Plain, fully cooked barley is safe in small amounts and is a common carbohydrate in commercial pet foods. Overeating may cause gas or loose stool. Avoid seasoned, salty, or sweet preparations and dishes that include broth, alliums, or added salt.
Barley is a cereal grain harvested from barley grass and sold as whole kernels, pearled, cracked, rolled, or as flour and malt. Pearled barley cooks faster but has less bran than hulled barley.
Barley is used in soups, stews, pilaf, and breakfast cereals and appears in grain blends. It's also malted for beer and whiskey production. Pets encounter it through commercial foods, treats, and table-fed leftovers.
Malt extract and barley syrup are sweetening byproducts used in baked goods and beverages. Barley appears in some dry kibble and limited- ingredient diets as a plant-based carbohydrate source.
