Garden Vegetables that are Harmful for your Dog

It’s the end of August and harvest season is just around the corner. I try to grow a garden every year. It doesn’t always turn out, but at least I try.

With The Corona and much of the world in uncertainty this year, many people have started gardens in their backyards. And I think that is fabulous! But it’s important to know which garden vegetables are safe for your dog to eat and which ones are not safe.

Common Garden Veggies Dogs Cannot Eat

Asparagus

I love asparagus. And it’s not that asparagus is unsafe for dogs, it just incredibly tough to eat. Cooking it does, make eating it easier, but it also loses a ton of nutrients during cooking. So it won’t kill your dog, but it won’t offer a lot of nutritional benefits.

Avocado

If you’re like me, you’ve probably tried to grow an avocado tree. And if you live in a warm climate, you might have succeeded!

Even if you didn’t succeed and continue to buy your avocados, they are something your dog can’t eat. No matter how much you love them and want your dog to love them too.

The pit, skin, and leaves of avocados contain persin. Persin is a toxin that causes vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. The inside of the fruit has much lower levels of the toxin, but what is in the fruit is still way too much for a dog.

Corn

Corn is another favorite of mine. Especially corn on the cob. You might be tempted to let your dog chew on the cob after dinner, however it is really hard for them to digest and may cause an intestinal blockage which could lead to other things. Best to give the leftover cob to the compost pile instead of to the dog.

Garlic

I actually didn’t know this until recently when I was telling a friend about my favorite dog treat recipe. The recipe was super cheap hot dogs with a sprinkle of garlic nuked in the microwave for a few minutes. The dogs loved them, but now I know that I was doing more harm than good and will never give them garlic again.

Garlic and other members of the allium family, including onions, contain thiosulfate, which is toxic to dogs whether the products are fresh, cooked or in a dried/powdered form such as in spices.

Grapes

While grapes are not a common thing to grow in gardens, I recently learned that they can thrive in North Dakota. Grapes make me sick sometimes, but I am definitely planting some next year. And I will definitely be keeping them away from the dogs though.

Grapes contain incredibly toxic compounds for dogs that can cause acute kidney failure and be fatal. Keep grapes away from dogs at all costs.

Kale

I’m not the biggest fan of kale. Yes, it has tons of nutrients and is good for humans, it bitter and bleh. For dogs, on the other hand, it has several toxic compounds that can cause mild to potentially severe gastric irritation and kidney and bladder stones in some cases.

Onions

No idea why a dog would want to eat an onion. I barely like the taste of them raw. And much prefer them cooked or as a flavoring in foods.

Onions, leeks, and chives are poisonous to not only dogs but most pets. They can cause red blood cells to rupture, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea.

Potatoes

Potatoes are delicious for humans and I imagine dogs would love them too. But just like in humans, the high levels of starch can cause a spike in insulin levels. That’s not the best thing to have happen to your dog. You also need to be wary of the peels if your dogs gets a hold of a potato. The peels contain a toxic compound called chaconine. Best to avoid them all together as there are plenty of other veggies they can safely eat.

Spinach

I don’t like spinach personally, but it has good ingredients for me so I try to hide it in smoothies and juices.

For dogs, spinach is very high in oxalic acid. This blocks calcium absorption and can lead to kidney damage if consumed in large amounts.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes aren’t the worst thing to feed your pet, but be extra cautious if you give them and of the green parts.

The green plant matter of the tomatoes contains a toxin called solanine. If consumed in large amounts, it could make your dog very sick.

Know of any more veggies dogs cannot eat? Add them to the comments so we can share it with other dog owners!

Share these with the dog owner and lover in your life! Some of them might surprise them!