Every dog owner should first of all think about its health and nutrition. You need to clearly and correctly select the diet for your pet.
Do not forget that animals, like people, are allergic to certain foods. Only the right balanced diet, which includes an abundance of vitamins and minerals, will give your pet a healthy and active life.
A living organism, both human and animal, needs food in order to produce energy. The choice of food directly affects the health of the body as a whole. Buckwheat can rightfully be considered one of the largest sources of vitamins and microelements.
Benefits for humans
- Eating buckwheat porridge not only has a positive effect on the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, but also strengthens the immune system and improves the overall intestinal microflora.
- Also helps with fatigue and loss of strength . If there is weakness in the body or muscle pain, the best restorative remedy would be a glass of boiled buckwheat porridge with any citrus fruit. It is buckwheat porridge that better promotes the absorption of vitamin C.
- Buckwheat is famous for its ability to strengthen the cardiovascular system . Due to the high iron content, this cereal increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
- It is very versatile and can improve human health even in its raw form . So, to get rid of heartburn you just need to chew a pinch of raw buckwheat.
- For all girls and women who take care of their figure and zealously monitor their weight, this cereal will be number 1. It contains a large amount of protein and fiber, which is so useful in the fight against extra pounds .
Pregnant and lactating
A pregnant dog needs proper balanced nutrition. If there were vegetables in her diet before pregnancy, then they should be left in the same amount. Veterinarians recommend replacing raw beets with boiled ones during pregnancy, since in their raw form they can cause flatulence.
If before feeding the puppies there were no beets in the dog’s diet, then you can start introducing them only after breastfeeding is complete. The new product may cause digestive problems such as diarrhea in puppies.
For animals
Buckwheat is rich in iron, magnesium, carbohydrates and vegetable protein, as well as B vitamins, and is not just good for dogs, but is one of the favorites of allowed cereals. This is what you should cook for your pet more than anyone else. This cereal can and should be given to the dog, not forgetting that the diet should consist of 35% cereals and 65% other food.
Allergy
Attention! Most often, dogs are not allergic to buckwheat, but the opposite happens. There is nothing supernatural about this, because just like all people, all dogs are different and some may be allergic to certain foods. It is worth observing your pet immediately after the first use. If your condition after eating is positive, buckwheat can be safely included in your diet.
For puppies
Feeding puppies requires special attention and caution not only when choosing the right products, but also in their preparation. Eating natural food will always be much healthier than different types of food. The body of a puppy is different from that of an adult dog. This little growing creature needs vitamins, fats and carbohydrates much more than a one-year-old pet.
The puppy's food should be simple and healthy, and the porridge should be well-cooked. Buckwheat porridge or buckwheat flakes can be included in the diet. Rich in vitamins and microelements, this cereal will have a beneficial effect on the puppy’s nutrition during its growth and development.
Buckwheat can be given in small quantities at 20% of the total meal . You can also mix it up by adding rice for variety. The flakes can be steamed with meat or fish broth.
It is best to give porridge to a puppy 3-4 times a week . Food should not only be tasty, but also healthy.
If it gets bad
To prevent beets from harming your pet, you must carefully monitor the feeding rate. An adult dog needs 20 grams of raw or boiled beets 1-2 times a week. Introduce complementary foods carefully, observing the reaction.
If the animal becomes ill after eating beets, then it is necessary to seek help from a veterinarian. The reasons may be:
- individual intolerance;
- allergy;
- violation of complementary feeding norms;
- pancreatitis and others.
Symptoms of poisoning:
- vomit;
- diarrhea;
- thirst;
- lethargic state;
- refusal to eat;
- in rare cases, spasms.
The first aid that must be provided to the animal is gastric lavage and an enema. After this, give any absorbent, for example, activated carbon.
What variety should I feed?
Reference! One of the most popular and healthiest types of buckwheat in our time is considered a green variety of cereal. Despite the fact that it has a specific taste and unusual color, it contains the largest amount of useful substances.
Due to the fact that this type of buckwheat was not subjected to processing (frying, crushing, pressing), all the beneficial substances that were originally present in it remained in place.
Green buckwheat will be very useful for all breeds of dogs and even puppies (except for those who have an individual intolerance to buckwheat) .
Nowadays you can find anything on store shelves. Different varieties of buckwheat are an example of this. Now not only different varieties of buckwheat have appeared, but also different processing methods. By type it can be divided into 5 types:
- Yadritsa. This type is the most popular and known to everyone. Its core is the largest in relation to other species, and is least susceptible to processing. Most often these are whole or almost whole grains, which are lightly toasted, which is why it has its brown color, and peeled from the hull. And also contains more vitamins and microelements. This type of buckwheat is recommended for dogs.
- Prod. Better known as "chipping". This cereal differs exclusively in the shape of the resulting grain. The grains here are highly crushed and crushed. This buckwheat cooks faster and has a more “delicate” consistency. Chopped meat is also useful for dogs, but due to crushing it has significantly fewer vitamins. But this particular type is suitable for dogs of small breeds or dogs suffering from stomach diseases.
- After the job, it goes - ground buckwheat. It has an even more crushed form. It will be difficult to cook porridge from this type, but buckwheat puree will turn out perfect. This buckwheat is consumed by people with gastrointestinal diseases, children, and is also included in the diet of puppies and kittens.
