Can Dogs Have Horseradish or Is It Dangerous?
In This Article:
What Is Horseradish? Can Dogs Eat Horseradish? Signs to Watch Out for if Your Dog Eats Horseradish Alternatives to Horseradish for Dogs
Dogs aren’t afraid to ask you for a bit of your dinner. It seems that anything you’re eating, they think they should be eating, too, no matter what that may be. Though most dogs won’t start drooling for horseradish, they may come across it if you share food with them. Fortunately, horseradish isn’t toxic to dogs, but it isn’t a good food for them to eat, either.
What is horseradish?
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a root vegetable belonging to the mustard family. Though it is close cousins with things like wasabi, cabbage, and broccoli, its distinctive pungency makes it seem like a food like no other.
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Common uses of horseradish
Most of the time, horseradish is made into a creamy condiment that adorns roast beef, seafood, sandwiches, or is mixed into a variety of sauces or dips. Its sharp taste and smell makes horseradish a love it or hate it type of food with many types of cuisines embracing it’s intense flavor. You may find horseradish in many British, Jewish, and other European dishes, including drinks.
Nutritional profile
Spicy taste aside, horseradish does contain some nutritional value, and since it’s typically eaten in small quantities, it won’t overload you in the calorie department. Calcium, potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins can be found in horseradish as well as antioxidants and isothiocyanates, which may help protect against big things like infections and cancer.
Can dogs eat horseradish?
Though it’s likely not something your pup is going to want over, say, your pizza crust, there may come a time when you ask yourself if dogs can eat horseradish. Horseradish isn’t toxic but it can cause some problems in your dog depending on how much they eat.
Potential benefits
Horseradish does have some nutritional benefits, such as minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, but the amount your dog can safely eat or that they will want to eat really won’t give them anything more than a possible burning sensation in their mouth and watery eyes.
Potential risks
Remember those isothiocyanates found in horseradish? They do seem to have some anti-cancer possibilities, but they can also cause digestive upset long before reaching therapeutic levels. You see, isothiocyanate is released when horseradish is cut or chewed, and it provides the unique and potent flavor and odor that helps protect the plant from being eaten.
When ingested, it can cause irritation to the mouth, nose, eyes, and every part of the digestive system that it passes through. Your dog may end up with vomiting and diarrhea, along with watery eyes, sneezing, and facial swelling.
Some dogs can have a severe reaction that may include hives and difficulty breathing.
Along with the isothiocyanates in horseradish itself, there may be some concerns with other ingredients used to make a sauce. Things like mayonnaise and sour cream can cause some digestive upset of their own, and can be high in fat and calories that most dogs simply don’t need. There may also be seasonings, such as garlic and onion, that can be dangerous to your dog in high qualities.
Signs to watch out for if your dog eats horseradish
Chances are, your dog’s tastebuds will override their desire to gobble down too much horseradish, but if they happen to get more than a lick, be ready to monitor them for digestive issues, such as drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and swelling of their lips. You may also notice some watery eyes and sneezing if they inhaled a big whiff before tasting. Most of the time, these issues will go away within a day or two with a little TLC.
If your dog happened to wolf down a lot of horseradish, they may have a reaction with more severe digestive signs, or some dogs may have a more serious reaction in general where they break out into hives, facial swelling, or have difficulty breathing. More severe signs need veterinary attention, and if it’s one of the latter three signs, they will need it immediately.
Alternatives to horseradish for dogs
There’s nothing in horseradish that your dog actually needs, especially if they’re already eating high-quality dog food. So, instead of offering your dog up a slice of horseradish root or a spoonful of horseradish sauce, look for other healthy treat options, such as lean, cooked meat, a bit of plain, scrambled egg, or one of the many safe and healthy fruits and vegetables that dogs can eat. There are also many commercial treat options that you may choose, especially if your dog has dietary restrictions. Speak to your vet about good treat options for your pup.
Bottom line
Horseradish is a root vegetable that is most often used as a condiment on things like roast beef, seafood and sandwiches, or made into sauces and dips. It provides many types of cuisines with a pungent, burning odor and taste that is created by isothiocyanate compounds. These compounds can cause irritation to a dog’s mouth, nose, eyes, and digestive system, so it’s recommended to leave horseradish off their regular menu. If your dog happens to eat some horseradish, monitor them for reactions and take them to the veterinarian if reactions are severe.
References
“Isothiocyanates.” Oregon State Univerisity Linus Pauling Institute. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/phytochemicals/isothiocyanatesopens in new tab.
Streit, Lizzie, MS, RDN, LD. “What is Horseradish? Everything You Need to Know.” Healthline. 25 Jul 2019. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/horseradish#benefitsopens in new tab.
