CAN DOGS EAT BANANAS?

Bananas have been a part of the daily diet for many people all over the world. This soft fleshy fruit covered with a yellow skin is considered to be quite wholesome and nutritious for the human beings and for the same reasons, bananas are fairly beneficial for the canines too. This fruit is filled with a lot of nourishing elements like Vitamin C, B6, Manganese et cetera which are immensely favorable for a human as well as a pooch. Various healthy components which are inside a banana that makes it so good are depicted in the table below.

Nutritional Elements in a Banana 

So, from the table, it is understandable why this popular fruit will be suitable for the dogs. It possesses so many useful elements that feeding it to the canines will be great for their overall body. But, specifically, what benefits does a banana bring to the table for a dog? And, will it only provide goodness to a pooch or are there any drawbacks of feeding bananas to a doggy? Read further to find out.

Benefits of feeding Bananas to your dogs

1. Bananas contain a fair amount of Vitamin B7 or Biotin inside them. This Vitamin B complex is very good for a canine’s coat and skin. It keeps the doggy healthy and glowing from the outside.
2. Banana is a decent source of Vitamin B6 which is useful for a dog’s Central Nervous System. It helps in the development as well as the proper working of a canine’s brain by producing norepinephrine and serotonin, which are highly significant hormones that influence a pooch’s mood.
3. The potassium present in the bananas is really good for a dog’s heart and other cardiovascular operations. A canine need to maintain a somewhat decent level of potassium inside their body and if it dips too low, then it can lead to a condition called Arrhythmia which is characterized by irregular heartbeats. Therefore, to maintain the required potassium levels, a banana could be very handy for a pooch.
4. Bananas are also useful for the dogs in the fight against several degenerative diseases including cancers.
5. This fruit can improve the irregular sleeping habit of a pooch as it helps in the secretion of melatonin in a dog’s body which can regulate its internal clock.
6. Bananas can help a dog who is suffering from mild diarrhea and other kinds of stomach upset. It is good for a canine’s digestive and metabolic activities.
7. Bananas also provide a boost to a canine’s energy levels.

 Risks of feeding Bananas to your dogs

1. If fed in moderate amounts, then a banana has the potential to cure a dog’s upset stomach, but it is also true that too much of this fibrous fruit can cause diarrheal problems in a canine.
2. If a canine’s teeth are not being brushed on a regular basis, then the sugar present in the bananas can increase the rate of teeth decay inside our dog’s mouth.
3. Feeding too many bananas to a dog could cause its blood vessels to dilate which could lead to a headache.
4. Large quantities of bananas can also increase the blood sugar levels of a canine.
5. Also, it is recommended not to feed overripe bananas to a canine as they contain a large number of amino acids which are harmful to the dogs.

FINAL VERDICT:

Bananas should always be fed to a dog in moderation as excessive quantities can cause a lot of harm inside a canine’s body. From increasing its blood sugar levels to fastening the process of tooth decay inside its mouth, large amounts of this fruit can prove to be detrimental for a dog’s health in so many ways. But, if provided carefully and in limited numbers, then the same banana can be highly advantageous for our pooches. It is beneficial for a dog’s heart, brain, gut et cetera. Hence, occasional feeding of this fruit to a dog (in sliced or mashed form) is recommended without any reservations but an owner should remain careful and not overdo it.