A dog is considered a predator, but despite this, it will not be possible to keep your pet exclusively on a meat diet. Health problems will soon appear.
To avoid this, animals are given cereals, fruits and vegetables. Is it possible for dogs to have oatmeal, how to prepare it correctly, and what other grains are allowed – we’ll tell you in the article.
The benefits of rolled oats
No one doubts the benefits of oatmeal for people - many nutritionists call it the most valuable porridge. But for our four-legged pets, not everything is so simple. The main porridge in a dog's diet is usually rice and buckwheat.
Oatmeal differs from these cereals by being higher in calories and containing more fat and fiber. Fiber in small doses is very useful for dogs - they are given porridge primarily to compensate for its deficiency.
Oatmeal also contains:
- amino acids;
- vegetable protein;
- vitamin B group, vitamin E, as well as A, K and PP;
- minerals - iron and magnesium, iodine and fluorine, nickel, phosphorus, sulfur, manganese;
- potassium and calcium.
All of these elements are also beneficial for animals, and it is because of them that many veterinarians recommend this cereal as mineral support.
Another advantage of oatmeal is that it is a dietary cereal due to its wonderful enveloping property. It is distributed over the walls of the stomach, preventing gastric juice from affecting them. As a result, oatmeal will be the optimal food for dogs suffering from gastritis or gastrointestinal disorders, weakened and sick pets, as well as puppies.
And finally, the advantage of oatmeal for dogs, which is unlikely to be appreciated by the pet, but the owner will definitely be pleased with it - this cereal is inexpensive. It is no secret that oatmeal is often introduced into the diet simply to create a feeling of satiety in the animal.
This especially applies to large breeds, which are problematic to feed with clean meat. But you shouldn’t be overzealous: porridge should account for no more than 20-35% of a dog’s diet.
Which dogs are contraindicated for oatmeal?
Before answering more detailed questions like “How long to cook rolled oats in water for dogs?”, you need to understand whether a puppy of a particular breed can eat this cereal. A number of breeds: pugs, bulldogs and the like do not tolerate excess grains in the diet, they are prone to rapid weight gain, and spend few calories due to passivity. But for large pets intended for work or protection (shepherd dogs, Alabais, St. Bernards), oatmeal is a must. Such breeds eat a lot, so completely limiting their diet to meat and by-products of its processing will be too expensive.
Harm
Despite the obvious benefits of oatmeal, a number of breeders speak extremely negatively about this porridge. The common argument “You don’t give a horse meat, so why does a dog need oats?”, despite its wit, is neither scientific nor reasoned. Let's figure out what's going on.
First, oatmeal is high in calories and carbohydrates. Its approximate composition per 100 g:
- carbohydrates – 65.4 g;
- proteins – 11 g;
- fats – 6 g.
Calorie content of 100 g of oatmeal – 359.6 calories. Therefore, if your pet often eats oatmeal and does not lose enough energy, he will quickly begin to gain weight.
This will definitely harm the dog, so you should not feed your inactive pet oatmeal. If the animal walks for 2-3 hours a day, oatmeal will only be beneficial.
Important : oatmeal is contraindicated in castrated and sterilized animals, as well as those suffering from urolithiasis.
Allergy
Secondly, dogs are often allergic to oatmeal (due to vegetable proteins), and some also experience stomach upset. In case of allergies, this porridge is completely excluded from the diet. But if your dog begins to feel weak, you can try mixing oatmeal with other cereals, for example, rice.
There is also an opinion that dogs cannot digest anything from cereals, they are poorly digested and remain in the stomach for a long time. It's just ballast that makes you feel full. But in reality this is not so - cereals are important at least as a valuable source of fiber and carbohydrates.
Is it possible to add sugar to dog dishes? Do I need to add salt?
Sugar is a valuable product; the body can release a large amount of energy from it. But it is strictly contraindicated for dogs. Their liver and pancreas are capable of processing glucose, but in extremely small quantities. Excess will cause problems. Dandruff will appear and your eyes will start to run. Very often otitis of unknown etiology and redness of the ears appear. With constant use of sugar, it will begin to act as an allergen. But everything is individual.
The dog receives salt in sufficient quantities from food, provided that the owner provides it with a high-quality diet, whether it be a natural type of feeding or industrial food.
Salt plays an important role in the body's metabolism. The functioning of the heart, the secretion of gastric juice and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system depend on it.
