Fruits are packed with minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. They are good for the human body but are they also good for dogs? Here are 7 fruits dogs can eat or not.
Fruits are a surefire food for health conscious individuals, any kind of fruits for that matter. The same is not true for dogs.
There are quite a number of fruits that are safe for dogs to eat. Some fruits however are high in sugar and some can damage your dog’s digestive system. Fruits that are safe for dogs to eat can help aid digestion, improve their skin, strengthen immune system and reduce inflammation.
1. Can Dogs Eat Rambutan?
Rambutan is a hairy fruit with a hard shell. Hair-like tentacles protrude from its shell. It looks strange but nevertheless delicious. Rambutan comes from Southeast Asia and tastes similar to lychees but just a creamier.
The rambutan comes with a white leathery fruit and a hard seed in the center. The fruit is safe for your dog to eat but you should avoid feeding the seed.
The rambutan fruit comes with a lot of health benefits for your dog:
- Rich in Vitamin C to help boost your dog’s immune system.
- High in fiber that aids in the proper digestion of your dog and prevents constipation.
- Aids in getting rid of intestinal parasites.
- A natural antibiotic that fights off bacteria to treat or prevent infection.
- Contains phosphorous for strong bones and teeth.
- Contains anti-oxidants that can aid fight off cancer.
The seeds of the rambutan on the other hand are toxic to dogs.
When your dog eats a rambutan seed he is most likely to get cyanide poisoning because rambutan seeds contain cyanide. Your dog will also be prone to choking and intestinal blockage should he eat rambutan seeds.
Large dogs may not choke on rambutan seeds but they may get stuck in
his large intestine and unable to go through the entire digestive process.
Cyanide poisoning, choking and intestinal blockage are life threatening and require the immediate attention of a vet.
It is therefore important to feed your dog only the flesh of the rambutan fruit and never its seeds. Remove the seeds before serving the rambutan fruit to your dog. Many dogs also like to get into the garbage so it is better to dispose of the garbage where you threw the rambutan seed.
Just like any fruit, feed rambutan to your dog in moderation. Rambutan is a sweet fruit. Too much rambutan may increase your dog’s blood sugar level.
Your dog can eat rambutan but not it seeds. If you however want to make sure, check with your veterinarian before feeding rambutan to your dog.
2. Can Dogs Eat Longan?
Longan is a small rubbery, sweet and transparent fruit. The flesh of the fruit is protected by a light brown and hard shell that is easy to crack. A pit or hard seed is at the center of the fruit.
The longan fruit is from China. It is a popular fruit in India and Southeast Asia and is exported to many parts of the world. This fruit is similar in taste and feel to a lychee.
Many vets do not recommend that you feed your dog longan because of its high sugar content which may cause your dog to have diabetes.
Your dog may enjoy trying to crack and open a longan shell but it is not recommended that you allow your dog to eat the shell and seed of the longan fruit.
The seed or pit of the longan fruit can get jammed in the trachea of your dog and cause suffocation and in some instances gastrointestinal issues which only surgery can treat. Longan seeds are also toxic for your dogs as they contain saponin which can cause your dog to have diarrhea.
You should also never feed the shell of longan to your dog. It is not exactly known if the shell of longan is toxic to your dog. What is however known is eating longan shells may cause your dog to choke.
He will not be able to break up the shell and end up swallowing the large and hard shell that may cause him to choke and or have intestinal blockage.
If you cannot stop your dog from eating longan, make sure to give him only the longan flesh. The fruit should also be completely ripe as unripened fruits can be toxic to your dog. Never give your dog the peel or skin and the pit inside the fruit.
3. Can Dogs Eat Lychee?
Lychee is an extremely popular tropical fruit. It is referred to as the “Chinese strawberry”. This fruit contains many beneficial nutrients. Should you share lychees with your dog?
Ripe lychee is a round fruit which comes with a reddish-brown or pink leathery skin which looks similar to a strawberry. Its juicy, rubbery and white flesh is the edible part of the fruit. This fruit is about the size of a golf ball and is extremely sweet.
