Food safety
Can Dogs Eat Asparagus? Yes, Cooked and Chopped
Yes, dogs can eat asparagus. The spears are not toxic, and lightly cooked, chopped asparagus is a low-calorie vegetable most dogs can handle. Raw spears are tough and stringy, so cooking and cutting them small lowers the choking risk. The part to worry about is in the garden: the feathery asparagus fern and its berries are toxic to dogs. Skip butter, oil and hollandaise when you share.
By Matt GarnettUpdated November 13, 20264 min read2 sources
Why asparagus spears are safe
Asparagus is a low-calorie vegetable with fiber, folate and vitamins A, C, E and K. The AKC confirms it is not toxic to dogs, and there is nothing in a plain cooked spear that a healthy dog cannot digest in small amounts.
It is not an especially useful food for dogs either. Most of the benefit of a vegetable treat is that it replaces something richer. If your dog enjoys a bit of steamed asparagus instead of a packaged snack, that is a sensible swap.
The asparagus fern warning
Asparagus fern is the feathery foliage the plant grows once the spears are left to mature, and it is also sold as an ornamental houseplant. The ASPCA lists asparagus fern as toxic to dogs and cats: eating the berries can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and repeated contact with the plant can cause skin irritation.
If you grow asparagus, fence the bed once the spears have gone to fern and pick up fallen berries in late summer. If your dog chewed the fern or berries and is vomiting or seems sore, call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435; a fee may apply.
How to prepare asparagus for your dog
Snap off the woody bottom of each spear, then boil or steam the rest for three to five minutes until tender. The AKC recommends cooking it plain, without butter or cooking oil, which can upset a dog's stomach. Cool it and cut it into pieces about half an inch long.
Raw asparagus is very hard to chew, and a dog that swallows a long piece can gag or choke. If you do offer it raw, chop it into small rounds. Never give asparagus wrapped in bacon, roasted with garlic or covered in hollandaise sauce.
For dogs that gulp anything new, a slow feeder bowl or a lick mat keeps portions small and eating slow.
How much asparagus by dog weight
Keep vegetables within the 10 percent of daily calories set aside for treats. A rough guide: under 20 lb, one or two short pieces; 20 to 50 lb, a quarter to half of a spear's worth; over 50 lb, one or two spears, chopped.
Offer a small amount the first time. Asparagus can cause gas in some dogs, and the AKC notes it can also make urine smell strong, just as it does in people. That smell is harmless but it is useful to know it is coming.
Asparagus for puppies
A weaned puppy can try a little soft, well-cooked asparagus tip, which is the most tender part of the spear. Mash it or chop it very finely so it cannot catch in the throat, and give it on its own on a day when nothing else is new.
Vegetables should stay an occasional extra for puppies, who need a complete puppy food for growth. Keep puppies well away from asparagus beds and fern houseplants, since young dogs chew on everything.
Signs asparagus disagreed with your dog
Too much asparagus can cause gas, vomiting or loose stool within a few hours. Those usually pass within a day. Stringy raw pieces occasionally make a dog gag; if that happens and the piece comes up, your dog will usually settle quickly.
Call your vet the same day if your dog keeps retching, vomits repeatedly, has trouble breathing, or ate fern berries and is drooling, vomiting or seems painful in the belly. Bring a photo or a sprig of the plant if you can.
Other green vegetables to try
Green beans, cucumber slices and steamed broccoli florets are all easy alternatives that dogs tend to like. Serve them plain and cut to a safe size, and keep broccoli to small amounts because it can upset the stomach.
Avoid onions, garlic, leeks and chives in any form, which damage a dog's red blood cells, and be careful with mixed vegetable dishes that may contain them.
This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.
Common questions
Can dogs eat raw asparagus?
They can, but it is tough and stringy, which makes it harder to chew and easier to choke on. Lightly steaming or boiling it and chopping it into short pieces is the safer way to share.
Can dogs eat asparagus ends?
The woody ends are not toxic, but they are very fibrous and hard to digest. Snap them off and throw them away, and give your dog the tender upper part of the spear instead.
Is asparagus fern toxic to dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists asparagus fern as toxic to dogs. Eating the berries can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Keep dogs away from garden asparagus that has gone to fern and from fern houseplants.
Why does my dog's pee smell after eating asparagus?
Asparagus contains sulfur compounds that are broken down and passed in urine, which gives it a strong smell. It is harmless and fades within a day. Call your vet if the smell lasts or comes with straining.
Can dogs eat roasted asparagus?
Only if it was roasted plain. Most roasted asparagus is cooked with oil, butter, salt, garlic or parmesan, which can upset a dog's stomach or cause harm. Set aside a few plain spears before seasoning.
Sources we checked
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell or injured, contact your veterinarian.
