Is Parsley Good For Dogs?

May 18, 2020 | Pet Health, Pets

I’ve been talking about starting my own (in-house) herb garden for a while now and I finally did it!  Honestly, I was nervous but I have no idea why because there is nothing to it but buying your containers, purchasing your desired herb packets and following the directions.  I just had to pick the perfect spot for my herbs to grow and a place that gets lots of light.  Our mudroom is the perfect spot.  Although my budding herb garden takes up my laundry folding space, they get lots of light and my sink is on the opposite which makes it convenient for watering.  I chose parsley, basil, oregano, and sage but my parsley is growing the fastest.  The idea of having fresh herbs got us thinking about growing fresh vegetables and now we are talking about ordering a green house.  I’ll keep you posted on that!!
 

Jake...parsley is good for you!

Really mom???

Parsley is an herb I use in most of my dishes and loved the combination of garlic salt, parsley, pepper, and oregano.  I found these pots and herb packets on Amazon and love them.  I was so excited when they came in because they are great quality and match my mudroom.  I’ve started “Friday Treats” and every Friday you will get a dog recipe in your email box and now I can experience with recipes containing parsley and other herbs.  But before I go getting crazy with recipe ideas, I wanted to do my research on whether dogs can eat parsley and this is what I found!  This is a great article (Read more at: https://wagwalking.com/wellness/benefits-of-parsley-for-your-dog) for herbal recipes using parsley for dog related ailments.
 
It is very important to know that flat leaf parsley should never be given to dogs or given to dogs who are pregnant as you will read over again below!  Keep that in mind when going to the grocery store and stay with the curly kind!!!!!  I found several posts containing good recourses and wanted to include them for you.  Note:  I am showing a packet of flat leaf parsley which is being grown for human recipes only.  I’m mostly using this herb in sauces and dips and will not use the flat leaf parsley in my dog treats if I choose to make any.  I was recently contacted and asked to clarify this as you can see by the comments below.  
 
Parsley is a fresh-tasting herb that is found in gardens all over the country. Not only is it good for humans, it’s pretty great for dogs as well! The high contents of chlorophyll (the green, blood-like pigment in plants) in parsley make it excellent for improving the health of blood cells. It also acts as a diuretic (something that increases urine production) which makes it perfect for flushing waste out of the body.   Parsley has been found to have both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, making it a good substance for dogs who suffer from UTIs or arthritis to consume. These frilly little leaves are packed with vitamins, including vitamin K which has been shown to help destroy inflammatory cells and improve the blood’s ability to clot. Parsley works as an excellent tonic, preventing many health issues from starting or getting worse.
  
Parsley Tea – Brewing a concentrated parsley tea may take the better part of an afternoon to complete, but you can freeze your final product for months worth of use! To make the tea, you need one large bunch of fresh or dried parsley for every quart of boiling water that is added. The tea should then sit covered for up to four hours. The mixture can then be returned to the stove to simmer at a low heat for an additional hour. This super strong concoction can be poured into ice cube trays and placed in the freezer for easy-to-grab parsley packages that can be melted in your dog’s food at a rate of about one teaspoon for every ten pounds of dog. 
 
Parsley Soup – This method is ideal for treating dogs with a urinary tract infection, and works best when given on an empty stomach. Using a blender or juicer, mix together fresh parsley leaves with water, about one part leaves for every one part of water. At a rate of 1 teaspoon for every 20 pounds of dog, administer the green soup to your four-legged friend. If your dog isn’t so crazy about the taste, try adding the soup into its water dish, or as a last measure, over your dog’s food.
 
Fresh Leaves – Giving your dog fresh cut parsley leaves as a part of its regular diet is another way to get the goodness of this super plant into pet. The leaves work best if they are chopped very finely and mixed into your dog’s meal. This can be done about twice a week for maximum health benefits. To keep your parsley fresh, dry off the leaves and cut the ends of the stems off. Place the stems in a cup with a small amount of water at the bottom, and replace the water regularly. The leaves should stay fresh for up to two weeks by using this method.  
 
Safety Precautions – When deciding which type of parsley to use in your dog’s health regime, be sure to use cooking herbs and opt for the curly variety if possible. The seeds of the plant should be avoided, as they can be toxic for pups at high doses! Steer clear of spring parsley, also known as “wild carrot”, which is toxic to dogs and many other animals. Pregnant dogs should not consume parsley, as it can cause contractions to start. Parsley makes a great doggy breath freshener, as it gets rid of the nasty bacteria that causes bad breath, so look for treats that contain the herb to make doggy kisses less scary. To fight against infections, inflammation and even cancer, a daily dose of parsley shows promise for dogs of all ages.
Another great article (https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/is-parsley-good-for-my-dog/) for using parsley for pets who have arthritis:  For arthritis, you can make a tea of the dried or freshly grated root. Give 1-2 tablespoons of the tea per day to your dog. You can also give in tincture form at 1-2 milliliters per 30 pounds of weight.
 
According to this article (https://www.thefarmersdog.com/digest/superfoods-kitchen-parsley-for-dogs/) via Farmer’s Dog, When it comes to parsley for dogs, you should only feed the curly variety. Watch those serving sizes, as parsley does contain a toxic compound called furanocoumarin which can be dangerous in excessive amounts. In smaller servings, however, parsley does your dog more good than harm.
 
