CAN DOGS EAT APPLE?

Apples are one of the most popular fruits out there and they are widely consumed by millions of people on a daily basis all around the world. They are a part of many people’s breakfast and are mostly consumed in a raw form. Furthermore, this sweet fruit is used for preparing various dessert recipes like Pies, Tarts, Muffins et cetera and it is also an ingredient in various salads which is enjoyed by numerous people. And, besides having a wonderful taste, Apples also contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. The table below shows the breakdown of the various nutrients that are present inside an Apple.

Nutritional Elements in an Apple

As can be deduced from the table, Apples have a number of nutritional elements hidden inside them. They are rich in Vitamin A, C, K and B6 and also contains minerals like Potassium, Manganese et cetera which are good for the consumer of this delicious fruit. But, the minor calorie count and high sugar content present inside the apples also cannot be neglected.

So now we should bring our attention to the question of the hour which is, should we feed these sweet fruits to our dogs or not? Are Apples bad for their health? Or the popular saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” also holds true for our four-legged companions? Let’s find out in the section below.

Benefits of feeding Apples to your dogs

1. Apples contain essential nutrients which are highly beneficial for a canine. They are good for various processes like blood coagulation, bone formation and development, muscle contraction and many more.
2. The antioxidants present in the Apples help in improving a canine’s skin and coat.
3. Apples also are a good source of Vitamin K which is extremely advantageous for a canine’s heart, bones, and
4. Vitamin A is known to promote eye health and thus apples can improve a canine’s vision as they contain a good amount of Vitamin A.
5. Apples can help the canines to fight against several dangerous diseases like heart problems, cancers, skin allergies et cetera. It does so by boosting the immune system of the pooches.
6. This fruit is good for the digestive system of the canines and it also encourages weight loss in them.
7. Apples also promote better dental health in canines by removing the tartar and plaque from their teeth.
8. The high amount of soluble fiber found in apples helps in lowering the cholesterol levels in the canines.

Risks of feeding Apples to your Dogs

1. Apples contain a significant amount of sugar inside them which is definitely not that great for the canines. If fed accordingly, the sugar poses no threat to the dogs but if given in large amounts, then it can speed up the decay process of their teeth.
2. If fed in excess amounts, then apples can also cause stomach pains and other gut-related problems in the canines like constipation, diarrhea
3. It is important to remove the core and seeds from the apples before feeding them to a dog. The core poses a choking hazard to canines and the seeds have harmful traces of cyanide in them, hence they should be carefully removed from the apples.
4. It is also not a good idea to feed dehydrating apples to the canines. It can lead to stomach upset and other digestive issues.
5. Finally, the best way to feed this fruit to the dogs is by properly cutting it into easily digestible slices. The size of the pieces should be smaller especially if you are feeding a puppy. Big sized slices can cause choking problems in the young canines.

FINAL VERDICT:

Apples are definitely very beneficial for the dogs as long as they are provided to them in a controlled manner. This fruit improves a canine’s vision, immune system, bone structure and dental health. And, also it can control their cholesterol level and is good for their skin and coat. But, as is the case with any other consumable item, feeding apples in large amounts to a canine can be harmful for it. It can be detrimental for the canine’s stomach, teeth et cetera. Also, it is important to eliminate all the seeds and the core of this fruit as they pose a serious threat to dogs. Therefore, it is absolutely fine to feed apples to a dog, but only in a limited fashion.