Are you wondering whether it is safe to feed your dog brown rice? The answer to this question is a massive YES because dogs can digest grains. Owing to their nutritional benefits, a lot of commercial dog foods use this ingredient in their recipes.
Brown rice are extremely rich in carbohydrates. For this reason, they have bundles of calories and can be harmful to your dog on a regular basis. Similarly, feeding your dogs too much brown rice can lead to obesity. Consequently, it is important to follow the 10 Percent Treat Rule (for brown rice) to avoid any undesired result.
Is Brown Rice Good for Dogs?
Nutritional Efficiency
Brown rice is one of the healthiest grains for dogs. They offer high levels of antioxidants that help in maintaining blood sugar levels. Likewise, they have a minimal amount of fats and proteins in them. In addition to the abundant supply of carbohydrates, brown rice provide a lot of useful minerals and vitamins. Last but not least, they are rich in fiber which prevents all kinds of digestive issues.
Some of the most useful minerals, found in brown rice, include Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, and Calcium. Selenium helps your pet against stress while potassium is crucial for fluid balance and heart functions. Similarly, brown rice provide an ample amount of vitamins B and D that are essential for a healthy heart.
On the other hand, magnesium relaxes muscle tension while calcium strengthens the bone structure of your dog. The small quantities of Riboflavin, Niacin, Thiamin, and Folate are also instrumental for proper body functioning.
Other Benefits
Alongside their nutritional benefits, there are also some other advantages of feeding brown rice to your dogs. Some of them are listed below.
- Brown rice is an ideal ingredient for a weak dog’s meal due to its immense supply of carbohydrates.
- Preparing the dog food at home can reduce the chances of food allergies.
- It is a cost-friendly dog meal and can help you save some money.
- Brown rice provides an opportunity to feed a different variety to your dog.
Can Puppies Eat Brown Rice?
Just like small kids, you need to give special attention to your puppies. A balanced, healthy diet is necessary to ensure proper growth. Protein is comfortably the most important nutrition during growing years as it helps in developing muscles and body organs. Having said that, it is important to provide sufficient carbohydrates (energy) to your pet. Brown rice could prove to be a convenient source of energy due to its ease of availability and affordability.
Another issue that you may observe with your puppies is that they NEVER seem to get enough food. Brown rice is a perfect solution to this problem as they carry a lot of fiber. Not only does fiber give the full feeling to your dog, but it also helps in the proper functioning of its digestive system.
Can you Feed Brown Rice to Dogs for Diarrhea?
Although brown rice are easy to digest due to the presence of Phytic Acid, they should be avoided in case of an upset stomach. The reason for that is the high fiber content in this type of rice. Alternatively, you can feed your dog some boiled white rice while it is suffering from diarrhea. The best possible way is to consult your vet before selecting a diet for your dog.
Another option that you can consider for treating diarrhea is to fast your dog for a day. The duration of fasting can be reduced to 12 hours if the condition is not too severe. Even though some people find it a little cruel, it is an effective method to treat the illness. Once the situation improves, you can start feeding the dog some bland meals like boiled chicken.
Can Dogs Eat Brown Rice and Chicken?
It is perfectly safe for dogs to eat brown rice and cooked chicken but you can’t rely on this meal alone. It is an unbalanced diet that lacks proper nutrition and can cause numerous medical implications. Having said that, it is a great meal for treating diarrhea. Similarly, they can be combined with some other ingredients to formulate a complete meal.
How to Cook Brown Rice and Chicken?
- Take some pieces of chicken breast and cut them in small cubes.
- Put these small pieces into a stockpot and add enough water to cover the chicken completely.
- Bring this water to a boil and follow it up with some low-flame cooking for 10-30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the stockpot and cool it completely.
- Now, use this broth to cook the brown rice. You need to rinse the brown rice (1-2 cups) multiple times before adding them into the broth.
- Cover the pot and cook again for about 20 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed.
- Cool the rice before feeding them to your dog.
Remember that brown rice require more time to be cooked and undercooked rice can harm your dog. You can use precooked brown rice but they will have fewer nutrients.
The Bottom Line
You can include brown rice in the daily meals of your dog if you are not using any other grains. Having said that, you must monitor the amount very closely because excessive quantities can be risky. For instance, high levels of fiber can cause constipation while too many carbohydrates can make your pet obese. Therefore, devise a proper diet plan by consulting your vet and get rid of your worries.
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