21/10/2024
Can dogs eat rice? The real question is Should dogs eat rice? Short answer, No. Rice, a grain, holds transformative potential, yet its inherently inflammatory nature necessitates caution. Dogs' digestive systems bravely tackle rice, but struggle to break it down. As a carbohydrate, rice's value is diminished for canine companions, whose nutritional needs prioritize protein. White rice's high glycemic index sparks rapid glucose surges and may cause excess weight gain and possibly diabetes. Thus, for dogs, especially those facing GI tract inflammation, white rice's starchiness makes it unsuitable for dogs, especially a sick dog.
So, what should we feed a sick dog?
According to Dr Karen Becker - boiled fat-free ground turkey or turkey breast and cooked or canned pumpkin;
Why Pumpkin Over Rice as the Foundation of a Bland Diet?
Canned pumpkin (100%) provides about 80 calories and 7 grams of soluble fiber per cup, compared to 1.2 grams of fiber in a cup of cooked white rice. Pumpkin is especially rich in soluble fiber (the type that dissolves in water to form a viscous gel, which also coats and soothes irritated bowels). Soluble fiber delays gastric emptying, slowing down GI transit times (and the number of episodes of diarrhea).
When animals have diarrhea, they can lose important electrolytes, including potassium, which puts them at risk of dehydration. Hypokalemia, or low potassium levels, can result in cramping, fatigue, weakness, and heart rate irregularities. Pumpkin happens to be an excellent source of potassium, with 505 milligrams of naturally occurring potassium per cup. Pumpkin is also safer for diabetic patients. Unlike rice that will ultimately break down into sugar, pumpkin extracts may actually restore beta cell function – beta cells are the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas.
Rice is a bland source of fiber, it isn't the most species-appropriate choice for a recovery diet for carnivores. Firstly, it's an unnecessary food and second dogs and cats don't have a nutritional requirement for grain, so feeding pets a pro-inflammatory food when they're already having GI distress is counter productive for their health.
