Green peas are small, delicious, treat-sized vegetables that you’d think would be good for dogs to eat, right?
But there is some evidence that might suggest that peas should not be eaten by dogs – way to ruin all the fun.
When wondering whether dogs can consume human food or not, who better to ask than a dog themself?
Hi, I’m Buster the Chihuahua and I love eating human food off of my owner’s plates. But should I actually be eating green peas? Let’s find out.
How many peas can a dog eat?
First things first, we dogs can eat peas in moderation. It’s actually a common ingredient in dog food, so they can’t be that bad for us, right? Peas are low in calories and high in antioxidants, fiber, and protein.
Green peas also contain vitamin K, A, and B, as well as potassium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Green peas can be a good treat to give overweight dogs rather than their usual treats. Don’t worry, these won’t go to waste – just send them over to good ol’ Buster here.
However, on the other hand, there are potential issues for dogs consuming too many green peas. We’ll look at these in the next section.
Why are peas bad for dogs?
Peas are not typically considered bad for us due to all of the benefits that I just mentioned above. However, some dogs don’t get the privilege of consuming peas due to their underlying health issues.
For example, if your dog has a kidney problem they shouldn’t have peas. This is due to the substance called purines which are found in green peas.
Purines produce uric acid which cannot be filtered properly through damaged kidneys, leading to kidney stones and other issues.
As with any fruit or vegetable, we should only be fed them in moderation. Too many peas can cause us to suffer from vomiting or diarrhea. Make sure that you’re not feeding us any more vegetables than 10 to 20% of our usual diet.
Peas can also be considered bad for us dogs if they’re canned because these typically contain salt or other additives.
These can be dangerous to our health and sometimes even toxic, so fresh or frozen green peas are the only type we should be consuming.
Some owners also think that peapods are hazardous to dogs due to the potential for them to choke. Peapods are not toxic, though, so just make sure that you chop them up before feeding them to us.
Are frozen peas OK for dogs?
As long as the frozen peas haven’t been meddled with in any way before freezing, they should be safe for us to eat.
This is due to the fact that they’re exactly the same as fresh green peas, just frozen. The only peas that should stay away from us are canned peas due to the additional sodium content.
Are peas hard for dogs to digest?
No, peas themselves are not difficult for dogs to digest. However, the peapods might be harder to digest thanks to the tougher texture.
This could lead to us feeling unwell or suffering from some digestive problems such as vomiting or diarrhea.
That being said, keeping our pea consumption in moderation shouldn’t be difficult for us to digest. This is the same for anything – even too many treats can be hard for our stomachs to deal with.
Do peas make dogs fart?
How rude! If you must know, peas are sometimes associated with farting in dogs. However, this is only when they’re fed too commonly to us – it’s not our fault!
Consuming too many peas or peapods can leave the remnants in our colon and cause excessive fermentation of the peas. This can therefore lead to excess gas being produced and needing somewhere to go.
Other foods that are commonly associated with flatulence in dogs are soybeans, milk, and dairy products, high-fat foods, and spicy foods.
Do peas cause heart problems in dogs?
I don’t think that peas are directly causing heart problems in dogs because otherwise, it wouldn’t be a common component in so many dog foods.
However, the FDA has come out with a warning against grain-free foods that contain too many peas, lentils, or potatoes.
In 2018, the FDA warned that these grain-free foods could cause enlarged hearts in dogs who consumed them.
Otherwise known as dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart is more common in various dog breeds, but we are all at risk of it to some extent.
Bear in mind that this was a potential threat and only from foods high in peas and other ingredients.
Giving us a few green peas every now and then for a treat is very unlikely to cause us to develop heart problems.
What vegetables are bad for dogs?
Below I’ve listed some of the toxic fruits and vegetables to dogs so that you don’t accidentally give your pet something bad for them.
-
Grapes
Grapes and raisins are perhaps the most toxic fruit for dogs and should never be given to us as a treat. We don’t know which part of the grape is toxic, so none of it is safe for dogs.
-
Avocados
Avocados have been related to breathing issues, diarrhea, and vomiting in dogs. Don’t give us the skin, flesh, or stone.
-
Mushrooms
Normal mushrooms should be safe for us to eat, but wild mushrooms can be very toxic.
-
Green Tomatoes
Unripe tomatoes are harmful as they contain tomatine which can damage our nervous systems, kidneys, and digestive system.
-
Onions and Garlic
Garlic, onion, and chives can be detrimental to a dog’s red blood cells.
-
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is also toxic, with dogs suffering from tremors, seizures, and heart problems after we consume it.
-
Pips, Seeds, and Stones
All of these are commonly toxic to dogs, no matter the fruit or vegetable. Don’t give us the pip to play with or the stone to lick.
Summary
Thanks for reading my article! Green peas should be fine for your dog to eat in moderation, as long as they don’t make up more than 20% of our daily diet.
Steer clear of grain-free foods high in pea content, but a handful of peas every now and then should be fine and yummy for us.
