The Answer
In short, if you are wondering if your dog can eat kale, the answer is yes, but in moderation. Like all other things, dogs should not eat an excess of kale. Kale is high in calcium, and can lead to kidney/bladder stones if eaten in excess for long periods of time.
More Information About Kale For Dogs
If your dog enjoys eating greens, or you would like to introduce more greens into your dogs diet, giving your dog small amounts of kale could be a good idea. Although dogs may not be drawn to eat kale when living in the wild, many dogs actually enjoy the taste. Because of the high calcium in kale, you should not feed dogs large quantities, and only on occasion.
It is important to note that the safe amount of kale is dependent on the size of your dog. While large dogs can safely eat a larger quantity of kale, small dogs should not be given much. With that said, you should not be giving your dog more than a couple leaves once a week.
Positive And Negative Properties Of Kale For Dogs
Kale is actually very healthy and contains many nutrients that dogs require. It is high in vitamins K and C, and it is high in calcium, potassium and magnesium. Being high in fiber it can help maintain a healthy bowel movement in your dog.
Being high in calcium, if kale is eaten by a dog in excess over a long period of time, kidney/bladder stones can form in your dog causing pain and in extreme cases a need for surgery.
My Dog Ate Kale, Now What?
If your dog happened to go grab a head of kale and eat it, you should not be too worried. It may cause your dog to become bloated, and pass gas, however it should not have lasting effects. You should not allow your dog to eat a lot of kale regularly, due to a risk of causing kidney and bladder stones.
What Is Kale?
Kale is a type of hardy cabbage. It produces stems with large leaves and no compact head. It has green, or purple leaves, and are considered to be closer to a wild cabbage rather than domesticated form of cabbage.
Kale In Dog Treats
After kale’s recognition for being a super food, many dog treats started to use kale as an ingredient. Although not all dogs enjoy the taste of kale, if your dog does, it can be a great way to introduce more vitamins and minerals to your dog. Keep in mind that treats that contain a large amount of kale should not be given to your dog regularly.
Kale Salads
Although kale itself is not in itself harmful to dogs, if kale is from a salad with other ingredients, or has any dressing on it, you should read about the other ingredients and the ingredients used in the dressing, as some may be harmful for dogs.
Kale Nutritional Information
Although like anything natural, the nutritional information will be different between plants, the average information is listed below.
1 cup of kale (67g) has the following nutritional information:
Calories: 33
Fat: 0.6g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 25.5mg
Potassium: 329mg
Protein: 2.9g
In Conclusion
Although kale is nutritious, it is not a stable supplement for dogs. Kale should only be given to dogs occasionally, and in small amounts. If you gave your dog some kale, you do not have to worry, but you should not be giving your dog kale very often.
I make kale shakes for myself a lot, I split some on the ground and my dog licked it up. I will ensure I am more careful from now on, last thing I want is for my dog to get a kidney stone :s
I have heard Kale is a super food. Funny because no one ever ate it just a few years ago. I guess the high calcium that is healthy for humans is not the same for dogs. Good to know.