If you add this product to your diet on your own, an overdose with negative consequences is likely. Chronic salt poisoning will lead to death. The lethal dose is 3 g per kilogram of body weight.
A constant excess of salt will lead to urolithiasis, gastrointestinal upset, and metabolic disorders.
With proper nutrition, the dog will receive the required amount of salt, which is contained in the foods it eats: Is porridge given to dogs extra salt? No.
How to steam flakes?
The best option for a healthy dog is steamed oatmeal, since with this method of cooking it retains useful elements, but does not lose its cleansing properties.
Steaming oatmeal is simple: you just need to pour it into a saucepan and pour boiling water over it. It is important to note that oatmeal swells greatly and absorbs a lot of water, so you should not pour too much flakes.
Then close the pan with a lid and leave for 10 minutes; if desired, you can wrap it in a towel - this will speed up the process. The oatmeal is ready, all you have to do is cool it and offer it to the dogs.
Tip : for puppies, you can take meat broth or hot milk instead of water.
conclusions
With a natural type of feeding, porridges occupy an important place in the diet - 25-40%. There is a large selection from their variety. NOT all cereals are equally healthy, and some can be harmful. How to prepare porridge for dogs depends on the grain chosen. A multicooker will significantly save your labor costs. Adding salt is not recommended, and sugar, spices, seasonings and flavor enhancers are completely prohibited. Vegetables are a good addition to the diet, but not all are beneficial to the animal. Porridge should be prepared for 1-2 meals, milk porridge only for 1 meal. Dogs that eat porridge are energetic, look healthy, and grow and develop well.
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Nikitin Sergey
I write about dogs based on the experience and knowledge gained during my studies as a veterinarian, work in my specialty, and simply from observing my pets.
How to cook porridge: with water or milk?
For puppies, it is preferable to cook oatmeal in milk or broth.
Adult dogs do not need milk; most of them do not digest it. Whether it is necessary to cook porridge in broths is a controversial issue. Such a dish will be more aromatic and satisfying, but it may be too heavy food for the animal and will put a lot of stress on the liver. If your dog is overweight, it’s definitely not worth it.
Another option is porridge with vegetable broth. It is cooked without salt, spices, onions and garlic, from carrots, beets, bell peppers and other vegetables allowed for dogs. But, if your pet is not a fan of plant foods, convincing him to eat it will not be easy.
Recipes
Oatmeal can be cooked in two types: viscous and liquid. For 500 g of porridge you will need:
- 100 g of oatmeal, 300 ml of water - the result is a viscous porridge;
- 100 g oatmeal, 400 ml water - liquid.
If you use Hercules oatmeal, you need to take a little more water, 400-500 ml.
The cooking process is simple: pour water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour in the porridge, add a little salt (4-5 g of salt, the dog doesn’t need more), wait for it to boil again and reduce the heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Tip : the later the porridge is removed from the stove, the thicker it will be.
Another recipe option for dogs is rice-oatmeal porridge. For it you will need (for one medium saucepan):
- 1.5 cups rice;
- 0.5 cups oatmeal;
- 3 glasses of water (you may need more during cooking);
- salt.
The rice is washed. Water is boiled in a saucepan, then rice is poured into it and the lid is closed tightly so that steam does not escape. Cook the porridge over high heat for 10 minutes. Then you need to reduce the heat and add the oatmeal, cook for another 10 minutes. After this, remove the pan from the stove, wrap it and leave for about 20 minutes. The porridge is ready, it will turn out liquid, but appetizing.
Buckwheat
This is the healthiest porridge for a dog's body. It contains minerals that strengthen bones and have a beneficial effect on blood vessels.
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Cover the cereal with water and leave overnight. In the morning, drain the liquid along with the husks. Then mix buckwheat and water in a 1:2 ratio. Cook the porridge for 15 minutes, and then leave in the pan for about 20 minutes.
The porridge is prepared without salt or seasonings. After cooking is complete, you can add a little vegetable oil to the warm buckwheat.
How to give?
The animal will not be happy with oatmeal in its pure form. Therefore, after cooking or during cooking, the porridge is mixed with meat and vegetables.
You can also fill it with kefir, season it with sunflower, olive or linseed oil (a little at a time), add flax seed (but not often and no more than 1/3 teaspoon for large breeds). From time to time it is useful to beat a chicken egg into the porridge.
