Can my dog eat spinach?
Can dogs eat spinach?In moderation
Cooked, chopped, unseasoned; with kidney problems or bladder stones, ask your vet first.
Yes, dogs can eat spinach in small amounts. It isn't toxic to dogs, but it contains a lot of oxalic acid. This binds calcium, and large amounts can damage the kidneys. Dogs with healthy kidneys process small amounts without any problems. Give spinach cooked, finely chopped and without salt, cream, butter or garlic – so no creamed spinach. If your dog is prone to bladder or kidney stones or has kidney disease, ask your vet first.
How much spinach can your dog eat?
Enter the weight – the amount updates straight away. You can adjust age, activity and neutering below.
How the calculator works
- Daily requirement: Resting energy requirement 70 × 15 kg^0.75 ≈ 534 kcal × factor 1.6 ≈ 855 kcal.
- Treat allowance: at most 10% of that = 86 kcal for all treats combined.
- Calorie limit: 86 kcal ÷ 23 kcal/100 g = 374 g of spinach.
- Guide value for dogs 10–25 kg: ½ × teaspoon of spinach (cooked, chopped) at 4 g each = 2 g (guide value from the source).
- Recommendation: the smaller of the two, rounded down to half portions → ½ × 4 g = 2 g ≈ 0 kcal.
Sources: 10% rule from the WSAVA guide to treats · kcal value: USDA FoodData Central. Daily requirement as in the dog calorie calculator.
Result · 15 kg · Adult
Up to ½
teaspoon of spinach (cooked, chopped) on a snack day
(≈ 2 g, 0 kcal)
How often: Only now and then as a small extra, not every day. All treats together should make up no more than 10% of daily calories. Spinach isn't necessary: a balanced dog food already provides all the nutrients your dog needs.
Treat allowance 86 kcal (10% of 855 kcal) · 1 teaspoon of spinach (cooked, chopped) ≈ 4 g
Limited by: guide value
Here the guide value for dogs 10–25 kg sets the limit (guide value from the source): at most ½ teaspoon of spinach (cooked, chopped). In terms of calories, up to 374 g would be possible.
According to PetMD (vet-reviewed) for steamed, chopped spinach: ¼ teaspoon up to about 9 kg, ½–1 teaspoon up to about 23 kg, ½ tablespoon (1½ teaspoons) up to about 41 kg, 1 tablespoon above that. We use the lower value.
This applies if it's the only snack that day – if your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
The app calculates recipes in grams, kcal and portions to suit your dog's weight, age, activity and allergies.Spinach for dogs: amount by weight
| Weight | Maximum per snack day | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | 1 g | ≈ 0 |
| 10 kg | 1 g | ≈ 0 |
| 20 kg | ½ teaspoon of spinach (cooked, chopped)≈ 2 g | ≈ 0 |
| 30 kg | 1½ × teaspoon of spinach (cooked, chopped)≈ 6 g | ≈ 1 |
| 40 kg | 1½ × teaspoon of spinach (cooked, chopped)≈ 6 g | ≈ 1 |
- All snacks together no more than 10% of daily calories (WSAVA recommendation). If your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
- Guide value per weight class – small up to 10 kg, medium 10–25 kg, large over 25 kg: According to PetMD (vet-reviewed) for steamed, chopped spinach: ¼ teaspoon up to about 9 kg, ½–1 teaspoon up to about 23 kg, ½ tablespoon (1½ teaspoons) up to about 41 kg, 1 tablespoon above that. We use the lower value.
What's in it
- Low in calories: around 23 kcal and 0.3 g of fat per 100 g when cooked; a teaspoon has just under 1 kcal.
- Provides vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, iron and magnesium, as well as beta-carotene.
- Contains fibre, which stimulates digestion.
What to watch out for
- Spinach contains a lot of oxalic acid. Soluble oxalates bind calcium and magnesium and can hinder calcium absorption. The resulting calcium oxalate is excreted via the kidneys; large amounts can damage them.
