So, your dog loves himself some fruit, huh? Apart from being nuts, watermelon, and Strawberries, dogs have been known to go ballistic on some oranges whenever given the opportunity.
But you are here because you are a responsible dog owner who refuses to feed any food to your dog before doing your research on the topic and making sure it is 100% safe for Fido, for doing so you But so good! So, can dogs eat oranges? Or if that happens something bad will happen to them?
Can dogs eat oranges?
The short answer to this question is that, yes, dogs can and do actually eat oranges so safely and it will not cause them any harm, although they really do make a difference to your dog’s diet or overall nutritional profile. do not provide additional benefits. When it comes to feeding your dog oranges are not the only ones if your dog has a specific medical condition, as we will discuss in this article in a few moments.
If you were searching about whether your dog can eat oranges because someone told you that oranges (like tangerines and clementines) contain high levels of citric acid that would be harmful to your dog, this statement is not quite true Is. For any level of citric acid found in oranges to pose a threat to your dog’s health, you would need to have a truckload of oranges during the day for this to happen.
However, if you were searching about whether dogs can eat oranges because of their high levels of vitamin C, we’ll talk about that a bit.
Why should dogs eat oranges?
Although oranges are rich in vitamin C, and we know for a fact that vitamin C has a palpable effect on us humans, there really isn’t that much of ground-thumping research that shows your dog needs this vitamin. and it will benefit them to a great extent. Some modest studies do exist however that claim that vitamin C actually benefits your dog’s overall health, especially when you exercise them on a day-to-day basis. These studies also talk about vitamin C improving your dog’s immune system, which means your dog will live a healthier and longer life.
Whether or not the vitamin C in oranges benefits your dog is not really the issue here.
Just know that as long as you are feeding your dog a high quality diet that is centered around premium, high quality dog food products that have the right ingredients, your dog should be able to eat these dog foods. You will get all the vitamins and minerals you need from products and some vitamins or minerals from any fruit will not require any supplementation. Either way, the last thing you should ever worry about is your dog getting an overdose of vitamin C from eating oranges, as there isn’t a maximum amount of vitamin C beyond what you’re getting into your dog’s system. Poisoning won’t do if you don’t intentionally over-leverage them.
All the vitamin C your dog can have, their body gets rid of any excess levels of vitamin C, this is passed through their urine unchecked, and no excess levels of vitamin C build up inside their system And presents any kind of health risk. More often than not, your dog will want to eat an orange because they love it anyway, so it doesn’t matter. If it benefits them then it does, if not then oh well, life goes on!
How many oranges can my dog have?
First things first, every dog owner should have a general picture and overview of their dog’s overall diet. And, as with any other food or fruit, an orange should be counted as part of the bigger picture.
Another thing to know is that you should only feed your dog oranges under a controlled eye.
Don’t forget that oranges don’t taste real good because of the natural sugars, and if you introduce them to your dog in large quantities, you are setting them up for some serious sugar addiction! In addition, oranges (due to the very high levels of sugar they contain) can cause diarrhea in your dog if they eat too many at once. Feed your dog too much sugar during the day, even if this sugar is as natural as coming from fruit, and is just a recipe for gastrointestinal upset.
However, it must be said that along with this natural sugar that your dog will get from eating oranges, they will also be getting a good amount of fiber, as oranges are high in fiber .
Therefore, you don’t have to worry about a drastic rise in your dog’s blood sugar levels when you feed them a slice or two of oranges, it’s all under control. In addition, all this extra food will add to their daily caloric intake and slowly surely make them overweight.
So, what is the ideal amount when it comes to getting your dog to eat oranges?
1 to 2 segments of oranges given to Fido looks like a treat or something like a reward, as recommended by professional veterinarians. Whenever you decide to actually feed your dog a few slices of orange, be a responsible dog owner and try to notice if there are any strange stuff going on, like your dog having different bowel movements ( constipation or diarrhea) or refusing to eat as much as they used to, as any of these signs (and more) could indicate that you should stop feeding your dog orange slices.
When are oranges bad for dogs?
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to feeding your dog oranges is if your dog is suffering from diabetes.
Why?
Because the sugar and vitamin C in oranges can affect blood values in diabetic dogs and cause you a whole new world of problems.
So, if your dog is prone to diabetes, keep them away from oranges!
You should also avoid feeding your dog any oranges when they are still a young, growing puppy that is not yet fully developed. When your dog is still a young puppy, they need a special diet and special dog food that has been specially formulated for young, growing puppies , and they definitely need to be fed with all these acidity levels and No need to mess with what’s found in oranges. If an orange can cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal problems in your fully grown, adult dog, just imagine what kind of digestive problems are likely to occur in your small, young and growing puppy who has a lot Have a sensitive stomach that is not fully developed yet!
Before your puppy is a fully mature and large dog, you should only follow your veterinarian’s guidelines on what diet to feed them, and certainly should not be experimented with with some fruits and vegetables on the side . It’s just not worth it.
What about orange peels/rinds?
When it comes to feeding your dog orange peels (also known as orange rinds), this is also a big no-no. Whether or not your dog is suffering from any medical conditions, the answer is still the same, a big, no fat. For diabetic dogs, orange peels also contain large amounts of vitamin C, which we can already establish can be dangerous for diabetic dogs.
For non-diabetic and medicine-free dogs, it is also not recommended to feed them orange peels, as your dog’s digestive system has difficulty causing them to swell, potentially leading to their stomach and digestive problems Could be a whole bunch of . Don’t want to deal with you.
So before you feed any oranges to your dog get away with any orange peels that even though they are not at all toxic or toxic to dogs (such as excess sodium levels) they really have no health benefits The dog is, and can only offer them (and you as their owner) a whole lot of digestive problems to deal with.
A Note About Orange Seeds
This is a very important topic that I don’t think is being emphasized enough by those who answer the question of whether dogs can eat oranges.
Whenever you feed an orange to your dog, make sure you remove the seeds inside before doing so! The seeds can cause toxicity problems to your dog if they eat them, so be sure to test them before taking them out of an orange. If you are concerned about your dog eating any oranges with seeds for whatever reason, then try to limit access to oranges and replace them with other similar yet seedless fruits such as apples, cantaloupe and blueberries. , just to name a few options.
Final call
So, in conclusion, can dogs eat oranges? This gets us a yes, even if we say again that there isn’t an added health benefit you would give to your dog if you do that they are not already going from a diet that is at a high quality Concentrated, premium dog food.
As long as your dog’s overall diet is in check, and they are not suffering from any medical conditions that require them to stay away from oranges, feeding your dog an orange once in a while is nothing to worry about. is not the reason.
