Yes, dogs can eat spinach in moderation.
In fact, dogs don’t like green leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce. If your dogs like eating spinach, that’s great.
Spinach contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B, vitamin K, beta-carotene and plant crude fibre, which can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and improve defecation. Vitamin C and vitamin K can promote healthy bones for dogs.
If you have an anaemic dog, feeding spinach may be more helpful, because spinach is rich in folate and iron, which can improve blood circulation and treat anemia.
Recent research found that spinach is a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are great for dog’s eyes. Their antioxidant effect can protect the retina from the damage and improve dog’s vision.
Some people have a misunderstanding that spinach may block calcium absorption, and it’s bad for dogs. Spinach is high in oxalic acid which is harmful in large quantities. However, the dog’s intake of spinach is difficult to reach the toxic dose unless your dogs eat spinach all day.
You can steam, stir fry or juice spinach. I don’t recommend boiling as it will make the loss of nutrients. You’d better chop it to make spinach more digestible before feeding dogs. Don’t feed raw spinach, because it’s quite difficult to digest for your dog, and may cause an upset stomach.
In conclusion, spinach is one of the best vegetables for dogs, but you shouldn’t feed too much. Dog’s digestive system isn’t designed to digest green leafy vegetables like spinach, large amounts of spinach can cause stomach pain and diarrhea. Moderation is the key.