat health.
Oats also have a fibre called beta-glucan. This can help dogs have improved heart health, metabolic systems, and cholesterol levels. In fact, most humans rely on oatmeal to deal with high cholesterol levels.
Apart from beta-glucan, oats are rich in many soluble fibres that can support dogs’ digestion. It means you can cure your dog’s constipation by offering him oats sometimes.
Other nutrients in oats include zinc, magnesium, protein, and iron. Zinc is a booster for the immune system, metabolic system, and wound healing. Again, magnesium will take care of his nerves, muscles, and blood sugar levels. Protein will act as a building block for muscle growth and cell growth. Lastly, iron will raise his haemoglobin level, resulting in healthy body growth.
These grains can be a boon for dogs with low blood pressure, as they contain avenanthramides and antioxidants. In short, oats have almost everything that can improve a dog’s health.
What Are The Risks Of Having Oats For Dogs?
You can’t expect health benefits from feeding oats to your dog every time. Sometimes it will have negative impacts when the preparation of the meal is not right. For example, we prepare our oatmeal by soaking oats in milk overnight. This can be dangerous for dogs. They are lactose-intolerant; they don’t have the enzyme to digest milk. In that case, oats will bring downsides instead of positive results.
Another risk associated with dogs having oats is when they eat them raw. Not only dogs but also humans can hardly digest raw oats. They are harder, and dogs often avoid chewing and gulping foods. That’s why eating raw oats can upset dogs’ stomachs, making them restless.
Let’s say you are avoiding milk on the oats that you will give your dog, but you have added other ingredients. Such as raisins, almonds, grapes, butter, or chocolate. This preparation would be as harmful as giving oats soaked in milk to dogs. Besides, some ingredients, like peanut butter, maple syrup, etc., that we use in our oatmeal contain xylitol. It is an artificial sweetener that is toxic for dogs. Consuming any extra and unsafe item with oats can make them vomit, have diarrhoea, and cause stomach pain.
How To Offer Oats To Dogs?
Whether your dog will have benefits or side effects from eating oats depends mostly on how you feed them to him. Anyway, always choose the oats that are minimally processed. Pre-cooked oats may give him adverse reactions. Then, take the required amount of oats for your dog and soak them in water overnight. The next morning, you can offer those soaked oats to him.
Another way to serve these grains is to cook them. Instead of soaking the oats, simply cook them in a pan by boiling them in water for a couple of minutes. Then the grains will become tender and be ready for your dog’s consumption.
Do not add any ingredients, like nuts, seeds, chocolate, butter, etc., to the oatmeal. Keep it as plain as possible to avoid any potential side effects.
How Many Oats Can Dogs Have?
How much oats a dog can have depends on his size and breed. According to veterinarians, for every 20 pounds, a dog can eat one tablespoon of oats. This means a 40-pound dog can eat two tablespoons of oats, and a 30-pound dog can eat 1 ½ tablespoons of oats.
Sometimes, a 20-pound dog can’t have one tablespoon of oats. It happens when he is not comfortable eating the grains. For this reason, you must introduce meals to your paw friend gradually. You can let him eat ¼ tablespoon of oats first, then see how he reacts. If he is showing interest in eating more, you can offer him another ¼ tablespoon of oats. If his reaction is not so fine, you must stop feeding him any meals immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions: Can Dogs Have Oats?
Can dogs have oats every day?
Dogs should not eat oats every day as they are high in fibre. Meanwhile, dog foods already have the required amount of fibre. Hence, offering oats to them every day would be extra for them and could result in stomach upset.
Which is a healthier grain, rice or oats?
Both rice and oats are healthier options for humans and mammals. However, oats are lower in fat, and rice is higher in carbs. If you or your dog need to lose weight, oats are for you. And for more carbs, you can opt for rice.
Which grain is the healthiest for dogs?
Grains, like oats, wheat, white rice, brown rice, etc., are safer options for dogs. If they are allergic to wheat, oats can be safe for them. If they need to have fewer carbs, brown rice is for them. It depends on dogs’ health conditions to decide which grain is healthiest for them.
Can dogs have oatmeal with honey?
Oatmeal is good for dogs if it doesn’t have any extra ingredients, but honey can be a good addition to it. Raw honey does not have any toxins, but it does have antioxidants. So yeah, honey would be great with oats for dogs.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, oats give negative results sometimes, which makes us wonder: Can dogs have oats? The answer is yes; they can have these grains, as they don’t contain any toxins but vitamins and minerals. Before offering the oatmeal to your paw friend, make sure he is allergic to all grains or not. Moreover, the past health records of dogs can stop them from eating certain foods, like oats and other grains.
Lastly, make sure your dog never eats too many oats. This can upset their tummy and lead to diarrhoea and vomiting for the high fibre.