Advice : when serving porridge for the first time, add a small amount to your usual food or hypoallergenic food (for example, buckwheat). Observe the animal’s reaction for 24 hours to see if there are any clinical signs of allergy. If everything is fine, oatmeal can be introduced into the diet.
There are two different views on whether it is worth mixing porridge with both meat and vegetables. The option when finely chopped meat, carrots and herbs are added to the oatmeal will be successful for those who like to choose something tasty from the porridge and refuse vegetables. The oatmeal will stick to the meat and the dog will have to eat it all. If your pet is not picky, it is better to give the meat in a separate bowl.
Oatmeal may be offered as a staple in quantities sufficient to satiate the dog (depending on its size). But it is not advisable to give it to an adult animal more than once a week.
For puppies
Many breeders feed their puppies oatmeal. This is not surprising: porridge is cheap, and babies quickly gain weight from it. However, there is an opinion that up to 8 months of age, oatmeal is undesirable for a puppy: it will cause loose stools.
Whether or not to feed a puppy oatmeal is up to each owner to decide for himself. If after the first feeding no allergies appear, the dog’s digestion remains normal, then you can feed it - don’t forget about all the beneficial substances that oatmeal contains.
At the same time, the puppy should not eat exclusively oatmeal; he also needs meat, offal, fish, milk, fermented milk products, and vegetables and fruits.
Oatmeal begins to be introduced into the diet from the first month of life. At this time and up to three months, the puppy requires 6 feedings a day. Porridge (oatmeal) with water or broth with meat is given twice, oatmeal with milk or dairy products twice, milk or cottage cheese once.
Further, up to six months, oatmeal with milk can remain in the diet on a daily basis so that the puppy gains weight. You definitely shouldn’t be afraid of obesity in an active baby. Afterwards, the number of feedings of this cereal should be reduced, and by the time the dog is fully grown, bring them to the prescribed once a week.
Advice : if at an early age the puppy reacted poorly to oatmeal, you can try to treat him to this porridge again, when he reaches 8-10 months of age. But before that, those porridges that the body accepts normally (rice or buckwheat) are given.
Pregnant and lactating
It is not necessary to exclude oatmeal from the diet of a pregnant or lactating dog if the animal has eaten it before. It will even be useful, since the expectant mother, like the nursing mother, will need a lot of energy. At the same time, the bitch should receive a varied diet, including meat, vegetables and vitamin preparations. You won't get healthy puppies on oatmeal alone.
Diet preparation: cereals that can and cannot be given to your pet
Any breed needs proper nutrition throughout its life.
If for large breeds the diet can be varied and contain food from people, then for small breeds this is extremely contraindicated. A balanced diet that includes food, plant-based options, meat and healthy foods will help keep your pet healthy. It is important for the owner to know what cereals can be given to dogs and which ones can be harmful.
What to do if things get bad?
Fortunately, a dog cannot be poisoned by oatmeal (unless the owner kept the dish for a week, as a result of which it turned sour). If after treating this cereal the animal’s health worsens, this may be due to:
- food allergies. It appears as an itchy rash starting from the face, ears, paws and gradually spreading throughout the body, possibly causing digestive upset. In this case, oatmeal is excluded from the diet. In case of severe allergies, the pet is given an antihistamine (Tavegil, Suprastin, Cetrin, Claritin), but it must be prescribed by a veterinarian;
- upset stomach from oatmeal. Some dogs digest this grain, but some do not. If your pet falls into the second group and has diarrhea from porridge, you should make sure that he has access to drinking water and change his diet. No additional treatment is required.
Can an animal be allergic to this cereal?
Dogs can develop food allergies at any age. So you need to give oatmeal to your dog carefully, unless special tests have been done before. You should not feed rolled oats to a dog that has tested positive. Otherwise, symptomatic therapy will have to be carried out, as the animal will develop a severe rash and itching. An advanced allergy can become chronic. To prevent this, do not choose an allergy medicine on your own, contact your veterinarian and follow his recommendations. Typically, specialists prescribe:
- Tavegil.
- Cetrin.
- Claritin.
- Suprastin.
- Loratadine.
If the allergy to rolled oats was particularly acute, you will have to change your diet after the final cure. Make sure that the basis of the new diet is vegetables and meat. Add fruit occasionally, but don't experiment with it - problems with allergic reactions are likely to continue.