When reading Natural Dog Health Remedies (https://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/parsley-benefits.html), it gives some simple recipes that I will have to dive deeper into my research for you when using parsley.  I would have never thought to use parsley for bee stings or to aid in helping older dogs suffering from cancer.  Dogs with Cancer: Parsley adds nutrients to a dog’s diet, and it also has anti-cancerous properties as it has been found to inhibit cancer growth!  Dogs Stung by Bees: If your dog has been stung by a bee, you can mash a handful of fresh parsley with a little bit of water and rub it on the bee sting. This remedy not only eliminates some of the pain, but also neutralizes the poison.
 
This article also talks about safety precessions using essential oils topically on pregnant dogs:

Also, do not use the essential oils of either parsley seed or parsley leaf topically on all dogs, especially pregnant dogs. More importantly, do not allow dogs to ingest either of these oils as oral dose is poisonous (to both dogs and people) – toxic to the liver, kidneys, heart and digestive system.

You Might Also Like

Your Dog’s Zodiac Sign

Your Dog’s Zodiac Sign

Happy Wednesday everyone!  Ever wonder what your pet's reaction means to something?  Your Dog's Zodiac Sign is a fun post that sheds light on their behavior based on the month they were born.  Jake and Maggie are Gemini's born June 8, 2017!  The horoscope (see chart)...

The Stigma Surrounding The Pitbull Breed

The Stigma Surrounding The Pitbull Breed

Happy Wednesday everyone!  Today on the blog we are talking about The Stigma Surrounding The Pitbull Breed.  For those of you who have never owned a Pitbull, I want to tell you that they are a wonderful breed.  So when I heard about the UK banning all XL bully dog...

What Do You Think? Let Us Know!

2 Comments

  1. kitty

    ive read some of your referenced articles on curly versus flat parsely but im still looking for the reason why curly is better. im also confused about your growing parsely to share with your pets and then showing picture of flat leaf parsely on seed packet in front of pot of parsely. i know that parsely of both varieties seem to have shared properties and benefits. i would really appreciate help in understanding why one kind is preferable over the other. please help. there is so much information out there, its hard to discern accurate from incomplete or simply anecdotal.

    Reply
    • Bobbi

      Hello Kitty. Thank you for reading my post and asking a great question. There is so much information that I can honestly do another post on Parsley being safe for your dog. Give me a few days and I will put another post together or update this one for you and send it to your email address if you would like. First, I stated but did not clarify I was growing an herb garden but for my husband and I and that the flat leaf parsley I used was not being used in my homemade dog treats. I had intentions to use my fresh herbs but I did not use any of these herbs in the dogs food or treats. I mainly used them to make sauces and dips for us humans. I’ve done some research for you and this is what I found:

      https://www.redbarn.com/blogs/blog/the-incredible-benefits-of-parsley-for-your-pet – Parsley is also rich in folic acids and antioxidants. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help promote good kidney health and antimicrobial properties that promote good urinary health. See what we mean? Super-herb! While the curly-leafed variety of parsley is good for your pet, the ASPCA considers ‘Spring Parsley’ to be toxic in large amounts. Parsley is high in fiber and a diuretic, meaning it helps the body flush out fluids and move foods through the digestive tract. If your dog has kidney problems, you might want to avoid parsley.

      While the curly-leafed variety of parsley is good for your pet, the ASPCA considers ‘Spring Parsley’ to be toxic in large amounts. Parsley is high in fiber and a diuretic, meaning it helps the body flush out fluids and move foods through the digestive tract. If your dog has kidney problems, you might want to avoid this ingredient.

      https://wagwalking.com/condition/spring-parsley-poisoning – Plants in the Cymopterus genus are often collectively known as spring parsleys. There are approximately 35 – 50 varieties of stemless perennial herbs that grow close to the ground throughout western North America. They are a different plant than the parsley we typically use as a culinary ingredient (Petroselinum crispum), although both are in the Apiaceae family, and can contain a type of chemical compound called furanocoumarins. These compounds can cause severe photosensitivity in extremely high doses.

      Spring parsleys are plants in the Cymopterus genus, separate from the type of parsley usually found in the kitchen. Both parsley and spring parsley can become cause photosensitivity in massive doses.

      From what I’m reading and what I can find on flat leaf parsley is that and taken directly from the web: When it comes to parsley for dogs, you should only feed the curly variety. Watch those serving sizes, as parsley does contain a toxic compound called furanocoumarin which can be dangerous in excessive amounts. In smaller servings, however, parsley does your dog more good than harm.

      So the key words are “in excessive amounts”. And because parsley is a diuretic, you wouldn’t want to give it to your pet who has kidney problems. I also think that any parsley in large quantity would not be good. We can also see that flat leaf parsley looks different than curly or spring leaf so it is easy to decipher the difference easily and know to stay away from flat leaf. I will also clarify the picture I posted in my blog as well. Good catch on that and thanks for letting me know.

      If you are interested in making homemade dog treats for your pet, I would recommend these three books: Easy Dog Food Recipes by Scott Shanahan, Homemade Cooking For Your Dog by Christine M. Filardi, and The Ultimate Pet Health Guide by Gary Richter. I will be using and making some of these treat recipes to post on my site for everyone to try for their pet.

      I hope this helps you. Feel free to ask any other questions you may have.

      Bobbi Jo

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.