The arugula, also known as garden rocket, is an edible plant. It tastes great and is a great source of essential nutrients like Vitamin A and Calcium, which is why we often use it in our sandwiches and salads.
If you have bought too many arugulas and don’t know what to do with them, it may occur to you to give your dog some rocket. But is it safe for dogs to eat it?
The simple answer would be yes, arugula is not toxic to dogs and therefore a small portion of this plant is fine for dogs, but just a little.
While arugula is full of essential nutrients and is considered quite healthy, it is also a food that contains goitrogens. The problem with food containing goitrogen is that the production of the thyroid hormones that are responsible for regulating metabolism is disrupted.
For this reason, it is best not to give your dog a large amount of rocket, especially raw. If your dog has a lack of iodine, then it would be best to leave arugula and other goitrogen-containing foods completely out of its diet.
Other foods to watch out for
Arugula is not the only vegetable that is harmful in large quantities to your dog’s health. Other goitrogen-containing vegetables that dogs can eat in small amounts include broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, radish, Indian mustard, cauliflower, peanuts, soybeans, tapioca, spinach, and sweet potatoes.
Cooked arugula is better than raw
You have probably heard of how many vegetables lose nutrients during cooking and that they are best eaten raw.
While this is true of most vegetables, arugula and other goitrogens– containing foods are best cooked. This is because vegetables lose a lot of goitrogens during cooking and thanks to it become less dangerous for the thyroid.
To sum up, dogs can eat arugula, but only in small portions. It is best to cook this plant before offering it to your four-legged friend.
This article is purely informative, at Shelterapet we do not have the right to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We encourage you to take your pet to the vet in case of any kind of discomfort.
