Dogs love to munch everything they can find. They love to stare at you with their big brown eyes and would let you feel you need to share what you are eating with them. It’s not a problem if what we eat is okay for them. There are just some food items that you need to be wary about giving to your canine friends.
Can dogs eat cherries? A plump, red, and full of goodness cherries can be a delightful treat for you. You can put it on top of the cake or a topping for your favorite ice cream. But can you mix it up with a portion of dog food? Are they okay having a tasty delight of red and plump cherry?
Let us find out if a piece of sweet and excellent tasting cherry can get our dog into trouble. We do not want to have any issues of any kind with our dog, and we need to be careful with what we are going to put into their mouth. What could be okay with us might be a little problematic for our canine friends. Let us all find out, “can dogs eat cherries”?
Can dogs eat cherries?
Cherries are no doubt delicious, and they are sweet and packs a healthy punch that gives you a lot of benefits. Low in calories and got a lot of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, cherries are an excellent food treat for you and your family. Cherries also supply you with potassium, magnesium, and calcium that are good for you in any way you look at it.
But those things are great news for you but not so favorable to your dog. Cherries contain traces of cyanide on their pits, stems, and leaves that can be pretty lethal if consumed by your dog in high quantities. Cherry pits do not go well with your dog’s digestive tract and can cause some gastrointestinal upsets.
Your dog swallowing a piece of cherry is not something that you need to be alarmed with. A single cherry pit’s cyanide content is not enough to cause poisoning to your dog. But it does not give you an excuse to sneak in some cherry treats and make him eat them. It is not a “go” signal for you to let your dog indulge in a cherry.
What to watch out for if your dog swallowed some?
When your dog displays symptoms of intestinal blockage like vomiting, decreased or loss of appetite, constipation, and a reduced amount of fecal production, you need to give your vet a call and tell him that your dog swallowed some cherries. Remember to be in control of the situation, no matter what.
Smaller dogs were mainly at a disadvantage when they swallowed something that was not fit for them to be ingested. In most cases, larger dogs can tolerate a significant amount of cherries, but it is still not an excuse to give them some. A dog that suffers cyanide poisoning is a serious matter, and you must not ignore them.
These are some things that you need to be wary about when they ingest some cherries, labored breathing, bright red gums, and dilated pupils. Your vet may advise that you need to induce vomiting to prevent aggravation, leading to more severe health problems because of cyanide toxicity.
What is in cherries that is not good with dogs?
Again, we would like to reiterate that cherry is not a recommended item for dogs, and they should not consume it even if it is just a tiny amount. The risk is very much more significant compared to any amount of benefits it may have. Some food items can offer the same nutrients or even better compared to cherries.
Some fruits are pretty favorable to your dog’s gut when given in a controlled amount. A slice of apple with no seeds can be a treat, and a piece of banana can also be a treat for your dog. Health experts also consider blueberries an excellent treat for your dog, so spare your dog from eating cherries, and it’s not worth it.
Some health experts would stress that a cherry or two wouldn’t be enough to cause some damage, but since it contains things that are no good for them, it should be enough to send some chills down your spine. Gambling on your dog’s health should not cross your mind,
Cherries’ pits, stems, and leaves contain cyanide. We know that cyanide toxicity in dogs is not good and is deadly when left untreated. Intestinal obstruction that usually comes from eating cherries often leads to some nasty complications that you can very well prevent if you are not stubborn.
I’ve heard about Maraschino cherries. Are they good for dogs?
You would often have seen in movies, commercials, or on some bars that they are putting some cherries on their drinks and desserts and do not have any pits that might contain anything that might hurt our dog. But the problem with maraschino cherries is that it includes lots of sugar, which is a big “no-no” for dogs.
We have highlighted in some of our articles the ill effects of sugar on dogs’ health. It makes them prone to diabetes and obesity that often leads to more severe and deadly illnesses that would be detrimental to their health. A cherry can look tempting, but it is not a recommended item for dogs. Please let your dog stay away from it.
Cherries, without a doubt, contain vitamins A and C, fiber, antioxidants, and melatonin. Still, just fruits also include those health benefits that do not pose a severe health risk. You can serve your dog apple slices without the core or seeds without you worrying about anything.
A blueberry treat can also be an excellent treat that can let you and your dog both enjoy. Getting few pieces while enjoying some long or short walks is such a lovely thing to do. You can get yourself and your dog a pleasant treat with no worries when you have berries. It is best to listen to some sound advice and not to worry later.
How many cherries does my dog need to consume before pressing the panic button?
A cherry with a pit is not an alarming thing for your dog. It may have some toxin in it, but it has a negligible amount, and your dog can tolerate it well with almost no issues. The problem starts when your dog eats a lot of cherries with pits. But we do not advise that you get panic and do unreasonable things.
Getting panic makes you lose a lot of composure and often leads to some not-so-desirable outcomes. When you have found out that your dog has ingested lots of cherry pits, the first you need to do is to call your vet immediately and look for any signs of poisoning.
A lethal dose of cyanide often disrupts your dog’s body to carry oxygen to its different cells. When this happens, you will notice that your dog would show breathing difficulty and sometimes show signs of slowing down and unresponsiveness.
Check for your dog’s gums. If it is bright red, if it does, it means he is suffering cyanide poisoning and what makes it alarming is has the potential to shock and, worse, death. When something is not safe for dogs, the most logical thing to do is not give them some.
Safer alternatives
Your dog can still enjoy a lot of fruit treat as long as it is not cherries. Like, seriously, there are lots of safer alternatives and packs a lot of nutritional health benefits that can get your dog the best of health. These fruits are often common in your pantry or fridge and can also be quite good for you as well.
- Banana, just make sure you remove the peel and have it sliced. A large piece of unsliced banana can be a choking hazard and is quite dangerous.
- A few slices of apples without skin and seeds can be quite good. The seeds have traces of cyanide on it.
- Carrots sliced into bite size would be nice and can be a wonderful treat during training. Like the banana, you need to be careful with carrots since it is hard and a large piece would be a choking hazard. Be sure that it you have bite-size carrots to prevent any chance of choking, which can be a problem.
- A few pieces of sliced strawberries, make sure it is not big chunks to prevent any stomach upset.
- Blueberries are wonderful treats, but not too much.
- A peeled orange, make sure that the stem, just make sure that you are not including the pulp and seeds. You should remove it.
You know now that feeding your dog cherries is not a good idea, and we have enumerated some fruits that will give your dog the much-needed nutrients he needs to stay strong and healthy. A regular session of short walks can help your dog control his weight and make him happier and healthier.
