A dog is considered a predator, but despite this, it will not be possible to keep your pet exclusively on a meat diet. Health problems will soon appear.
To avoid this, animals are given cereals, fruits and vegetables. Is it possible for dogs to have oatmeal, how to prepare it correctly, and what other grains are allowed – we’ll tell you in the article.
The benefits of rolled oats
No one doubts the benefits of oatmeal for people - many nutritionists call it the most valuable porridge. But for our four-legged pets, not everything is so simple. The main porridge in a dog's diet is usually rice and buckwheat.
Oatmeal differs from these cereals by being higher in calories and containing more fat and fiber. Fiber in small doses is very useful for dogs - they are given porridge primarily to compensate for its deficiency.
Oatmeal also contains:
- amino acids;
- vegetable protein;
- vitamin B group, vitamin E, as well as A, K and PP;
- minerals - iron and magnesium, iodine and fluorine, nickel, phosphorus, sulfur, manganese;
- potassium and calcium.
All of these elements are also beneficial for animals, and it is because of them that many veterinarians recommend this cereal as mineral support.
Another advantage of oatmeal is that it is a dietary cereal due to its wonderful enveloping property. It is distributed over the walls of the stomach, preventing gastric juice from affecting them. As a result, oatmeal will be the optimal food for dogs suffering from gastritis or gastrointestinal disorders, weakened and sick pets, as well as puppies.
And finally, the advantage of oatmeal for dogs, which is unlikely to be appreciated by the pet, but the owner will definitely be pleased with it - this cereal is inexpensive. It is no secret that oatmeal is often introduced into the diet simply to create a feeling of satiety in the animal.
This especially applies to large breeds, which are problematic to feed with clean meat. But you shouldn’t be overzealous: porridge should account for no more than 20-35% of a dog’s diet.
Porridges not recommended for feeding dogs
Semolina
Semolina contains a lot of carbohydrates, but microelements and vitamins are not included in the composition, so cereals are not given regularly. Veterinarians can introduce semolina porridge into the diet for stomach diseases. Semolina with milk is allowed in the diet of puppies to meet their high energy needs.
Corn grits
Corn grits are a very popular product in the production of ready-made dog food, and many dog breeders have begun to introduce corn grits into their pets’ diets.
In terms of the amount of nutrients, the product is far from a leader; moreover, it is characterized by low digestibility, but in small quantities it will be a useful addition, since it inhibits fermentation processes in the intestines and stimulates hematopoiesis due to the high content of nickel, iron and copper.
Barley grits
Barley groats are not inherently harmful, but are considered an inferior product for dogs. It is difficult to digest and does not replenish the necessary energy reserves.
Millet
Millet is difficult for dogs to digest. In large breeds, large volumes of wheat porridge can provoke intestinal volvulus.
Barley porridge
Pearl barley porridge is practically not digestible and is a serious allergen. The nutritional value of cereals is low, and the fiber content is very high, so it is indicated for obesity or constipation, if it does not cause allergies.
Pea porridge
Pea porridge, like other legumes, is strictly contraindicated in dogs due to the likelihood of causing bloating. Flatulence is much more difficult for dogs than for humans due to their anatomy.
Now you know what kind of porridge to cook for your dog, all that remains is to find out how much porridge your pet needs and how to prepare it.
Harm
Despite the obvious benefits of oatmeal, a number of breeders speak extremely negatively about this porridge. The common argument “You don’t give a horse meat, so why does a dog need oats?”, despite its wit, is neither scientific nor reasoned. Let's figure out what's going on.
First, oatmeal is high in calories and carbohydrates. Its approximate composition per 100 g:
- carbohydrates – 65.4 g;
- proteins – 11 g;
- fats – 6 g.
Calorie content of 100 g of oatmeal – 359.6 calories. Therefore, if your pet often eats oatmeal and does not lose enough energy, he will quickly begin to gain weight.
This will definitely harm the dog, so you should not feed your inactive pet oatmeal. If the animal walks for 2-3 hours a day, oatmeal will only be beneficial.
Important : oatmeal is contraindicated in castrated and sterilized animals, as well as those suffering from urolithiasis.
Allergy
Secondly, dogs are often allergic to oatmeal (due to vegetable proteins), and some also experience stomach upset. In case of allergies, this porridge is completely excluded from the diet. But if your dog begins to feel weak, you can try mixing oatmeal with other cereals, for example, rice.
There is also an opinion that dogs cannot digest anything from cereals, they are poorly digested and remain in the stomach for a long time. It's just ballast that makes you feel full. But in reality this is not so - cereals are important at least as a valuable source of fiber and carbohydrates.
How much porridge should you give your dog?
