Can Dogs Eat Bananas? The Health Benefits For Dogs
Bananas are full of essential vitamins and nutrients and easy to incorporate into your dog’s diet. But are they a good snack option for dogs? Or are there any risks to be aware of?
In this article we will talk about if dogs can eat bananas, the benefits of risks of them, and everything else you need to know.
Can Dogs Eat Bananas?
Yes, dogs can have bananas. Bananas can provide your dog with a wide variety of beneficial nutrients and make a great treat that most dogs absolutely love! If you have a puppy we recommend asking your veterinarian as puppies typically have a stricter diet as they require a specific diet as they mature.
Health Benefits of Bananas for Dogs
Bananas are healthy for dogs for the same reasons they're healthy for humans. They provide large doses of essential vitamins and nutrients.
Bananas are high in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. They also contain high amounts of biotin, manganese, magnesium, and copper. All of these are extremely beneficial to your overall health and bodily functions, and your dog's as well.
Here are some of the specific benefits these nutrients provide.
Try Wild Earth Dog Food!Bananas Have Fiber
Fiber aids your dog's digestion. It helps solve blockages and other gastrointestinal problems your dog may be having. Other good sources of fiber can range from feeding your dog strawberries, avocado, or even watermelon.
Potassium
Potassium supports healthy kidney and heart functions. It's also believed that proper potassium intake promotes healthy bone density. Potassium levels should be monitored if your dog has diabetes.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant for reducing free radicals in your dog's body. This slows the progression of aging and some degenerative diseases. It may also reduce inflammation.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is vital for a variety of important bodily functions. It's necessary for the production of glucose and niacin in your dog's body. And it impacts the function of your dog's immune system, nervous system, hormones, and blood cells.
Magnesium
Magnesium is good for healthy bone growth. It also helps your dog's body to produce protein and to absorb other vitamins better.
Biotin
Biotin is another essential component of healthy digestion in dogs. It's also beneficial for your dog's skin and coat and for muscle formation.
How To Feed Your Dog the Right Amount of Bananas
Because of their high fiber content, bananas help relieve digestive problems in dogs. The reason is that fiber cannot be digested so it helps push food through the digestive tract.
The problem is, too much of this undigestible fiber can cause a blockage in the digestive system. Therefore, too much banana can cause your dog constipation.
Also, bananas are very high in sugar. Too much sugar can cause excessive weight gain, diabetes, and other canine health problems.
Due to these reasons, bananas should be given to dogs sparingly.
Bananas and Dog Allergies
Like humans, dogs can have allergies to certain foods. Some dogs have allergic reactions to bananas or have trouble digesting them.
If you do try feeding your dog banana, start with small amounts. Monitor your dog carefully for signs of an allergic reaction.
Sings of allergic reactions in dogs include coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, swelling, itching, and hives. If your dog displays any of these signs, stop feeding it bananas. Also, take the dog to the vet for allergy testing.
How To Serve Bananas For Dogs
We always recommend you speak with your veterinarian before introducing a new food to your dog or puppy. Your vet will help you understand what is healthy for your dog but can also provide recommendations for serving sizes and the best way to serve bananas to your dog.
Below are our tips for giving your dog bananas.
Give Your Dog Fresh Bananas
The most common way to give your dog bananas is to serve them slices of a fresh banana. This is the simplest option for owners as there is little preparation and most dogs will love this new snack. However, there are some dogs who won't like the texture of a fresh banana.
Give Your Dog Frozen Bananas
If your dog doesn't like the texture of a fresh banana, we recommend you try to give your dog a slice of frozen banana. The frozen texture can be more enjoyable and even stimulating for your dog.
Dogs and Banana Peel
Don’t forget to remove the peel. While banana peels are not toxic, dogs can’t digest them. This can cause the peel to get stuck in your dog's intestines, causing painful gastrointestinal problems.
