Can dogs eat rice?

Every dog ​​sitter wonders what they can and cannot do. For this same reason, you are probably wondering if rice for dogs is good or bad. Our dog’s diet is one of the most important cares, since it plays a fundamental role in its growth and helps the immune system. In addition, it also has effects on the skeletal growth of our dog.

You must offer your furry friend the healthiest and most balanced diet possible. But can dogs eat rice? The answer is yes, rice is suitable for dogs, but in appropriate quantities. For example, rice for dogs with diarrhea is a very effective remedy if combined with other ingredients such as carrots or chicken.

Is rice good for dogs?

As is known, dogs are carnivorous animals but not strict, that is, they are considered facultative omnivores because their diet must be based mainly on protein of animal origin (meat or fish) and complemented with other foods, such as fruits, vegetables or legumes. Therefore, it is normal to ask yourself «can I give rice to my dog?».

Dogs can eat rice. In fact, it is a cereal that offers multiple benefits in different situations. Some of the properties of rice is that it is a good source of energy, since it is quite rich in carbohydrates. On the other hand, it also provides proteins, such as lysine and tryptophan. Lysine, likewise, is an amino acid that dogs cannot manufacture. In addition, especially brown rice, has some important vitamins and minerals for the dog’s body such as:

  • Vitamin B3
  • Vitamin B1
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin B5
  • Vitamin B9
  • Iron
  • Zinc
  • Manganese
  • Phosphor

Can dogs eat brown rice or another variety?

Dogs can eat any variety of rice, but whole grain is more recommended as it is easier to digest and provides a higher percentage of nutrients. Therefore, it is preferable to offer our dog this less processed variety.

Benefits of rice for dogs

Now that you know that rice for dogs is good, below we are going to mention some of the benefits that this cereal offers for the health and development of our furry friend. Therefore, the benefits of rice for dogs are as follows:

  • It is low in fat: as it is a cereal that does not contain large amounts of fat, it is suitable and recommended for dogs that are overweight. Therefore, if you are considering the possibility of offering rice to fatten your dog, it is not the best option. 
  • Does not cause allergies: rice is among the cereals with the lowest rate of allergies and intolerances. Even so, we must be careful and offer it in moderation in case our dog is intolerant or allergic. 
  • It is easy to digest: we know that dogs have a digestive system that is unable to digest and absorb fiber, so it is important that the food we offer is easily digestible. For this, remember that brown rice is best.
  • Helps have more energy: thanks to the carbohydrates that make up this food, it provides energy to our dog.
  • Prevents the formation of stones: the purine content of rice prevents the formation of stones, in addition to helping with kidney problems because of the salts that make it up.
  • Helps treat diarrhea: especially white rice because it contains a lower percentage of fiber, it helps solidify the stool and, therefore, is recommended in cases of diarrhea. Of course, it is always preferable to consult with the veterinarian first, both to find out the cause of the diarrhea and to guarantee that we can offer rice.

How to prepare rice for dogs?

As we have already mentioned, rice is a healthy and delicious option that your dog will undoubtedly love. However, it is important to note that rice cannot be the main ingredient in the diet of these animals. Dogs need to consume more protein of animal origin, which can be complemented with other ingredients such as rice, vegetables or fruits. Only in very specific cases and for a short period of time can rice be offered in larger quantities, such as in cases of mild diarrhea or vomiting. 

Below, we share two simple recipes to know how to prepare rice for dogs and introduce this cereal into their diet:

Chicken rice recipe for dogs

How to make rice with chicken for dogs is very simple. To begin, let’s get the ingredients we need to prepare rice for our dog:

  • 100 grams of rice (better if it is whole grain)
  • 200 grams of chicken meat
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 egg

Depending on the size of your dog, the amount obtained will be enough for several days, so you should know how much your dog has to eat per day to calculate the grams, since if you offer more than it needs, even if the dish is healthy , you will be promoting overweight.

Once you have the ingredients, follow these steps:

  1. Bring boil the rice following the instructions on the package depending on the type of rice chosen.
  2. Peel, clean and cut the carrot into cubes.
  3. Clean the egg to remove the invisible remains of feces.
  4. Cut the chicken into small cubes so that your dog can eat them.
  5. Halfway through cooking the rice, add the other ingredients. So that you can get a rough idea of ​​the time, in general, brown rice requires about 20 minutes of cooking over medium heat.
  6. When all the contents have finished cooking, just strain the excess water and wait for it to cool.
  7. When it is ready, you can peel and chop the boiled egg, or crush it with the shell included and mix everything, since the properly ground shell offers many benefits. 

Rice with vegetables recipe for dogs

Rice with vegetables can be offered to convalescent dogs or to complement meat or fish portions if they follow a homemade diet. 

How to make rice for dogs with diarrhea?

Rice is usually the most recommended food in cases of diarrhea in dogs because it helps solidify the feces and restore intestinal transit. To do this, the most advisable thing is to give the dog cooked rice without anything during the first day, adding at most a splash of olive oil and some pieces of carrot also cooked. If we observe that the animal assimilates it well and begins to form thicker and more consistent feces, we can add chicken or turkey (always boiled) and keep the diet soft until its transit has been completely regulated, or until the veterinarian tells us to.

But this is not the only way to prepare rice for dogs with diarrhea: water is also an excellent remedy.

Rice water recipe for dogs with diarrhea

This is a very good remedy for dogs with diarrhea, as long as it is not due to a serious pathology or parasite that requires specific treatment. Its preparation method is very simple. Before starting with the step by step, it is important to indicate that it is not recommended to add salt or oil to this recipe. To prepare boiled rice for dogs and remove its water, follow these steps:

  1. Bring to boil 4 cups of water in a pot.
  2. When the water reaches boiling point, add half a cup of rice.
  3. Stir the mixture to prevent the rice from sticking.
  4. Cook for 20 minutes on low heat.
  5. Finally, you will only have to strain the rice and reserve the water to give it to your dog.

The ideal is to give rice water first to your dog with diarrhea and, the next day, the rice to see how he assimilates the solids. In any case, we insist, we advise consulting with the veterinarian before establishing a soft diet, especially to find out the cause of the diarrhea.

Amount of rice for dogs

Although we know that dogs can eat rice, we must keep in mind that the amount of this food will vary depending on their size and weight. Since it is good for diarrhea, if we exceed the amount we can generate the opposite effect in the dog: constipation. In this way, the doses of rice for dogs that we can offer are:

  • Dogs from 7 to 13 kg, approximately: we can offer you 1 cup or a cup and a half.
  • Dogs from 23 to 32 kg: we can give an amount of 3 cups of white rice for dogs.
  • Dogs from 33 to 44 kg: we can offer approximately 4 cups of rice for dogs.
  • 45 kg dogs: the number of cups can be up to 5.

On the other hand, if we are introducing this food to our dog for the first time, we should offer it in small portions and not every day. Once we have introduced it, we can offer cooked rice frequently, as long as it is balanced with the other nutrients and foods in your diet. 

Can dogs eat rice? - Amount of rice for dogs

Contraindications of white rice for dogs

 

There are no major contraindications to white rice for dogs or brown rice, so at Tecnomd we can suggest that if you have doubts about whether or not to offer rice to your dog, due to some pathology, do not hesitate to consult the .opinion of your trusted veterinarian.