CAN DOGS EAT RICE?

Rice is one of the most common and popular foods around the world, and here in India, the demand for Rice has always been massively high as it forms a pretty significant part of many people’s day to day diet. It is a highly versatile ingredient which can be used in several different ways and that is why it can be found in most people’s kitchen. Rice is a decently healthy and beneficial food item for us, human beings but what about our furry little friends? Is Rice good for our canines too? Or are there any risks related to feeding rice to a doggy? Let’s dive deeper into this topic!

Well, some of you might already know this, but rice is a very common ingredient in several pet foods. It is combined with meat and then after processing, it is sold at the pet shops all around the world. So, it is safe to say that Rice is definitely not harmful to the canines and can be given to them without any hesitation.

But what about different types of rice? Are all of them good for our canines? Well, the two most common kinds of rice are White rice and Brown rice. White rice is faster to cook, cheaper to buy but is less nutritious than the Brown rice which contains a good amount of proteins and fiber but is costly to purchase. So, there are various kinds of pros and cons that come along with both these types of rice but in the end, you should decide which type of rice is best suited for your pooch.

Nutritional Elements in both kinds of Rice

Now, as we can see, rice contains several nutritional elements inside it, although in small amounts. It can be a good option to feed this food item to your canine as a part of his regular meals. But, the number of calories present in a small bowl of rice is also not that low and there are several other not-so-beneficial elements which are present inside rice such as small amounts of Arsenic, hence it is a good idea to only give rice in small portions to a canine and more effective way to feed this food item to a dog is to feed him only once or twice per week. Now, let’s discuss some of the favorable and some adverse effects of rice on the health of a canine (adverse effects of rice only occur if you feed excessive amounts of this food to a canine).

Benefits of feeding Rice to your dogs

1. Rice is a really good source of Carbohydrates which means it can act as a fine source of energy for the canines.
2. Rice is known to promote the growth of useful bacteria inside a canine’s body which translates to better bowel movements.
3. Rice can also be used to treat an upset stomach in canines. It can help the pooch to overcome problems like diarrhea and constipation. (Note: White rice for diarrhea and Brown rice for Constipation).
4. The insoluble fiber which is present in decent amounts, especially in brown rice, can provide some protection against several types of cancers.
5. The canines who are suffering from high blood pressure problems can also be benefitted by consuming some rice as its immensely low in sodium.
6. Some reports suggest that Brown rice contains neurotransmitter nutrients that help the consumer to fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

Risks of feeding Rice to your dogs

1. If the amount of rice fed to the canines exceeds the necessary limit, then it can lead to various health-related issues such as Obesity, Diabetes et cetera. This does not happen immediately and the detrimental effects of the excess amount of rice develop gradually within a canine’s body, therefore every dog parent should always be cautious while deciding the portion of rice in his pooch’s meal.
2. Too much protein-rich brown rice is also not good for a canine as it is a bit damaging to the kidneys.
3. The canines who are allergic to rice should never be fed this food item. Symptoms of an allergic reaction to rice include itchy skin, ear infections et cetera. (But this happens very rarely).

FINAL VERDICT:

Although there are so many benefits of feeding rice to canine, we recommend you not to make it a regular ingredient in your canine’s daily meals. Rice is a good source of energy for pooches, it promotes better digestive health in dogs and it can lower a canine’s blood pressure, but, because of the great number of calories and other not so health-giving elements present inside this food item, it should only be fed to a dog 1-2 times a week or if the canine is suffering from some kind of stomach issues such as diarrhea or constipation.