Can dogs eat Spinach?
Spinach（ほうれん草）
With care
High in oxalate; boil it and discard the water to reduce it.
Safe to feed
These are the numbers after boiling and discarding the water to reduce the oxalate.
18 kcal per 100 g (raw)
23 kcal per 100 g (boiled & drained)
What kind of food is this?
A classic dark leafy green. Its iron is on the high side among vegetables, and its magnesium and potassium are especially high. At 18 kcal per 100 g, it is a light leaf packed with minerals.
Spinach is also known as a source of lutein, a yellow pigment found in eye tissue and studied for its role in protecting tissue from light and oxidative stress.
Vitamin A is also 350 µg per 100 g. Vitamin A is a nutrient involved in vision and in maintaining the skin and mucous membranes.
This is spinach—the classic dark leafy green—with the cooking water discarded. 23 kcal per 100 g. Fat-soluble nutrients such as lutein and beta-carotene do not escape into the water, so they remain largely intact after boiling.
Per 100 g it has 450 µg of vitamin A and 2.6 mg of vitamin E, both on the high side among vegetables. Vitamin A supports vision, skin, and mucous membranes, and vitamin E helps protect cells from oxidation.
While the oxalate leaches out into the water and drops, water-soluble nutrients such as potassium and vitamin C also decrease somewhat.
If you feed the cooking liquid along with the leaves, the 'raw' tab is closer to reality.
How to serve
Oxalates dissolve in water, so to reduce them, boil and discard the cooking water. They do not go to zero, though. If your dog has a history of calcium oxalate stones, or urine tests have shown crystals, how to feed it is something to discuss with your vet.
About oxalates (in a little more detail)
Oxalic acid binds readily with calcium and is known to be a building block of the type of urinary stones called calcium oxalate stones. There are several types of urinary stones, and the dietary approach differs by type.
You can also switch to leafy greens lower in oxalates. Komatsuna, for example, is a leafy green low in oxalates and high in calcium (170 mg per 100 g — about 3.5 times that of spinach).
When you have these care goals
Eye care — A leafy green containing lutein. One of the foods that comes up when thinking about eye care for senior dogs.
Nutrition
Spinach (per 100 g, raw)
Japan's Standard Tables of Food Composition (8th ed.)
| Energy | 18 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2.2 g |
| Fat | 0.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 3.1 g |
| Calcium | 49 mg |
| Phosphorus | 47 mg |
See more
| Fiber | 2.8 g |
|---|---|
| Moisture | 92.4 g |
| Sodium | 16 mg |
| Potassium | 690 mg |
| Magnesium | 69 mg |
| Iron | 2 mg |
| Zinc | 0.7 mg |
| Copper | 0.11 mg |
| Iodine | 3 µg |
| Selenium | 3 µg |
| Manganese | 0.32 mg |
| Vitamin A | 350 µg |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg |
| Vitamin E | 2.1 mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.11 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg |
| Vitamin C | 35 mg |
| EPA | 0 mg |
| DHA | − |
| Alpha-linolenic acid | 120 mg |
"−" means the item is not listed in the source table (it does not mean zero).
Spinach (per 100 g, boiled & drained)
Japan's Standard Tables of Food Composition (8th ed.)
| Energy | 23 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2.6 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 4 g |
| Calcium | 69 mg |
| Phosphorus | 43 mg |
See more
| Fiber | 3.6 g |
|---|---|
| Moisture | 91.5 g |
| Sodium | 10 mg |
| Potassium | 490 mg |
| Magnesium | 40 mg |
| Iron | 0.9 mg |
| Zinc | 0.7 mg |
| Copper | 0.11 mg |
| Iodine | 1 µg |
| Selenium | 3 µg |
| Manganese | 0.33 mg |
| Vitamin A | 450 µg |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg |
| Vitamin E | 2.6 mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.05 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg |
| Vitamin C | 19 mg |
| EPA | 0 mg |
| DHA | − |
| Alpha-linolenic acid | 150 mg |
"−" means the item is not listed in the source table (it does not mean zero).
In food-energetics terms
In food-energetics terms it is classified as 'cooling.' It is thought to gently cool the body and is often chosen when the body is holding excess heat.
(Food energetics is a long-standing idea of supporting the body through everyday meals. Treat it as one extra hint alongside the nutrition numbers.)
How much for your dog?
Get daily estimates from weight and activity level.