Now that we have decided on the cereals, let’s calculate how much cereal to give the dog at one feeding? The main dish is porridge with meat products and vegetables, given to pets at the rate of 60-70 grams of food per 1 kilogram of weight per day. This norm is divided into 2 or 3 doses.
The ratio of products is as follows:
- 50% stringy meat and offal;
- 30% porridge;
- 20% vegetables and fruits.
Thus, per kilogram of dog weight, you need 30-35 grams of meat, 20-25 grams of porridge, and 5-10 grams of vegetables and herbs per day.
A dog that weighs 15 kg, with two meals a day, should eat 150-190 grams of porridge per feeding or 300-375 grams per day.
How to steam flakes?
The best option for a healthy dog is steamed oatmeal, since with this method of cooking it retains useful elements, but does not lose its cleansing properties.
Steaming oatmeal is simple: you just need to pour it into a saucepan and pour boiling water over it. It is important to note that oatmeal swells greatly and absorbs a lot of water, so you should not pour too much flakes.
Then close the pan with a lid and leave for 10 minutes; if desired, you can wrap it in a towel - this will speed up the process. The oatmeal is ready, all you have to do is cool it and offer it to the dogs.
Tip : for puppies, you can take meat broth or hot milk instead of water.
How to cook porridge: with water or milk?
For puppies, it is preferable to cook oatmeal in milk or broth.
Adult dogs do not need milk; most of them do not digest it. Whether it is necessary to cook porridge in broths is a controversial issue. Such a dish will be more aromatic and satisfying, but it may be too heavy food for the animal and will put a lot of stress on the liver. If your dog is overweight, it’s definitely not worth it.
Another option is porridge with vegetable broth. It is cooked without salt, spices, onions and garlic, from carrots, beets, bell peppers and other vegetables allowed for dogs. But, if your pet is not a fan of plant foods, convincing him to eat it will not be easy.
Recipes
Oatmeal can be cooked in two types: viscous and liquid. For 500 g of porridge you will need:
- 100 g of oatmeal, 300 ml of water - the result is a viscous porridge;
- 100 g oatmeal, 400 ml water - liquid.
If you use Hercules oatmeal, you need to take a little more water, 400-500 ml.
The cooking process is simple: pour water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour in the porridge, add a little salt (4-5 g of salt, the dog doesn’t need more), wait for it to boil again and reduce the heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Tip : the later the porridge is removed from the stove, the thicker it will be.
Another recipe option for dogs is rice-oatmeal porridge. For it you will need (for one medium saucepan):
- 1.5 cups rice;
- 0.5 cups oatmeal;
- 3 glasses of water (you may need more during cooking);
- salt.
The rice is washed. Water is boiled in a saucepan, then rice is poured into it and the lid is closed tightly so that steam does not escape. Cook the porridge over high heat for 10 minutes. Then you need to reduce the heat and add the oatmeal, cook for another 10 minutes. After this, remove the pan from the stove, wrap it and leave for about 20 minutes. The porridge is ready, it will turn out liquid, but appetizing.
How to choose porridge according to your needs?
Porridge should make up at least 40% of the total amount of products used to feed dogs. Cereals should be alternated and arranged. You should not feed your animal for a long time even the healthiest porridge. For feeding puppies, it is better to limit yourself to rice and buckwheat porridge until they reach 8-10 months, and then supplement the diet with wheat and oatmeal porridge.
Rice and buckwheat are suitable for feeding representatives of dwarf breeds whose weight does not exceed 5 kg. Porridge is necessary as a source of micro- and macroelements and vitamins, but before you feed it to your pet, you need to properly prepare a nourishing and healthy dish.
When the owner chooses a natural type of feeding, porridge occupies an important place in the diet. The question arises, how does one cook porridge for a dog so as not to spoil its usefulness? We will talk about this in our material,
How to give?
The animal will not be happy with oatmeal in its pure form. Therefore, after cooking or during cooking, the porridge is mixed with meat and vegetables.
You can also fill it with kefir, season it with sunflower, olive or linseed oil (a little at a time), add flax seed (but not often and no more than 1/3 teaspoon for large breeds). From time to time it is useful to beat a chicken egg into the porridge.
Advice : when serving porridge for the first time, add a small amount to your usual food or hypoallergenic food (for example, buckwheat). Observe the animal’s reaction for 24 hours to see if there are any clinical signs of allergy. If everything is fine, oatmeal can be introduced into the diet.
There are two different views on whether it is worth mixing porridge with both meat and vegetables. The option when finely chopped meat, carrots and herbs are added to the oatmeal will be successful for those who like to choose something tasty from the porridge and refuse vegetables. The oatmeal will stick to the meat and the dog will have to eat it all. If your pet is not picky, it is better to give the meat in a separate bowl.
Oatmeal may be offered as a staple in quantities sufficient to satiate the dog (depending on its size). But it is not advisable to give it to an adult animal more than once a week.
