Unlock the nutritional benefits of bananas for your canine friend. Delve into whether dogs can eat bananas and discover the safe and healthy ways to incorporate this tasty fruit into their diet.
Key Takeaways
- Dogs can eat bananas in moderation as a healthy and tasty treat.
- Bananas are rich in potassium, vitamins, and fiber, offering nutritional benefits.
- Remove the peel and serve in small, bite-sized portions for a safe and enjoyable canine snack.
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Can Dogs Eat Bananas?
Yes, dogs can eat bananas. They retain some significant nutrition elements such as potassium, vitamin B6, fibre, Vitamin C, magnesium, and Biotin. In addition, bananas are also high in fibre and low in sodium and cholesterol. Let’s have a look at some benefits of these elements:
- Vitamin B6 – helps with cognitive function and mood, improves the immune system, balances the amino acid levels in the blood and helps protect against infection.
- Potassium – facilitates muscle contraction, helps maintain normal blood pressure, and regulates the level of fluid in the cells.
- Fibre – helps with digestion issues and improves stool health.
- Vitamin C – boosts bone, cartilage and teeth health. It also strengthens dogs’ immune systems, heals wounds quickly, and assists their body in absorbing iron.
- Magnesium – helps with nerve and muscle function, improves heart health, and back energy production, and provides some anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Biotin (Vitamin B7) – beneficial for skin, hair, and nail health. It also helps in boosting immunity, suppress inflammation, and improve brain function.
Looking at the nutrition benefits, it’s obvious why you should serve bananas to the dogs, as the majority of commercial food packs or treats you think of serving the dog may not provide such healthy elements. The benefits answer the question – Is banana good for dogs?
How much banana can a dog eat?
Any food or fruit given to a dog needs to meet an appropriate mixture of ingredients to avoid any health issues. Yes, bananas for dogs are fine, but, it’s important to provide them in moderate quantities. Also, a banana retains a high sugar proportion, so, a treat with a banana as an ingredient may put your dog at risk of developing a medical condition.
So, if you are wondering – How much banana can I give my dog? here is the answer,
- The major portion of the food your dog has must contain regular food (90%). This means the bananas must make up only 10%.
- Big Dogs can eat one-half of a banana in a day. But, small dogs should only eat about 2-3 small pieces.
To get more clarity regarding the distribution, consider the following amounts of bananas based on the dogs’ category:
Note: Maintain 1/4 inch thickness of each slice of the banana
- Small dog: 1-2 slices
- Extra-small dog: 2- slices of banana
- Medium dog: 5-6 slices of banana
- Large dog: a handful of slices (more than 5-6, less enough to cause health issues)
- Extra large dog: half of a banana
Benefits Of Bananas For Dogs
Earlier in this article, we observed some nutritious benefits of bananas for dogs and how they help in improving dogs’ health. Let’s use that details and see some additional benefits.
#1 Keeps blood pressure normal
The blood pressure remains normal if your dog is having bananas. Potassium plays a huge role in doing so. It also helps keep the heart healthy and is an important element in energy metabolism.
#2 Bone Strength increases
Your canine friend’s bone strength gets better after having bananas. The potassium in the banana will decrease the calcium loss from the bones and the magnesium will improve bone growth.
#3 Digestion health gets better
Banana contains fibre content which helps in improving the digestion process and avoiding any gastrointestinal issues. So, whenever the pooch feels uneasiness in its stomach, has constipation issues or suffers from diarrhoea, a banana is the best remedy to tackle such issues.
Bananas contain fiber which aids digestion. Broad beans are another food that can improve digestive health. This makes many pet owners wonder, “can dogs have broad beans?”
#4 Muscles are strengthened
The magnesium in the bananas helps immensely in strengthening the muscles. Having bananas ensures your canine friend gets enough strength to execute daily activities or follow the routine. In addition, potassium helps in coping with cramps or pain issues.
#5 Cognitive Function improves
Vitamin B6 is present in the banana, and it’s an essential coenzyme which not only improves heart health but also improves cognitive ability.
#6 Enhances Immunity
The immunity of a dog improves significantly after they start eating bananas. The immunity elevates because of the presence of Vitamin C. This antioxidant helps the dog to heal and repair.
#7 Helps tackle Hypokalemia in dogs
Hypokalemia is a condition referring to a low level of potassium in the bloodstream. Dogs suffering from the condition may exhibit the following symptoms- weight loss, lethargy, muscle pain, lack of appetite, increase thirst, and increased urination.
Benefits are ample, but, it’s important to keep in mind, that, if you feed the bananas more than your dog can intake, these benefits can quickly turn into a downside in a snap.
Bananas provide many benefits for dogs, but other fruits can also be healthy treats. For example, you may wonder – can dogs eat plums?
Feeding Bananas To Dogs
Before you feed bananas to the dogs, make sure you consult the vet. The high sugar content can cause issues for quickly growing puppies, diabetic dogs or obese dogs. So, how can you start feeding bananas to your dog?
- Start Small
It’s a good practice to give small pieces of bananas in less quantity to your canine friend. Once, your dog eats them you can determine whether they are allergic or have trouble digesting them.
- Increase the quantity
If the dog hasn’t shown any signs of discomfort after a small treat, you can increase the quantity you offer. However, make sure you don’t exceed the 10% limit.
- Offer bananas with homemade treats
Avoid using commercial food packs. Formulate homemade recipes and offer the bananas as a mix. Here is an easy way you can do it:
- Discard the peel, slice the bananas into small pieces and mix them with their regular food
- Use some mashed bananas on the top and stuff them in their toys
- For solid texture, freeze the bananas and cut them into pieces
- Use peanut butter or yoghurt (in moderation) to provide them with different flavours
Further, you can use the frozen pieces of bananas and blend them with other dog safe fruits to offer them a smoothie treat.
FAQs
Are banana peels safe for dogs to eat?
Banana peels are not toxic. But, the peel does contains a high amount of pesticides, and they are difficult for dogs to chew and digest. If a dog eats banana peel it will probably suffer from intestinal blockage. Signs showcasing such blockage – vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, weakness and lethargy, constipation or even weight loss.
Are bananas poisonous for dogs?
Bananas are not poisonous to dogs. It is a dog safe fruit. And as a dog owner, you have to ensure that you don’t overfeed them, remove the peel before offering and look for any signs suggesting that the dog is not allergic.
Can I give my 8 week old puppy a banana?
Yes, a banana for puppies is not a bad idea. You can use them as an occasional treat to provide vital nutrition.
What fruits dogs cannot eat?
Avocado, grapes, grapefruit, cherries, and leeks are some of the fruits that are toxic for dogs and it’s best they don’t eat them.
Can bulldogs eat bananas?
Bulldogs can eat bananas. It can turn out to be a healthy change from a normal diet. This is a good substitute for commercial food treats and can offer proper nutrients if served properly with regular homemade recipes for dogs.
Wrapping Up!
Can dogs eat bananas? – Yes, they can! As a dog owner, you just have to manage the proportion you feed. Excessive ingestion can lead to health issues such as diabetes, obesity and diarrhoea. Use the slices of bananas in a precise way and in small quantities. Consult the vet before offering them the treat, your dogs will remain healthy for a long time.
While bananas make a great occasional treat for dogs, other fruits can also provide important vitamins and minerals. For example, watermelon is highly nutritious and most dogs enjoy the sweet flavor. Be sure to check out our article on is watermelon good for dogs to learn more.