- Buckwheat flakes. If prodel and ground buckwheat have a fine granular shape, then the flakes have a flattened shape. It is thanks to this feature that such flakes do not need to be boiled, but simply steamed with boiling water and they will be ready for consumption. It is recommended to fill the flakes for dogs with broth, rather than boil them, so that many useful substances are preserved and the pleasant taste is not lost.
- Buckwheat flour. It is used only for making baked goods or pasta. This is perhaps the only type of buckwheat that is not suitable for dogs.
Recipes
Many dog breeders prefer natural feeding to industrial food. Natural nutrition includes porridge, meat, and vegetables. It is this balanced diet that will be the most beneficial for both an adult dog and a puppy. It is very important to learn how to cook porridge correctly, since you cannot force a dog to eat it.
For a working or studying person, it can be very difficult to find time every day to prepare food for your pet. And the dog needs daily and not one-time meals. It’s worth thinking about how to save time and not deprive your pet?
We will find a solution based on food products and their shelf life. Ready buckwheat porridge, broth, vegetables and meat are stored separately and mixed before eating. This greatly saves time on cooking.
To prepare buckwheat you will need:
- 1-2 cups buckwheat;
- 2-4 glasses of water;
- salt;
- additives according to preference (butter, margarine, sour cream) 30-50 grams.
Before cooking, it is better to soak buckwheat in water for 30 minutes , this way the cooking time will be reduced and unnecessary husks will float to the surface. After the cereal has become a little “sour,” pour it into a saucepan, fill it with the required proportion of water and put it on the fire, adding salt first.
You need to cook the porridge until the water in the pan has completely evaporated. It is also better to let the cereal brew for 30-40 minutes after cooking, having first wrapped the pan in a towel . This will make it softer and more crumbly. We also add the dog’s favorite additives, butter or margarine.
What to do if pets eat raw cereal?
There are times when a dog will accidentally turn the bowl over and eat the contents in it.
If it happens that the dog ate raw buckwheat (which happens very rarely, since it is not very tasty in this form), there is no need to worry and panic. Raw cereal will not harm the dog in any way.
The only consequence of such a meal will be that the dog will need to drink plenty of fluids . It is best to give her a lot of water so that the buckwheat is quickly digested and leaves the body.
Attention! If a dog feels sick after eating buckwheat (dry or boiled), this can only mean that it has an individual intolerance to this grain. This means that it should be excluded from the diet so that this situation does not recur in the future.
Also, for faster removal, you can use the services of a veterinarian or remove the porridge from the body yourself , using herbal enemas. For 2-3 days after this, you should not overload your stomach with heavy food. Broths are best suited for adaptation of the body.
How to give beets to a dog
Depending on the form in which you give your dog beets, the body’s reaction to this product may change.
In the damp
Not all dogs eat vegetables raw; some simply refuse. If your pet is not one of those, then you can treat him to fresh beets cut into small pieces or grated. For better absorption of fat-soluble vitamins by the body, you can add a piece of butter. You can also mix chopped beets with other products: porridge, cottage cheese, meat, sour cream, or other vegetables. This method is common among owners who adhere to the Barf nutrition system.
If you have not previously given your dog beets, then you should start with small portions, gradually increasing them to make sure there is no allergy.
Boiled
Beets are one of the few vegetables that practically do not lose their beneficial properties during heat treatment. When cooked, beets are better digestible and will most likely appeal more to picky four-legged representatives who refuse raw vegetables.
You only need to cook it a little, just simmer it slightly. Boiled beets can be given to a dog separately, or combined with other products, adding to meat porridge, or making a stewed vegetable mixture. In addition to boiling, beets can be steamed or lightly baked in the oven. Fried or charcoal-roasted vegetables are not suitable for dogs.
What other cereals should I give?
Buckwheat is rightfully considered a favorite among porridges; it contains the largest amount of vitamins and microelements ; it is also rich in iron, magnesium, calcium and protein. It not only perfectly satisfies hunger due to the right carbohydrates, but also generally strengthens the dog’s body.
Rice
It is also useful because it contains the same vitamins but also vitamin E. The dosage of vitamins in it is much less than in buckwheat, but they are still present. Unpolished is best for dogs .
Oatmeal
It contains a large amount of amino acids, vegetable protein and complex carbohydrates. But you need to be very careful with this porridge, since it is not suitable for all dogs . Some people experience stomach upset after eating oatmeal.
How to Avoid Nitrite Poisoning
You can get nitrite poisoning by consuming boiled or steamed beets. The toxic properties are determined by the nitrous acid compounds (nitrites) and nitrogen oxides formed in it during slow cooling. The source of their formation is potassium nitrate contained in beets.
The toxic effect of nitrites consists mainly in disrupting the oxidative capacity of the blood, as a result of which hemoglobin loses its ability to transport oxygen to the cells of the body.
Beet tops tend to accumulate nitrites when stored raw. The safe shelf life of tops is no more than 18 hours.
To avoid nitrite poisoning, just follow simple rules:
- Do not store damp tops for a long time.
- Do not cook the root vegetable for too long (it’s better to just let it simmer).
- Do not leave in hot water after cooking.
- Cool as quickly as possible.
- Store both raw and cooked beets in the refrigerator.