Lychees provide a good amount of nutritional benefits for your dog. It contains Vitamin B, Vitamin C, has high fiber content and also contains potassium. Lychee is also a good antioxidant and aids in dealing with inflammation.
The lychee fruit is only safe to eat when ripe. Ripe lychee is pinkish in color while unripe lychee is green in color. It can be poisonous when eaten unripe and can severely affect the levels of blood glucose. Thus, if the fruit needs to be ripe for humans to safely eat, the same goes for your dog.
The flesh of the lychee is safe to feed to your dogs, You should however only give your dog small portions because lychee is high in sugar content which can may your dog have diabetes or may cause him to gain so much weight.
Lychees contain a brown and pretty large seed. The flesh of the lychee surrounds the seed. It should always be removed prior to eating lychees. It does not only taste awful but can also be harmful to the digestive system.
The large seed of the lychee can also cause your dog to choke. It can also cause intestinal blockage. The shell of the lychee fruit can break off into small pieces when your dog eats it but may get stuck in his throat causing him to choke.
If you really want to feed your dog lychees, give him only the flesh of the fruit and in a very small quantity. Never give your dog the whole fruit with the seed and shell. If you are giving your dog lychee for the first time, give him a very small portion to check for any adverse reactions such as allergic reaction, diarrhea, vomiting or worse symptoms.
Lychees can offer your dog a lot of healthful benefits. It is however best to consult your vet before feeding this fruit to your dog.
4. Can Dogs Eat Pomelo?
Pomelo is a big citrus fruit. It is similar to a grapefruit but sweeter and with thicker rind and meat. Pomelo is referred to as the Chinese grapefruit and is grown mainly in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Just like any other citrus fruits, the pomelo is in season during winter.
Being a citrus fruit, the pomelo is rich in Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. it also contains small amounts of potassium, niacin, thiamin, magnesium, copper, manganese and phosphorus. It is rich in carbohydrates and has small amounts of fiber and protein.
Pomelo comes with a sweet and lemony taste. Many people love the taste of the big sections of pomelo because they are so juicy you cannot seem to get enough of it. The question is can you share this fruit with your dog?
Pomelo just like other citrus fruits is extremely acidic and can cause your dog’s tummy to get upset. The fruit itself is not toxic but the seeds, skin and leaves are toxic because of the essential oils and psoralens present in them.
You can smell citrus essential oils on the skin of the fruit. It is highly concentrated and thus used as scent in many household products. Citrus oil extracts found in pomelos can cause low blood pressure, depression, trembling, falling, drooling hypothermia and weakness.
Pomelo is also high in sugar so your dog may have gastrointestinal problems when he gets to eat even just a section of the pomelo. If your dog eats too much pomelo he may have diarrhea, vomiting and most likely photosensitivity.
Pomelos may have toxic effects on your dog so it is best not to share this citrus fruit with your dog. Should your dog however decide to snack on some sections of pomelo, watch out for any symptoms of gastrointestinal issues.
It is important to note that the digestive system of dogs do not work in the same manner as the human digestive system. While pomelo is rich in Vitamin C, dogs do not need a lot of vitamin C because they are able to produce the Vitamin C their body needs.
Your dog can basically tolerate pomelo in small quantities. This citrus fruit can also provide some healthful benefits. It you really want to give your dog some pomelo, make sure to give him the big sections of the fruit minus the peels and the seeds.
5. Can Dogs Eat Kumquats?
Kumquats tress belongs to the citrus specie. The term kumquat means “orange gold” in Chinese. Kumquats are fruits with golden-yellow peels. Some peels of kumquats are reddish-orange in color. They look similar to oval oranges.
The kumquats come with a citrus and sour taste. Its peel however is delicious and sweet. When you eat the entire fruit you will be experiencing a clash between a sweet and sour taste.
The kumquat tree grows in abundance in Florida, California and Texas. Some of these trees are used for ornamental purposes. Some kumquat trees are loved for their fruits. The skin and pulp of this fruit can be eaten by humans.
Kumquats are not classified as being toxic for dogs. Caution however should be taken so your dog does not eat too much of the wood of the fruit as it may cause gut perforation or impaction issues. Dogs love the kumquat fruits better than the tree.
