Fruits and vegetables are good sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and potassium. It helps in boosting the immune system and improves the digestive system also.
But, it will work the same for dogs? They can safely have it?
If you have ever wondered, whether can dogs eat bananas or not? In this blog, you will get all your answers, and along with that, you will explore more about nutrient breakage.
Let’s quickly, scroll down to know whether your furry pal can enjoy the taste of bananas.
Can Dogs Have Bananas?
The short answer is yes, dogs can safely eat bananas. In fact, many dogs enjoy small pieces of bananas. Plus, it is high in vitamins B6 and C. While dogs, unlike humans, don’t require fruits in their diet, so you should only give a thin slice of bananas to your canines. However, it is rich in fiber, vitamins, potassium, and magnesium, but we cannot deny the fact it is also rich in sugar so feed him in a minimum quantity.
It is suggested not to replace his balanced meal with banana varieties. It can be only used as an occasional treat and not a balanced meal.
Is Eating Bananas Healthy for Dogs?
Your dog needs a balanced meal for the proper development of his body. The first priority should be that you feed him high-quality food that is enriched with all the essential nutrients. Apart from feeding him a regular balanced meal, if you want to serve him something delicious you can feed him as a treat, but cannot replace it with a regular meal.
Now, let’s look at the health benefits of ingesting bananas by your pup.
- Bananas have a high content of fiber, which is considered a good factor because it helps in digestion if taken in minimal quantity.
- It is rich in vitamin C, which helps to boost the immune system, fights against viruses, plus helps wounds to heal quickly.
- Also rich in vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, and low in sodium, as well as cholesterol.
- All the essential nutrients are there in the bananas, it helps your pup’s body to produce protein, and absorbs vitamins, which is good for his health.
In fact, vets also recommend pet parents feed their canines bananas as an occasional treat because it works as an alternative healthy treat option instead of salty and fatty ones.
How Many Bananas Is Too Much?
Well, banana is safe for your dog and won’t harm him if he eats one or two. But, as we know, excessive ingesting of anything is bad for the body whether we talk about the human body or animals.[1]
So, in the case of bananas also you need to keep in mind that you just can not keep on feeding him bananas on a regular basis. This is because it is highly rich in fiber and so create digestion issue for your pup, which leads to other body problems related to irregular digestion.
Furthermore, feeding your dog human food on an occasional basis is ok, but do not make it a habit. Because bananas are counted as a sweeter treat and sugar is not good for your furry pal’s body. So, it is suggested to feed him bananas as an occasional treat.
Ways to Feed Bananas to My Dog?
As now you know, your canines can easily eat bananas and it’s completely safe for them. Plus, we have also discussed how much quantity you need to feed him so that his digestive system doesn’t get affected.
There are different ways to feed bananas, which will not only add variety to your dog’s treat but also he will happily complete the full bowl.
- A simple way is to peel the banana and cut it into small pieces.
- You can mash the banana and mix it with healthy ingredients, which are suitable for your pup. For instance, mashed banana can be mixed with peanut butter and it’s ready to eat.
- During the summer you can feed frozen bananas as a mid-day treat. All you need to do is cut down into small pieces and freeze it for an hour, and then serve it with butter or yogurt.
- In fact, you can use your puppy’s kong toy, for instance, mash the banana and fill it in the kong toy and freeze it for an hour. When he demands a treat give it to him, your pup will be engaged in playing with the toy and can have the mashed banana also.
Try these different tactics to feed your dog banana, he will surely love it and will finish his bowl.
FAQs
Your dog can have banana peel there’s nothing wrong with it. But one peel at a time and make sure your furry pal is ingesting it properly because it’s hard to digest and can be choked in his throat. It is recommended not to feed banana peel on purpose, if he accidently ingest it then make sure it has been eaten properly. As banana peel is high in fiber it is hard to digest, and if not ingested easily it can cause vomiting.
Yes, you can feed banana chips to your canines, it won’t harm them, and will give the same benefits as a whole banana. So, you can easily serve five to ten banana chips to your dog as a munching treat. But, make sure you do not overfeed him because the extra fiber intake can lead to diarrhea issues.
Well, dogs can eat a banana but that doesn’t mean they can also eat all its varieties, and banana bread is one of the types you need to avoid feeding your dog. This is because banana bread contains ingredients that are not good for your pup’s body. Banana bread is counted as a sweet treat and it also includes ingredients such as raisins, xylitol, nutmeg, sugar, etc. So, it is recommended not to feed your furry pal it is toxic and can also upset his stomach.
Also, if you’re curious whether bananas are safe for your cat to eat, go check out the article on CatLovesBest
Well, It’s a Wrap!
Let’s quickly give a short recall of our discussion on, whether can dogs eat bananas.
Bananas are safe for your canines, you can safely feed him a few thin slices of it, but make sure you are not overfeeding him and it should be considered as an occasional treat.
It is rich in fiber, vitamin C and B6, potassium, and magnesium, which are good for digestion and help to boost the immune system if taken in minimum quantity.
Apart from health benefits, we have also covered different ways to feed bananas to your pup, which won’t harm his body. So, now you can feed him the same thing in different ways, and he will also enjoy his occasional treats.
Plus, the vet also recommends feeding him bananas as an alternative healthy treat option, but do not make it a habit or overfeed him.
References:-
- Koike, S., Morimoto, H., Goto, Y., Kozakai, C., & Yamazaki, K. (2008). Frugivory of carnivores and seed dispersal of fleshy fruits in cool-temperate deciduous forests. Journal of Forest Research, 13(4), 215-222.
Ellis is a retired veterinary technician and full-time contributor at DogLovesBest. He likes writing about pet health care tips and reviews the products that are useful for fidos on a daily basis.
Ellis also guardians a Siberian husky, Nova, and a cat named Shilly. They all live happily with his wife Ammy, and both the dogs on a seaside apartment in Queens, NY.