Can dogs eat apples as an addition to their main diet or just a snack? For your pet, a balanced and healthy diet is a must. Adding apples to their daily food consumption may be a good idea, but is it a proper way to serve this fruit? While it’s true that apples for dogs are healthy, there are some things in the fruit that can be harmful to them too. We have prepared some basic information to help you learn how to prepare apples for your pets and why they are good or bad for your pets.
Health benefits of apples for dogs
So why are apples good for dogs? Apples are healthy foods that dogs can enjoy eating. It benefits their physical health and aids in maintaining their overall well-being. Apples provide the necessary nutrients to your pet. Below is a list of various benefits that apples have on canines. These benefits will help your dog live a healthy and active life in the long run:
- Apples can prevent bone and joint diseases in dogs. It is a favorable effect on dog breeds that suffer from such conditions.
- A dog’s gastrointestinal system improves its ability to absorb basic nutrients from food turn it into energy to nourish its body.
- Apples help to clean residues off a dog’s teeth and gives them fresher breath.
- Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids will make your pet’s coat shiny, improve skin quality and prevent any skin allergies.
- Your pet’s bowel movement will benefit from the apples’ dietary fiber making potty time easier for them.
- Various illnesses will afflict dogs as they grow older. It is a part of the natural biology of the canines, but it can be debilitating. Apples have Vitamins A and C and antioxidants that will prevent diseases that come with their old age.
How many apples should I feed to my dog?
When feeding canines, there should be a limit to how much they can eat. Apples are not an exception to this premise. Make sure to serve your pet apples just enough to provide the needed nutrients and keep them well-fed. You can choose to serve apples along with the dog or puppy’s main meal, or you can serve them as treats or snacks. Note that the size of your canine dictates how much apples you can serve it.
Ever heard of the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away?” If you’re going to base it on this saying, then a single apple per day will suffice. Of course, you can feed your dog more than one apple per day, but it could bad for your pet eventually. One or two apples a day is more than enough.
Can dogs eat apples whole and uncut? The dogs can eat apples whole and uncut, but this is not advisable. Remember that apples have core and seeds. The core is a hazard risk so remove it before feeding your puppy or dog. Likewise, apple seeds have cyanide, which is harmful to your pet’s health. Clean up the apple first by removing the core and all its seeds. Then slice the apple into several pieces like say 4 or 5 smaller pieces. This serving method will help your dog eat the apples in a more manageable way. The alternative is to prepare and serve the apple as a sauce. Apple slices and apple sauces are all convenient and easy methods to feed your dog. If you’re going to cook apples for your pet, make sure not to include salt, spices, and sugar.
What are the effects if my dog eats too many apples?
Apples are healthy fruits for your dog only when eaten in moderation. Overdoing the whole apple feeding thing is not beneficial to a dog.
Some dog owners feed their pets apples with seeds still on the fruit. A few apple seeds do not pose a threat to the dog. In fact, the canine body is capable of detoxifying those seeds. However, cyanide accumulation due to eating too much apple with seeds will harm the dog given enough time.
Another problem is when a dog or puppy is eating too many dehydrated apples. Dehydrated apples are the same as regular apples except that the former has no water. Water is critical to your pet’s digestive process when it comes to eating apples. Your canine companion can get an upset stomach due to eating dehydrated apples.
Likewise, apples contain natural sugar, and this can cause some problems with certain dogs. Dogs with diabetes need to avoid too much sugar intake. Pet owners should avoid feeding sugary fruits to their diabetic pets. Alternatively, you can still give them apples sparingly. The same caution also applies to dogs with kidney disease.
Even if your pet has no physical health problems feeding them too many apples will cause problems. Too many apples cause changes in your dog’s digestive process. This can lead to vomiting or diarrhea. Like humans, dogs may suffer from an upset stomach due to over-stuffing with apples. There is also the possibility of an allergic reaction if your pet has certain allergies.
Also, take into account your dog or puppy’s age and activity level. Puppies and younger dogs cannot eat too much food due to their small stomachs. Older dogs, especially the ones who are in old age, no longer have the capacity to eat that much food.
Active dogs will need lots of energy provided by apples (in moderation, of course), while less active dogs don’t need that much power from apples.