But your dog won't know this. To them, the peel smells the same as the delicious banana treat they're allowed to have. They'll be tempted to eat it if you leave it somewhere they can get at it.
So if your dog is prone to eating from the trash, take extra care to dispose of banana peels safely out of their reach.
Bananas are NOT Medicine
The claim that bananas aid digestion should not be viewed as a prescription. These digestive benefits are a generality, not a medicinal cure for any and all gastrointestinal issues your dog is having.
If your dog has never eaten a banana, you have no way of knowing how they'll react to it. If they're allergic, bananas might worsen any existing digestive problems.
Also, if you don't know what's causing your dog's digestive problems, bananas could make things worse. For example, the problem may be caused by too much fiber in your dog's diet. Since bananas are high in fiber, feeding one to your dog will exaggerate the problem rather than solving it.
Want to Give Your Dog a Banana? Ask Your Vet
Always ask your vet first before making any changes to your dog's diet. They know your dog's personal health situation. They'll give you personalized advice on how to safely add bananas to your dog's diet.
What if Your Dog Ate Banana Without Permission?
Maybe you're researching this because your dog devoured your whole supply of bananas while you were out. If so, take these precautions.
- If your dog has never had bananas before now, you need to watch them for allergic reactions. An allergic reaction is especially dangerous in this situation because the dog probably consumed a large amount of banana. At any hint of an allergic reaction, take your dog to the vet right away.
- Investigate whether the dog ate any banana peel. If so, watch for signs of choking or gagging and monitor the dog's bowel movements for several days.
- If the dog does not pass or vomit the peel after a couple of days, go to the vet. Also, if the dog ate more than one peel, you shouldn't wait to take them to the vet.
Tips on Feeding Dogs Bananas
Here are a few guidelines on how to incorporate this healthy treat into your dog's diet.
Frequency of Banana Treats
Because they are high in sugar, use the 90/10 rule. That is, 90% of your dog's calorie intake should come from their normal food.
Treats should only account for 10% or less of your dog's daily calories. Include bananas as part of this 10%. Don't give them bananas every day.
Recommended Banana Portion Sizes
Besides the 90/10 rule, avoid giving your dog too much banana at one time. No more than half of the banana should be given to them at a time. For small dogs, limit it to one quarter at a time.
Check with Your Vet
Again, your vet will know the proper amount of banana for your dog better than anyone. Get the official portion plan straight from your vet's mouth.
Banana Serving Tips for Your Dog
There are lots of ways to let your dogs enjoy this treat. Here are a few serving tips.
1. Sliced Bananas
This is the easiest way to share this treat - slice or break off a piece of banana and hand-feed it to your pup.
2. Frozen Bananas
Freeze portion-controlled slices of banana and hand them out from time to time. Some dogs don't like raw bananas but love eating them frozen.
3. Create DIY Banana Treats
Use bananas as an add-on to other dog-safe ingredients. Here are a few simple ideas for a healthy banana treat:
Homemade Banana Dog Treats
Bananas + peanut butter
Mix bananas with a dog-safe peanut butter or yogurt.
Bananas + dog food
Mix bananas with your dog’s regular food. Start with a small amount to make sure your pup likes the treat.
Banana Ice Cream
Blend or mash the banana with any dog-safe ingredients your dog likes. Freeze the mixture and scoop it with an ice cream scoop.
Baked Banana Treats
Mix ripe bananas with dog safe peanut butter and oats, cut into cookie shapes and bake. Check out this simple, 3-ingredient banana treat recipe.
4. Bananas in a Fillable Dog Toy
Banana is a fun filler for treat-dispensing fillable dog toys. You can do this with raw bananas alone or mixed with other ingredients. Tip: it’s less messy if you fill the toy with mashed banana and then freeze it.
5. Banana Treats!
Make it easy and serve them Wild Earth’s Vet-developed cinnamon banana treat.
Can Bananas Make Dogs Sick?