Kumquats are safe for dogs to consumption. This fruit however is high in magnesium and eating too much can cause it to have a laxative effect on your dog. The citrus oil in the rind of the fruit can cause skin irritation in dogs and may affect his liver.
If you really want to feed your dog kumquats, peel them first so you can keep your dog’s tummy safe. When giving kumquats to your dog for the first time start with small portions to test for any allergic reactions.
Since the peel of kumquats are edible, make sure to wash well before feeding to your dog. You need to make sure the peel is free of any pesticides.
6. Can Dogs Eat Loquats?
Loquats also referred to as Japanese plums are smooth yellow or orange fruits that ripen during the spring. This delicious fruit contains one or sometimes more than one extremely large seeds.
Loquats are sweet and contain a lot of nutrients. This
fruit can relieve a cough and is good at quenching thirst. It is also good in
moistening the lungs. Loquats contain Vitamins A, B, C and many more vitamins.
It also contains glucose, fructose, potassium, and iron, phosphorous and iron.
The seeds of loquats are said to be toxic for dogs when
chewed and eaten in very large amounts. If your dog only eats a few loquats he
will most likely just have an upset stomach.
There are a lot of dogs however who are crazy over loquats and thus eating a lot of the food can cause them a lot of harm including shock, difficulty in breathing, vomiting and many more symptoms.
The seeds of loquats are what are dangerous to dogs. The seeds and cores of loquats are toxic to dogs when chewed because they contain cyanide. Cyanide can cause your dog to get poisoned. If your dog accidentally eats loquats seeds he should immediately be taken to the vet. Eating a lot of loquats is also not good for your dog.
Should your dog however swallow loquats seeds whole, without breaking them they will just safely pass through his system and will not affect him in any way.
Loquats often just fall off from the tree and are very attractive to dogs. If you have a loquat tree in your home and have a dog it is best to cordon off the area so your dog does not have access to the fruit.
If you really want to feed your dog loquats, remove the seeds and feed him just the fruit. This way your dog may benefit from the nutrients present in loquats and not be harmed by its toxic seeds.
7. Can Dogs Eat Chikoo?
Chikko or sapota or sapodilla is a tropical evergreen fruit composed of a pulp that is easy to digest. It contains simple sugars such as sucrose and fructose. It is a high calorie fruit- 100 grams of chikoo contains 83 calories making it as sweet as bananas and sweet potatoes.
Each sapodilla or chikoo fruit is a berry. It is oval or round. It usually weighs 150 grams and is often has a diameter of only 10 cm.
The chikoo fruit is rich in Vitamin A
and C. Ripe chikoo is rich in minerals such as copper, potassium and iron which
are essential for good health.
The chikoo fruit is a good laxative as it contains a lot of fiber thus relieving constipation in humans and also dogs. This fruit is also a good antioxidant. Chikoos contain tannin which has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic properties.
Your dog can also gain from the healthy benefits of chikoos. The fruit and flesh of the chikoo are safe for dogs to eat. Offer or allow your dog to eat only small amounts of the flesh and fruit. This fruit is sweet because off its high sucrose and fructose content which may cause harm to your dog.
The brown and dark seeds of chikoo are not edible to humans and should be discarded. Dogs should not be allowed to eat the seeds of chikoos because they are toxic and unsafe. Chikoo seeds contain cyanide and when chewed by dogs can lead to cyanide poisoning which can be fatal.
Before offering chikoo to your dog, thoroughly wash the fruit to get rid of debris and any potential harmful bacteria. If giving chikoo to your dog for the first time give only a tiny portion to test his interest and for any allergic reaction.
Conclusion
It is common for dog owners to spoil their dogs by feeding them some of the food on the table. More often, dog owners may want their pets to have a taste of the sweet fruit they are enjoying. The argument that if it is safe for humans, it must be safe for dogs is a wrong assumption.
It is important to note that the digestive system of dogs is not as strong as the digestive system of humans. The 7 fruits can dogs eat or not should be taken seriously by dog owners. It is important to remember that dogs should never be allowed at all times to chew fruit seeds.