For puppies
Many breeders feed their puppies oatmeal. This is not surprising: porridge is cheap, and babies quickly gain weight from it. However, there is an opinion that up to 8 months of age, oatmeal is undesirable for a puppy: it will cause loose stools.
Whether or not to feed a puppy oatmeal is up to each owner to decide for himself. If after the first feeding no allergies appear, the dog’s digestion remains normal, then you can feed it - don’t forget about all the beneficial substances that oatmeal contains.
At the same time, the puppy should not eat exclusively oatmeal; he also needs meat, offal, fish, milk, fermented milk products, and vegetables and fruits.
Oatmeal begins to be introduced into the diet from the first month of life. At this time and up to three months, the puppy requires 6 feedings a day. Porridge (oatmeal) with water or broth with meat is given twice, oatmeal with milk or dairy products twice, milk or cottage cheese once.
Further, up to six months, oatmeal with milk can remain in the diet on a daily basis so that the puppy gains weight. You definitely shouldn’t be afraid of obesity in an active baby. Afterwards, the number of feedings of this cereal should be reduced, and by the time the dog is fully grown, bring them to the prescribed once a week.
Advice : if at an early age the puppy reacted poorly to oatmeal, you can try to treat him to this porridge again, when he reaches 8-10 months of age. But before that, those porridges that the body accepts normally (rice or buckwheat) are given.
Pregnant and lactating
It is not necessary to exclude oatmeal from the diet of a pregnant or lactating dog if the animal has eaten it before. It will even be useful, since the expectant mother, like the nursing mother, will need a lot of energy. At the same time, the bitch should receive a varied diet, including meat, vegetables and vitamin preparations. You won't get healthy puppies on oatmeal alone.
What kind of porridge can you give, the healthiest cereals
When starting to prepare your dog’s food yourself, you should decide what kind of porridge to cook for your dog so that it meets all the needs of your four-legged friend. To do this, you need to dwell in detail on the most useful cereals.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat is the most healthy and nutritious food for dogs. But you should only use unfried product. It is rich in vitamins B, E, PP, D, and also contains a lot of magnesium, calcium and iron.
This cereal is ideal for pets diagnosed with diabetes. Its use reduces blood sugar levels. The magnesium contained in buckwheat strengthens the heart, muscles and bones, and flavonoids have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.
Important . Loose porridge has a beneficial effect on intestinal function.
Rice
The main advantage of rice porridge is a large set of useful macro- and microelements. This cereal is also an excellent absorbent, which, combined with its high energy value, makes it indispensable for pets.
On a note . It is better to use unpolished rice; its shell is a real “warehouse” of valuable substances and fiber.
It is better to prepare porridge from brown rice; if it is unavailable, you can use steamed rice. This will reduce the amount of starch the dog receives, which it does not digest well.
It is better to use brown or parboiled rice
Barley grits
Yachka is a source of vitamins A, B, D, E. It contains silicon, chromium, and fluorine. The use of crushed food allows you to fill the animal’s body with energy and stimulate the gastrointestinal tract. But this cereal cannot, nevertheless, be considered a complete diet for a dog and it is not worth giving it every day.
Oatmeal
Rolled oats contain a lot of calcium and magnesium. It also contains potassium, sodium and a large amount of vitamins. However, rolled oats should not be used continuously for feeding. The condition must be met for the animal - this porridge is used 4 times a month.
Important . Oatmeal is contraindicated for animals suffering from urolithiasis.
Cereals that you can’t give every day
Not all cereals are suitable for the daily diet of your four-legged friend. As noted above, giving oatmeal and egg every day is extremely undesirable. There are other cereals that are used not only as food, but also, for example, to cleanse the intestines. These products include wheat cereal. Of course, wheat porridge is nutritious, but it is much less digestible, so it can be used as a supplement to the main diet.
For your information . Wheat porridge is not suitable for puppies.
To cook such porridge, wheat grits are added to already boiling water and cooked until completely boiled. After this, you can add meat, vegetables and a little vegetable oil to it.
What to do if things get bad?
Fortunately, a dog cannot be poisoned by oatmeal (unless the owner kept the dish for a week, as a result of which it turned sour). If after treating this cereal the animal’s health worsens, this may be due to:
- food allergies. It appears as an itchy rash starting from the face, ears, paws and gradually spreading throughout the body, possibly causing digestive upset. In this case, oatmeal is excluded from the diet. In case of severe allergies, the pet is given an antihistamine (Tavegil, Suprastin, Cetrin, Claritin), but it must be prescribed by a veterinarian;
- upset stomach from oatmeal. Some dogs digest this grain, but some do not. If your pet falls into the second group and has diarrhea from porridge, you should make sure that he has access to drinking water and change his diet. No additional treatment is required.