- If your dog has had calcium oxalate stones before, oxalate-rich foods such as spinach should be avoided altogether. If it is prone to bladder or kidney stones, talk to your vet first.
- If your dog has kidney disease, only give spinach after checking with your vet. If your dog is on a vet-prescribed diet, PetMD says no other treats should be given alongside it.
- Raw spinach is hard to digest, and too much at once can upset the stomach.
- Don't give creamed spinach: it contains cream, oil, salt, sugar and seasoning. Some dogs can't tolerate lactose, and cream can upset their stomach.
- Garlic and onions are toxic to dogs. Pan-fried spinach with garlic or onions is therefore off limits.
- Tinned spinach is usually heavily salted and therefore unsuitable; too much salt can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
- According to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), cooked spinach shouldn't be kept warm for long: in warm conditions, microorganisms can convert nitrate into nitrite, which interferes with oxygen transport in the blood. Cool leftovers quickly and keep them in the fridge.
How to prepare spinach
How to do it
- Use fresh spinach, or frozen leaf spinach that lists only spinach as an ingredient
- Wash fresh spinach thoroughly to rinse off soil, germs and pesticide residues
- Cook for about 2 minutes in plenty of rapidly boiling water, or steam it, without salt
- Pour away the cooking water, as some of the oxalic acid and nitrate ends up in it
- Leave to cool, squeeze out and chop finely
- Mix into your dog's normal food and give only a little the first time
Better not
- Creamed spinach, or spinach with cream, butter, cheese or oil
- Spinach with garlic, onions, salt or seasoning
- Tinned spinach
- Spinach dishes from the table such as dumplings, spaetzle, tortellini or spinach dip
- Keeping cooked spinach warm for a long time – cool leftovers quickly and put them in the fridge
- Spinach without checking with your vet if your dog has oxalate stones or kidney disease, or is on a prescription diet
How often?
Only now and then as a small extra, not every day. All treats together should make up no more than 10% of daily calories. Spinach isn't necessary: a balanced dog food already provides all the nutrients your dog needs.
Frequently asked questions about spinach
Can dogs eat raw spinach?
Raw leaves aren't toxic, but they are hard for dogs to digest. It's better to give spinach cooked and finely chopped. Raw spinach also contains the full amount of oxalic acid; when it is boiled in water, much of it passes into the cooking water.
Can dogs eat cooked spinach?
Yes, cooked is the better choice. PetMD recommends steaming, because boiling in water loses nutrients. Brief boiling has a different advantage: in one study, spinach lost more than half of its soluble oxalic acid and some of its nitrate after 2 minutes in rapidly boiling water. Pour the cooking water away. Either method is fine as long as you don't add anything.
Can dogs eat creamed spinach?
No, creamed spinach isn't suitable: it contains, for example, cream, rapeseed oil, flour, milk powder, salt, sugar, pepper and seasoning. If your dog has snatched a spoonful, keep an eye on it. Call your vet if it vomits or gets diarrhoea, or if there was garlic or onion in it; both are toxic to dogs.
Can dogs eat baby spinach?
Yes, just like regular spinach: in small amounts, ideally cooked and chopped. Baby spinach is simply young spinach leaves, and they contain oxalic acid too. Raw in a salad, it is hard to digest, and dressing is off limits for dogs.
Can dogs eat frozen spinach?
Yes, if the packet lists only spinach, as with frozen leaf spinach without additives. Cooked, cooled and chopped, give it just like fresh spinach. Frozen creamed spinach or spinach with herbs and garlic isn't suitable.
Can my dog eat reheated spinach?
Leftovers are fine if you cooled them quickly after cooking and kept them in the fridge. The BfR advises against keeping cooked spinach warm for long, because nitrite can form in warm conditions. You don't need to reheat anything for your dog: it gets the spinach cooled.
Can a dog with kidney problems or bladder stones eat spinach?
