When you are biting into a fresh piece of fruit or slicing one up for your kid’s lunch, you may have found yourself looking down at a pair of pleading eyes and wonder – can dogs eat peaches?
Before you satisfy your dog’s wagging tail and toss a bit of peach down on the floor, keep reading to find out if it is safe to feed peaches to your dog.
In this article, we will discuss:
- Are peaches healthy & safe for dogs to eat?
- What are the dangers of feeding peaches to your dog?
- Can dogs be allergic to peaches?
- What are the health benefits of peaches?
- Can dogs eat peaches?
- How to feed peaches safely to your dog
- Do dogs need fruit in their diet?
Yes, dogs can eat peaches.
Peaches are safe for your dog to eat. It is recommended that you slice them before giving them to your dog as a treat. Never let your dog chew on a peach stone as it contains cyanide which is toxic to dogs. Canned peaches should also be avoided as they contain large amounts of sugars.
Are Peaches Healthy & Safe For Dogs To Eat?
Peaches are a deliciously sweet and tasty summer fruit. They are high in fiber and also both vitamins A and C.
If given a chance, your dog will willingly accept and enjoy a juicy piece of this popular fruit. But just because a dog will eat something, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he should.
The good news is that peaches are not toxic to dogs. Therefore you can feed this fruit to your dog without having to worry about it being dangerous to your dog’s health or life, as would be the case with certain other fruits, such as grapes, which are toxic to dogs and should be avoided at all costs.
Despite being a safe fruit for dogs to consume, there are still some dangers that you should be aware of when feeding this fruit to your pet. Keep reading to find out more.
What Are The Dangers Of Feeding Peaches To Your Dog?
As with most safe fruits, you should only feed them to your dog in moderation. This is because many fruits, including peaches, can cause some gastrointestinal upset when too much of the fruit is consumed at once.
This is often the case simply because your dog may not be used to eating moderate quantities of fruit, meaning that their digestive systems aren’t able to cope with the high fiber and sugar content. This can easily lead to an upset stomach or diarrhea.
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A popular way that we like to enjoy summer fruits is from a can. Canned fruits make delicious desserts, mainly due to the very high sugar content.
It is the high sugar content that makes canned peaches an unsuitable treat for your dog, as it may upset your dog’s digestive system, or contribute to health issues such as obesity.
The only part of a peach that you need to be careful about when feeding fresh peach to your dog is, of course, the pit.
Peach pits are pretty large, and if your dog bites into a whole juicy ripe peach, they could unexpectedly bite into the hard pit and cause damage to their teeth.
The pit may also be a choking hazard if you have a larger dog that decides that the best way to deal with the hard center of the peach is to swallow it whole.
The pit could then get lodged in your dog’s throat or cause an intestinal blockage.
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The rough, serrated surface of the peach pit may be abrasive and potentially cause damage and irritation to the small intestine if it has to pass through it.
Peach pits also contain a sugar-cyanide compound called amygdalin that is toxic to dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Peaches?
Although it would take several peach pits to pose a severe threat to your dog in terms of toxicity, it is always better to be safe than sorry by avoiding your dog having any access to the peach pits at all.
The stems and leaves of peaches can also contain cyanide, and therefore if you buy peaches from a farmer’s market with these still intact, or you have a peach tree growing in your garden, then you will, of course, need to take care that your dog doesn’t have free unsupervised access.
The other thing to be aware of when feeding peaches, or any other fresh fruit to your dog, is that the surface of the fruit’s skin may contain pesticides.
These will need to be washed away before feeding the fruit to your dog to avoid them ingesting the chemicals and becoming sick.
Can Dogs Be Allergic To Peaches?
A common danger that you should always be aware of when feeding a new food to your dog is that they could potentially be allergic to it.
So please pay close attention to your dog shortly after he has consumed peach for the first time, and observe him for any signs of an allergic reaction.
If your dog does have an allergic reaction to a peach or any other food, there is a small risk that it could lead to anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening condition.
It is, therefore, vital to contact your local vet for advice if you notice any of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction.
These are the signs to look out for:
- Coughing & Sneezing
- Swelling or Hives
- Problems with breathing
What Are The Health Benefits Of Peaches?
As already mentioned, peaches are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are also very low in calories, making them an excellent option for dog treats when offered in moderation.
See Also: Can dogs eat apples?
Being a source of antioxidants, peaches can help to ward off cancer by providing the immune system with a boost. The liver and kidneys also benefit from an increase with this impressive powerhouse of good fruit.
So if your dog has a taste for sweet and juicy treats, you should consider feeding peaches as a treat now and then.
How To Feed Peaches Safely To Your Dog
The best way to feed peaches safely to your dog is first to wash the fruit thoroughly to remove any traces of chemicals or pesticides that may be left on the skin of the fruit.
Next, slice the fruit into small pieces, you can leave the skin on for extra fiber. The size of the pieces will depend on the size of your dog. And then offer your dog some of the fruit.
For a fun alternative in the warmer months or for when you need to keep your dog occupied for a length of time, you can freeze fruit like peaches in a Kong.
Either cut up small pieces and freeze with water or plain yogurt inside a kong or blend the fruit into a smoothie and freeze it for your dog to chew and lick down.
When feeding cubes or lumps of ice that have not been frozen inside of a Kong, you should always supervise your dog in case the pieces pose a choking hazard.
Always feed fruit moderately and be sure to dispose of the fruit pit and any plastic packaging safely so that no harm will come to your dog if he manages to get hold of them.
Do Dogs Need Fruit In Their Diet?
For humans to enjoy a healthy balanced diet, we need a variety of meat, fish, fruit, and veggies to get all of the nutrients our bodies need to stay fit and healthy and able to fight off disease.
You may have heard that dogs are carnivores and therefore don’t need to eat any fruit and vegetables because carnivores only eat other animals. This isn’t wholly true.
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Dogs are not true carnivores in the sense that their digestive systems have evolved to be able to manage a wider variety of food types, extending to fruits, vegetables, and various forms of carbohydrate.
This has happened because dogs are natural scavengers, and their relationships with humans formed through them initially scavenging our campsites for leftovers.
In the wild, dogs would have eaten mainly a raw diet consisting of the entire contents of small animal carcasses, but they would also have grazed on small amounts of local vegetation and berries.
The fruits that we find in the supermarket today are nothing like what they used to be as wild fruits.
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The fruit has mostly evolved to become much sweeter and more palatable to our human tastes.
The high amount of sugar that fruit now contains is unnecessary for your dog, but they can still benefit from the vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
You may have noticed when you look on the back of the packets of your dog’s food and treats that the ingredients list often contains small percentages of different kinds of fruits.
This is because the added nutrients that these ingredients contain provide a boost to the healthy component of the product.
Summary
Peaches are a great fruity treat that your dog is sure to enjoy and appreciate on a warm day.
Always feed fruit in moderation and watch out for any adverse signs if feeding peaches for the first time and your dog should be able to enjoy them safely.
