Orlovia
Kohlrabi is a type of cabbage that is particularly easy to digest. Numerous healthy ingredients also ensure that the vegetables are very healthy – at least for humans. But that also applies to your four-legged friend, i. H. can a dog eat kohlrabi?
The Most Important Things Summarized
- Kohlrabi is also easily digestible for dogs and is very healthy due to the numerous vitamins and nutrients.
- You can feed the vegetables raw or cooked. Do not peel the tuber, as most of the nutrients are contained in the peel.
- Kohlrabi leaves are even healthier than the tuber. However, these are also less easy to digest. It is, therefore, best to puree or boil the leaves before you feed them to your four-legged friend.
Kohlrabi Contains Many Nutrients
Because of its many healthy nutrients, kohlrabi is a good dietary supplement for your dog.
- Fluoride, calcium, and vitamin C are good for bone and dental health.
- Vitamin B3 increases the energy available for metabolism.
- Magnesium is good for muscle activity.
- Calcium strengthens teeth and bones.
- Vitamin C is important for a strong immune system.
- Vitamin A contributes to healthy eyes and mucous membranes.
- Folic acid supports metabolism.
- Potassium is also important for a functioning metabolism.
Raw or Cooked?
The following applies to many types of vegetables: The wholesomeness increases if you cook or boil them beforehand. The same goes for kohlrabi. Feeding it raw can cause stomach upset or gas. That’s because a dog’s stomach isn’t good at dissolving starch compounds, but turnip greens contain starch.
Possible Side Effects
Of course, there are also a few dogs that do not tolerate kohlrabi. This usually manifests itself quickly in the form of diarrhea or flatulence. Therefore, first try a small amount of kohlrabi to see if your dog tolerates it, and only increase the amount slowly. If you find that your dog does not tolerate kohlrabi well, simply switch to other types of fruit and vegetables.
Can Dogs Eat Kohlrabi Leaves?
The leaves are even tastier and healthier than the tuber itself. However, they are not quite as digestible, so there is a greater tendency for your dog to get a stomach ache.
So first test carefully with a small amount to see whether your dog tolerates the leaves. If this is the case, you can mix them into the food in the future, and chopped them up into small pieces. If you puree or boil the leaves beforehand, they are even better tolerated by your four-legged friend.
How Much Kohlrabi Can a Dog Eat?
Kohlrabi should not directly replace an entire meal. Rather use small pieces as reward treats or mix some cubes or pureed mass into the food. This is good for about three days a week.
There is also absolutely nothing wrong with giving your dog a slice in between. Ultimately, of course, the amount depends on the size of your dog.
Bake Dog Biscuits with Kohlrabi
The disadvantage of fresh kohlrabi is that it only keeps for a few days. If you don’t want to keep buying new kohlrabi but don’t want to forgo feeding them, you can bake dog biscuits. This works very simply:
- 1 kohlrabi
- 80 grams of rolled oats
- 170 grams of flour
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 50ml of water
Chop the tuber and mix it with oats, oil, and flour. Knead the mixture thoroughly and add the water. After further stirring, roll out the dough and cut small squares out of the dough. Spread this out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. After about 35 minutes at 180°C in the oven, the dog biscuits should be lightly browned and ready.
Freeze
An alternative to baking to preserve kohlrabi is freezing. You can either cut small cubes or puree the tuber and then freeze portions as a snack for your four-legged friend.