Only after checking with your vet. With calcium oxalate stones, vets advise avoiding oxalate-rich foods such as spinach, beetroot, nuts and rhubarb altogether. If your dog is on a prescription diet, PetMD says no other treats should be given alongside it.
Can my dog eat spinach every day?
No. Spinach is an occasional extra in small amounts. The AKC advises small amounts at long intervals, because the oxalic acid can put a strain on the kidneys if given continuously. A balanced dog food provides all the nutrients anyway.
How much oxalic acid is in spinach?
In a Japanese study, raw spinach contained 413 to 504 mg of soluble oxalic acid per 100 g; older measurements found 500 to 800 mg of oxalic acid, depending on growing conditions and season. After 2 minutes in boiling water, more than half of the soluble oxalic acid had been released – 72% for pieces cut to 1 cm.
Why is oxalic acid a problem for dogs?
Soluble oxalates bind calcium and magnesium. The resulting calcium oxalate is excreted via the kidneys, and large amounts can damage them. In dogs prone to calcium oxalate stones, oxalate-rich food can contribute to stone formation. According to PetMD, a small portion is fine for healthy dogs; it only becomes a concern in very large amounts.
How do I recognise bladder stones in a dog?
The most common signs are blood in the urine and straining to wee, similar to cystitis. If your dog can't pass any urine at all, it's an emergency. Small breeds such as the Miniature Schnauzer, Shih Tzu, Bichon Frisé, Lhasa Apso and Yorkshire Terrier are often affected.
Is spinach healthy for dogs?
It provides vitamins, iron and fibre, but your dog doesn't need it. A balanced dog food already covers its needs, and PetMD doesn't consider it necessary to add spinach regularly. As a small extra now and then, it's fine for healthy dogs.
How many calories does spinach have?
Cooked spinach has around 23 kcal per 100 g, and a teaspoon of about 4 g has just under 1 kcal. So with spinach, it's not the calories that limit the amount, but the oxalic acid.
Similar foods
- In moderationVegetablesBroccoliRaw or cooked, unseasoned, only a few small pieces; chop stalks finely or leave them out.See the answer
- In moderationVegetablesPeasFresh, frozen or cooked without salt; no tinned peas and no pea soup.See the answer
- YesVegetablesCarrotRaw or cooked, without salt, butter or seasoning, in small pieces; not carrot cake.See the answer
- In moderationVegetablesPotatoOnly cooked and peeled; raw, green and sprouting potatoes contain solanine.See the answer
- YesVegetablesCourgetteRaw or cooked, without oil or seasoning; never feed courgettes that taste bitter.See the answer
- In moderationVegetablesBeetrootCooked or finely grated, unseasoned and not every day; nothing from a jar, no juice.See the answer
Sources
- Can Dogs Eat Spinach? – PetMD (vet-reviewed)
- Can Dogs Eat Spinach? – American Kennel Club (AKC)
- Calcium Oxalate Bladder Stones in Dogs – VCA Animal Hospitals
- Understanding and Addressing Canine Calcium Oxalate Urolithiasis (Cook, Atiee; peer-reviewed) – Today’s Veterinary Practice (2026)
- Changes in Oxalate, Nitrate, and Lutein Contents in Whole and Cut Spinach Boiled with Different Additives – Food Science and Technology Research 25(6), 2019
- Nitrat und Nitrit in Gemüse (FAQ) – Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR)
- iglo Rahm-Spinat, portionierbar: Zutaten und Nährwerte – Knuspr (product page)
- Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt (SR Legacy, FDC 168463) – USDA FoodData Central
- Feeding treats to your dog – WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee (10% rule in the calculator)
Reviewed on · DoggoMeal editorial team
This page is no substitute for veterinary advice. Dogs with pre-existing conditions – for example of the kidneys, liver or pancreas, or with diabetes – and dogs with allergies often need their own rules. If your dog has symptoms or you're unsure, ask your vet.
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