Bananas are typically thought to be a healthy and nutritious snack for dogs because of the vitamins and nutrition they provide. But it is possible for bananas to make your dog sick. Your dog might get sick if they eat too many bananas in one sitting. Bananas and other fruits have natural sugar that can be difficult for dogs to digest in excess. It is important to only feed your dog bananas as a snack in moderation and not too much at once.
Another reason your dog may get sick from eating bananas is if they have some sort of allergy or digestion sensitivity to bananas or fruit. You should always monitor how your dog reacts when you give them a new type of food. If your dog shows any sign of discomfort or has digestion issues then your dog might be allergic to that type of food. You can speak with your veterinarian about this and they should be able to help you.
How Much Banana Can I Give My Dog?
The amount of banana you can give to your dog will vary depending on the size of your dog as well as other factors such as their breed, their activity levels, as well as their current health condition. Larger dogs are able to eat more bananas compared to smaller dogs as they simply weigh more than small dogs. A large dog can typically have roughly half of a banana if it is cut into smaller pieces, whereas a small dog should only have a few small slices of banana in one sitting.
Puppies will have require a specific diet that is different compared to adult dogs so it is important to speak with your veterinarian if you are thinking of feeding bananas to puppies or adult dogs.
Are Bananas Toxic To Dogs?
No, bananas are not toxic for dogs but they should only be given to dogs sparingly to avoid overfeeding. This fruit may upset the dog's stomach if they eat too much in one sitting but it is still safe for your furry friend to consume. Banana peels are not okay for dogs to ingest however as this may cause bloating or intestinal discomfort like diarrhea or vomiting.
If you are giving your dog a banana make sure to cut it into small pieces or slices and monitor them while they eat. Bananas contain lots of different nutrients that dogs need including potassium, Vitamin B-Complex, fiber, calcium and more but should not be a replacement for their daily dog food.
Do Bananas Give Dogs Diarrhea?
Bananas typically don't cause diarrhea or digestive issues for dogs as long as they only eat it in moderation. If your dog eats too much bananas in one sitting, it can cause an upset stomach because of the high natural sugar and fiber content within the fruit. For this reason, it is best to only give your dog bananas in moderation instead of in large quantities at a time.
Is Banana And Peanut Butter Good For Dogs?
Bananas and peanut butter can make for a great and tasty treat for your dog. Many dogs absolutely love bananas and also love peanut butter so combining the two would make a great snack for your dog. As these two foods can contain a good amount of calories, it is important to only feed your dog peanut butter and bananas in moderation. These two ingredients can be combined by baking them into a cookie or they can just be given to your dog together.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Peels?
It is not recommended for your dog to eat any part of the banana peel. The banana peel may not necessarily contain toxins, but it is possible that the banana peel is dirty and has contaminants on them. Banana peels are also incredibly difficult for your dog to digest. The peel is incredibly firm and contains a lot of fiber which makes it unhealthy and even dangerous for your dog to eat as it could clog up your dogs digestive track. For these reasons, it is not recommended to give your dog a banana peel.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Chips?
Dogs can eat banana chips and they can even provide your dog with additional nutrients and vitamins. But it is important to only allow your dog to eat healthy banana chips as there are some brands that contain large amounts of sodium or sugar which isn't healthy for your dog. It is important that you review the nutritional labels to make sure they don't have any unhealthy ingredients and are organic and healthy.
Follow These Tips When Feeding Dogs Bananas
Now that you know, try letting your dogs eat bananas. But when you do, be careful to follow the advice in this guide exactly.
Remember, feeding dogs bananas may cause digestive problems and allergic reactions if done improperly. Always remove the peel and start with very small portions. And talk to your vet before incorporating any changes to your dog's diet.
To make things even easier, bookmark this page so you don't forget this advice. Always refer to this guide when feeding your dogs bananas.
Next, get more advice on feeding human food to your dogs. Click here to learn how popcorn might be bad for your dog.
