Can dogs eat rice and fish curry?

Many dogs in Kerala grow up eating what the family eats: rice, a little fish, sometimes a piece of chicken. Customers often ask if that is all right. The honest answer is that some home food is fine, some is harmful, and a balanced diet needs a little planning. For anything about your own dog’s health, your vet is the right person to ask.

Plain cooked rice is safe for most dogs, and many vets suggest rice with boiled chicken for a few days when a dog has an upset stomach. Plain boiled fish without bones, such as sardine or mackerel, is also fine in small amounts.

The trouble is the curry. Onion and garlic, which are in almost every Kerala curry, are harmful to dogs and cats, even when cooked. So are chilli, a lot of salt, and coconut oil in large amounts, which can upset the stomach. Fish bones can splinter and lodge in the throat. Grapes, raisins, chocolate and sweets with xylitol are dangerous too.

If you want to cook for your dog, make a separate pot: rice, boiled meat or fish, pumpkin or carrot, and no spices, onion or garlic. But home food alone often lacks calcium and some vitamins, so ask your vet about a supplement, or mix home food with a good dry food. We stock small sample packs so you can find one your dog accepts before buying a full bag.