Is Takeout Chinese Fried Rice Bad for Your Dog?
When feeding your dog, you should keep in mind that too spicy or salty foods with a lot of sodium are bad for your pet. Further, Chinese fried rice contains plenty of salt, onions, garlic, MSG and other ingredients that can be toxic and harmful for your dog. And, feeding your pet Chinese fried rice frequently can become a bad feeding habit.
Generally, at a glance, the ingredients in Chinese fried rice can lead you to believe that it may not be so bad for your pooch. After all, the fried rice contains meat, healthy veggies like peas, broccoli, tofu, etc. But, if you take a closer look at what goes into takeout Chinese fried rice, it contains soy sauce, lots of sodium, chili peppers, onions, garlic, fat and not to mention MSG (monosodium glutamate). And, these ingredients can be extremely harmful to your dog.
Besides the harmful ingredients in takeout Chinese fried rice including MSG, the way that the fried rice is prepared is not appropriate for pooches and can cause digestive issues, including diarrhea. Chinese takeout can be a huge contributor to your pet becoming obese. And, if your pooch is already overweight, then if you give him Chinese fried rice frequently, he will not be able to shed the extra pounds.
White Vs. brown rice: Which one is better for dogs?
This is the ultimate dilemma; the debate of feeding white or brown rice to your dog!
Pet owners usually give plain white rice to their dogs when they have an upset stomach. The digested rice helps bind the stool and pass them easily. Brown rice, on the other hand, are more preferred for diabetic, obese, or young dogs.
Brown rice contains more fiber and less glycemic index. Like diet-conscious people who prefer brown rice over white ones, dogs can also have this preference, depending on their overall health and palate. If you are still unsure which type to feed your dog, a call to a responsible vet is always the best option.
Fried rice for dogs: Ingredients to avoid
There is only one ingredient in a traditional fried rice recipe that you should avoid at all costs. Yes, you guessed that right, it’s sodium. Salt/sodium is also called a “white poison”. Excessive use of either is harmful to both humans and canines.
Soy sauce and MSG are other ingredients that have high amounts of sodium. Chinese takeaways have these in heaps. While you may enjoy the flavor, we don’t recommend that you feed these to your dog.
Too much sodium can cause your dog to get high blood pressure. High blood pressure levels are not fun since it results in seizures, diarrhea, and in worst cases, death.
Onions and garlic are also added to fried rice sometimes. These two vegetables contain a compound called N-propyl disulfide, which is toxic to dogs. Never give these vegetables to your pup.