Can Dogs Eat Bananas? Know Before It’s Too Late

Can dogs eat bananas? is a question of every dog person’s interest. Dogs are canines and they are supposed to be meat-lovers, but from time to time, they tend to eat fruits and veggies as well. In our recent blog-posts we have covered such other questions of general interest: e.g. can dogs eat apples? and why do dogs eat grass? In another post shared with you a long ago, we discovered how and why eating watermelon helps dogs’ overall health. For reference you can read, Can Dog Eat Watermelon? In this post we are going to answer the ever growing question: Can dogs eat bananas?

Can dogs eat bananas?

Dogs can obviously eat bananas, because bananas are packed and loaded with nutrients such as potassium, manganese, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B and copper. However, bananas have high sugar contents and only a balanced diet of bananas is suitable for dogs.

Bananas are not new to the diet plans of veterinarians. As a matter of fact, dog experts suggest bananas to be included in the everyday or alternate day diet of dogs. Why? Because banana is one of the few fruits that provides so many nutrients. First of all, it is rich with potassium which leads to an overall boost in health. Secondly, it provides a stunning mix of nutrients and vitamins which are more than necessary in a healthy dog’s life.

Also bananas have a very high quantity of fiber; if you remember reading our article Why Do Dogs Eat Grass? you would be able to recall that one of the possible reasons of dog eating grass is the lack of natural fiber. So, if your dog also tends to eat grass, perhaps he is doing so to fulfill the demand for fiber. You should definitely try bananas and see if your dog quits eating grass.

Are bananas safe for dogs?

Bananas are definitely not only safe, but they are highly recommended for dogs, if given to them in moderation. The reason why bananas cannot be given without moderation, is the high quantity of sugar. Dogs tend to be obese and diabetic, thus only a balanced diet of bananas is recommended.

However, apart from being sugar-rich, there are also some other factors which make vets and cautious dog owners have a second look at banana as an ultimate dog diet. For example, banana peels are dangerous for dogs and you cannot feed them to your beloved canine, unless you don’t worry about choking hazard.

Not only banana peels involve choking hazard, they are also very hard to digest and thus an intestinal blockage is always possible. This situation is very similar to the situation created by watermelon or apple seeds. As a result, your dog may become a victim of poisonous intestinal blockage and imminent death. So yes, bananas are safe, but only if you feed them in moderation and if you make sure that you do not feed its peel to your pet.

Are bananas bad for dogs?

Bananas are only very good for dog health and such scenarios where one might consider banana bad for dogs are very limited. For example in a case where one feeds banana’s peel to one’s dog or where one feeds banana without moderation, it can be a bad idea.

The reason why dog owners must feed banana in moderation, is the optimum amount of sugar in bananas. Sugar is known to be a silent killer: not only in men, but in dogs too. Not only excessive amount of sugar makes your dog obese and deprive him of an active and healthy dog life, but it also leads to diabetes which is one of the few worst ailments that a dog may have. So, bananas are not bad for dogs, but excessive amount of banana feed and its peel is obviously bad.

Can dogs have bananas?

Dogs can have bananas in moderation and strict supervision by the owner. While excessive amount of sugar in banana leads to obesity and diabetes, its peel possesses the risks of choking and intestinal leakage, which may further lead to death.

While banana is simply so good and perfect a diet for dogs, it is not free of risks. Before we shed light on the benefits of bananas, we must have a look at the risks involved. We have mentioned above as to how excessive amount of sugar in bananas may lead to obesity and diabetes. We have also discussed as to how banana’s peel becomes dangerous for the life of your canine. Let us have a look at some good reasons again: the reasons for feeding banana to your beloved dog.

• Bananas are low in sodium and cholesterol and thus it is one of the few diets that offer such an ideal amount of energy and fatty agents without having much cholesterol.
• Fiber in banana serves a lot of purposes, but let us have a look at one very important purpose. Being the closest friend to humans, dogs tend to have similar diseases too. One of them is the feeling of diarrhea and constipation. The fiber in banana provides a home handy remedy for such a medical condition: whenever you see that your pet is suffering from constipation or any stomach-related issue, you can always feed him a banana before you take him to a vet, or in the event where you do not have time to consult a vet.
• Vitamin B6 in bananas turbo-boosts the dog metabolism and helps him metabolize all the protein intake. Plus, it enables the dog to control blood cell function. Which means that your canine’s blood will have higher intake of oxygen for brain and muscles.
• Vitamin C in bananas works as the best antioxidant for your dog. It does what a good antioxidant is supposed to do: protect body cells from damage and help build the cartilage.

Considering all these amazing health benefits, it is obviously hard to say that bananas are not suitable for dogs. However, just like any other diet, this diet can also only be provided in a balanced quantity and routine. You can either feed the fruit as it is, or get into those fancy banana recipes that humans and their best friends love alike. Just like probiotics for dogs banana also had agents which help build overall health and immune system and fight stomach-related issues.