Can Dogs Eat Pineapple?
Dogs love to hover around us while we are preparing food and snacks in the kitchen. We often find ourselves eating our favorite healthy treats, wondering if it would be okay to give our pup a piece, too. At one point or another, we have all asked ourselves if it is safe for our dog to eat pineapple on a hot summer day.
Can dogs eat pineapple? The short answer is yes! Most dogs can eat pineapple, but there are many factors that can dictate if your pup should consume a pineapple treat. From pre-existing conditions and allergies in your dog, to how the pineapple is prepared, read on to learn more about if and when your dog can eat pineapple.
Is Pineapple Good for Dogs?
Fresh pineapple is a great treat for pups in moderation, but canned and dried pineapple can cause more harm than good.
Canned pineapple is often sitting in sugary syrup while in the can, and can be full of preservatives. Dried pineapple is a little healthier, but still has added sugar. When it comes to feeding your dog pineapple, fresh or “raw” pineapple is the way to go.
Benefits of Eating Pineapple for Dogs
For dogs, pineapple consumption has some great benefits! From added vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and hydration, to curbing coprophagia, pineapple is a great treat to give your pup in moderation.
Vitamins, Nutrients, Minerals, and Hydration
Though it has a lot of sugar in it, pineapple is also 87% water and has a lot of nutrients, such as potassium, vitamin C, manganese, and more. Therefore, as a treat, pineapple is good for dogs. Since it should be a snack and not a meal, a few pieces of pineapple will be the perfect treat for your pup.
Coprophagia & Nutrient Absorption
Along with having many vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, pineapple can also help with coprophagia, or the habit of eating poop. This is because one of the enzymes in pineapple is bromelain, which helps assist with breaking down protein and nutrient absorption.
Dogs with coprophagia are often eating feces due to malabsorption issues. Simply put, their bodies aren’t absorbing nutrients properly, so they eat their feces to get the extra nutrients they are missing. Pineapple, containing bromelain, naturally helps absorb the extra nutrients that dogs with coprophagia are missing.
Problems with Dogs Eating Pineapple
Be aware that some dogs may be allergic to pineapple, some are diabetic, and some dogs’ digestive systems might be more sensitive than others. This means that they may show symptoms of an upset stomach that other dogs may not show.
If your dog has shown sensitivity in the past to foods high in fiber, your dog is diabetic, or if you notice your dog developing symptoms soon after consuming, ditch the pineapple.
When introducing pineapple to your dog’s diet, start slowly and only do it every once in a while. Remember, treats should only make up 10% of your pup’s diet!
GI Tract Issues
Like us humans, dogs should only eat the inside of the pineapple, and not the skin, core, or leaves. Contrary to popular belief, dogs don’t chew as much as we think they do, so they may swallow the skin and core of a pineapple without chewing it and breaking it down. If consumed, these parts can become stuck in a dog’s GI tract and create a blockage. Even worse, a dog can choke on the skin and core of a pineapple.
Added sugars can also wreak havoc on a dog’s GI tract, which is why we recommend only feeding your pup fresh pineapple. Even fresh pineapple contains natural sugar, so it is best to feed your pup this treat in moderation.
Dogs with Diabetes
Diabetic dogs should avoid pineapple for many reasons. Even though natural pineapple is deemed healthy, it still contains natural sugars which can spike your diabetic pup’s insulin levels. For dogs with diabetes, it is best to avoid pineapple and other sweet treats!
Dogs with Allergies
If your pup is prone to allergies, or is allergic to a wide variety of foods, it may be best to avoid feeding them pineapple as a treat. Furthermore, if you notice your dog is sensitive to new foods, or easily gets gas and an upset stomach after trying something new, it may be best to ditch the pineapple.
If you are going to feed your pup pineapple, remember to start slow with a small piece to see how they react. If there are no adverse effects, you can feed them a few pieces regularly as a treat.
Pineapple in Other Foods
There are tons of other foods where pineapple is a key ingredient, but that doesn’t make them safe for pups!
Foods such as Hawaiian pizza or upside-down pineapple cake contain pineapple as a key ingredient, but they may have other ingredients that can be harmful to dogs. Be sure to avoid feeding these foods to your pup!
Conclusion
In moderation, pineapple is a great for most pups to eat! Fresh pineapple is best if you want to give your dog a sweet treat, as it contains water, fiber, and other vitamins and minerals that are essential for your pup’s health. Furthermore, fresh pineapple has no added sugar compared to canned pineapple.
If made at home, dried pineapple can be great for your dog as well since it will have no added sugar. Just remember that dried pineapple has almost no water content, so your dog will not be getting the same hydration benefits as fresh pineapple.
Do you have further questions about your dog eating pineapple? Feel free to reach out to Lincolnway Veterinary Clinic in Mishawaka, IN at (574) 256-1871 with any questions or concerns!