You are about to eat a delicious aubergine casserole and suddenly your darling is standing next to you and looking at you with his irresistible gaze.
Now you’re wondering, «Can dogs eat eggplant?»
In this article you will find out whether you can give your dog some of this delicious nightshade plant and in which state this vegetable can have a negative effect on health.
In a nutshell: Can my dog eat eggplant?
Yes, your dog can eat eggplant in small amounts. However, eggplants belong to the nightshade family and contain solanine. Therefore, you should cook these vegetables before feeding them. Cooking lowers the solanine content.
If your dog suffers from an inflammatory disease such as osteoarthritis, he should not eat eggplant.
That’s why eggplant is healthy for your dog
Eggplants contain some vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
This includes:
- Vitamin A
- B vitamins
- vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- vitamin E
- potassium
- phosphorus
- chloride
- sulfur
- magnesium
- calcium
- sodium
- iron
- manganese
- zinc
- copper
Some of the nutrients can prevent diseases such as heart problems or high blood pressure.
The chlorogenic acid contained in the eggplant is said to be able to prevent cancer. In addition, the chlorogenic acid has a positive effect on the metabolism.
There is a special phytonutrient in the eggplant called nasunin. Nasunin can protect cell membranes from damage and prevent brain damage.
Aubergines consist largely of water and are therefore low in calories. That’s why you can feed them to your dog even if it’s overweight and needs to lose some weight.
Reading tip: You want to know if dogs can eat peppers? Find out everything you need to know about this topic in our article «Can dogs eat peppers?». Click here to learn more about it!
You should keep this in mind when feeding eggplants
When buying, always give preference to organically grown aubergines. Pesticides and other pollutants are anything but healthy. In the worst case, these pollutants can have a negative impact on the health of your four-legged friend.
The nightshade plant contains solanine. This substance is toxic. That is why dogs, like us humans, should only eat aubergines when they are cooked. Raw eggplant tastes bitter, and most dogs generally don’t like that taste.
Feed only ripe eggplants. Solanine is mainly found in the green parts of unripe eggplants.
When they are green and purple, they are ripe.
If your four-legged friend has eaten an unripe eggplant, you should contact the vet immediately!
You probably know the tip that you should salt aubergines after cooking so that the bitter substances drain off. However, dogs should eat little, if any, salt.
Modern breeds contain a significantly lower amount of solanine, so you can feed your dog aubergines without hesitation. So salting is not necessary.
Attention danger!
Feed only ripe eggplants. The green spots contain a lot of solanine. You should also not feed the stem base due to the toxic substance.
Not every dog is allowed to eat eggplant (risk)
As a rule, dogs are allowed to eat eggplant because the vegetable is not poisonous to four-legged friends.
However, there are exceptions:
If your darling suffers from arthrosis, rheumatism or another inflammatory disease, he should not eat eggplant. The reason is that eating nightshade plants can make the disease worse. While this isn’t always the case, you shouldn’t take the risk to be on the safe side.
The same applies if your furry friend has kidney problems. Eggplant is one of the oxalate-containing vegetables. Consumption carries the risk that existing kidney problems can worsen.
Likewise, your darling must not eat the vegetable if he is allergic to it.
If your dog has never eaten eggplant, you should give a small cooked piece first and then observe him. This is how you find out if he tolerates the vegetables. If he doesn’t get an allergic reaction from it, you can feed him a little more next time.
Conclusion: Can dogs eat eggplant?
Yes, your dog can eat eggplant, but it should only eat the vegetable when it is cooked. Eggplants naturally contain solanine. Unlike in the past, you don’t need to salt the eggplant before feeding it because modern breeds contain significantly less toxic solanine.
If your furry friend suffers from inflammatory diseases or kidney problems, you must not feed them eggplant. There is a risk that this will make the disease worse.
Do you have questions about dogs and eggplants? Then leave a comment now!