Finally, if your pet is having serious health problems with apples or you want an expert’s advice on apple feeding to go and see a veterinarian to help you out.
Can puppies eat apples safely?
Can dogs eat apples safely? Yes, they can. But you will wonder what about puppies? Can they eat apples safely like adults? The answer is a definite yes. Still, you need to know a few things about feeding apples to puppies.
If your puppy is reluctant to eat apples, you may introduce the fruit to its diet slowly. Give the pup enough time to get used to eating apples. This method of introducing your pet to apples can be part of puppy training sessions. In fact, you can give apples mixed in reward treats for the pup.
If the puppy likes to eat apples, then giving it some during meals or snacks is easy. However, teething pups will not be able to chew on apples even if you slice them into little pieces. If this is the situation, try serving the apples as frozen treats like ice cream or turning them into applesauce. Remember not to overdo giving your pet puppy apples since it is not good for its health. Moderation in all things is still necessary.
Why are apple seeds bad for dogs?
Can dogs eat apples safely as whole fruit, or do you feed them just parts of it? Good question. An apple is a good source of nutrients for dogs, but it does have some parts that you do not want to feed your pet.
The first thing to remember is to feed dogs apples in moderation. Similar to other fruits or food, you should always practice moderation when feeding them to your pooch. This way, you do not have to worry about overfeeding them. Each dog is different; thus, their body’s reaction to apples can differ. If your canine pet is not used to digesting apples, then introduce the fruit to them slowly and gradually. If your puppy or dog had cancer or diabetes, withhold feeding then apples until you can consult a vet on what to do.
Before serving apples to your dog, make sure to remove the core and seeds. The apple’s core is a choking hazard, and if your puppy or dog has a narrow throat, it could be trouble. Next, the seeds may not immediately cause harm to your pooch, but it can soon cause problems in their health. The apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide. It can accumulate in your dog’s body and become toxic to them. It will harm the dog’s health and in worse cases, it can cause their untimely death.
Are apples safe for dogs to eat? Yes, they are safe for dogs, but just remember to take out the core and seeds. If you are wondering what kinds of apples are good for dogs, I suggest sweet apples instead of sour apples. Sweet apples tend to be more delicious to a dog’s taste buds compared to sour apples.
List of vitamins from apples that is good for dogs
You can find many useful and healthy vitamins in an apple. These vitamins, along with other extras, are good for humans, and they’re also good for dogs. Here is a list of them:
- Vitamin A – enhances a dog’s immune system and improves their coat and skin.
- Vitamin C – Aids in the development of bones in muscles in growing puppies. Older dogs also benefit from an enhanced immune system and prevention from common diseases.
- Soluble high-content fiber–Fiber with water helps with the dog’s digestion. It also increases the water content and bulk of a canine’s intestines. The result in firm stool, regular bowel movements and prevents constipation.
- Low proteins – Proteins are abundant in meat. Eating an excess of it can cause weight gain and obesity. Apples, on the other hand, do not have the same volume of proteins as meat.
- Low calories – Same thing with low proteins. However, if your dog is an active pet, you may need to increase its calorie intake.
- Low sodium – Being low in sodium, dogs can freely eat apples. It will not disrupt their system, nor will it cause sodium-related health conditions.
- Essential fatty acids – Omega-3 and Omega-6 are some examples of essential fatty acids. These are responsible for improving a dog’s skin, maintains the shiny look of a dog’s coat and stops skin allergies from happening.
- Antioxidants –Free radicals damage the cells of a dog or a puppy’s body. Antioxidant fights these free-radicals. Likewise, it also helps in bone development, improves eyesight, bolsters the immune system, and prevents chronic illness in dog breeds. A little tip: antioxidants are also present in vegetables and other fruits.
Can dogs eat apples safely and enjoy various health benefits? Yes, apples can be a good reason to add these fruits to your puppy or dog’s diet. Just make sure not to feed your pet too much apple to the point of ignoring other foods.
As the old saying goes: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This saying applies to humans, but there’s no reason that it does not apply to dogs or puppies. Giving your pet moderate amounts of apple will save you a lot of expenses in maintaining its health. More so, apples and other healthy fruits are the safest and natural ways of keeping them healthy. Every dog deserves the best things for them, and the apple is definitely one of the best things.
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