Can Dogs Eat Kimchi?
Kimchi is a delicious and healthy fermented and salted salad and side dish from Korea. Due to its taste qualities and health benefits, it has been increasing in popularity around the world. But while it has multiple health benefits for us humans, it can be harmful to dogs.
So the answer to the question, “can dogs eat kimchi?” is – no.
Read on to find out why kimchi is unsuitable for canines and what are the possible adverse effects of eating it.
Kimchi is a Korean side dish composed of fermented vegetables, including cabbage and radish. Seasonings include salt, spring onions, garlic, red pepper, chives, and other spices. Some of these compounds can be hazardous to dogs, especially in big quantities.
In dogs, kimchi can induce digestive difficulties such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Can Dogs Eat Kimchi?
Kimchi is the staple of Korean cuisine and is made of fermented veggies such as carrots, radish, and other ingredients and spices.
Like other fermented foods, kimchi is very beneficial for the human gut and health, thanks to its probiotic content. But the same cannot be said about canines.
Kimchi should not be fed to pups because it has lots of salt and spices such as pepper flakes and often contains garlic and sometimes onions.
Garlic and onions are toxic to dogs, and salt and spices can be harmful and lead to mild to severe health issues in pups.
Even if the kimchi does not contain enough onions or garlic to poison your dog, it is highly likely that the combination of ingredients used for making this traditional Korean side dish can cause adverse effects such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach upsets in dogs.
In case your pup eats some kimchi, provide it with fresh water and call the vet for further instructions. A small amount of fermented food is unlikely to cause serious problems or harm your furry companion.
But overall, you should keep any kimchi away from reach by your furbaby. This will help prevent potential poisoning or adverse side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, and GI upsets.
If you are determined to give your pup some probiotics to improve its gut and overall health, ask your veterinarian for recommendations. There are various safe and healthy probiotic supplements for dogs. You can also give your pup plain yogurt or kefir, which both contain natural probiotics.
These probiotics can help treat and resolve problems such as flatulence, diarrhea, cramping, bad breath triggered by old age, stress, a bacterial imbalance or infection, certain medications, or an unsuitable diet.
Further Reading: