Can Dogs Eat Lettuce?

Many people like to feed their dogs some vegetables for health, and one of the most popular vegetables they like to slip their dog is a bit of lettuce.

So, Can Dogs Eat Lettuce? Yes, says the American Kennel Club.

Provided lettuce is eaten in moderation, with no added side ingredients (by all means, don’t add anything such as French or Italian Dressing to the lettuce, and don’t dump your leftover salad into Fido’s bowl because it may have toxic ingredients such as tomatoes in them which can play havoc with their gastro-intestinal system, eating lettuce is okay.

Can you Overdo Lettuce With Dogs?

Yes, says Pet Honesty.com. While lettuce is generally 90 percent water, and thus there is little in lettuce that is toxic to a dog. But, too much lettuce provides too much fiber in their stomach and causes stomach discomfort.

This is particularly true if they are pups or have never eaten lettuce before.

If you are going to feed your dog lettuce, be sure and cut it up into small portions so your dog can easily eat it.

Is Lettuce Particularly Healthy?

Being 90 percent water, the answer may surprise you. Many nutritionists say that although there are definitely vitamins in lettuce, the main value of eating salad is that it tends to fill you up without adding a lot of extra calories.

And this is true for dogs as well as people.

Actually, lettuce may be healthier for dogs than for people, as dogs don’t get croutons, crackers, and heavy salad dressing, not to mention bacon bits that tend to

pack on the calories when people pretend they are eating healthy.

For younger dogs, lettuce may not be any more valuable than a crunchy treat to try.

However, for older dogs, who tend to pack on weight as they age, a little bit of lettuce every day may help them lose some weight.

Are There Other Dangers in Lettuce?

Unfortunately, yes. Since salad is handled multiple times by hand as it is moved to market, it is not that uncommon for people to get contaminated lettuce with E-coli bacteria in them.

In fact, a Huffington Post article revealed that one of the nation’s leading food lawyers would not eat any type of bagged salad.

So taking the expert’s advice into stock, many recommend using one cup of distilled white vinegar to 3 parts distilled water and adding a small shot of lemon on it.

So consider buying your lettuce whole, spraying it with a shot of vinegar solution, and rinsing it with tap water for two minutes to kill any harmful bacteria before you feed it to your dog.

The Bottom Line

Yes, you can feed your dog cabbage; just minimize the proportions and likely feed your dog with it no more than two or three times per week.