Dogs can eat mandarin oranges with no problems. The dog will show no negative health effects from eating mandarins and will not experience any side effects from the fruit. It is perfectly safe to give your dog a few mandarins as a special treat or an addition to their regular food.
How do I feed mandarin to my dog?
Here is a list of different ways you can feed your dog with mandarins:
– Stuff them inside hollow chew toys
– Freeze them and serve as ice cubes for a cooling treat during the summer months.
– Make them into healthy homemade dog treats. Simply grate the skin, mix with some egg and honey, then bake until golden brown.
– Give your pet a vitamin boost by adding freshly squeezed orange juice to their food bowls.
– Serve them alongside regular meals during cold seasons to provide your pet with much-needed protection from respiratory infections.
What are the benefits of Mandarin to my dog?
There are many benefits for you and your dog if you decide to feed them this fruit. Here are reasons you should include mandarins in your dog’s diet:
1) High Nutritional Value
Mandarins can provide lots of Vitamin C while managing weight loss. Keep in mind that oranges contain natural fruit sugars while providing vitamins and minerals at the same time. When buying oranges, be sure to choose fruits with no added sugar, leading to bloating. The following nutrients offer health benefits while keeping your pup at their ideal weight:
– Vitamin A – helps fight against infections by strengthening immune system cells called lymphocytes (white blood cells). Also beneficial for vision, growth, reproduction, and healthy skin.
Vitamin C helps to absorb iron, convert food into energy, synthesize collagen (connective tissues), be used as a meat preservative, and improve immune system function so more can fight off diseases.
– Calcium – Necessary for bones and teeth development, can also help treat diarrhea in both dogs and cats.
2) Easy To Digest
Mandarins are not only easy to digest but can help regulate your dog’s digestive tract by balancing helpful bacteria in the intestines, which can prevent constipation. They are highly recommended for senior dogs.
3) Antioxidants Fight Aging Cells & Disease Prevention
The nutrients found in oranges can protect cells from free radicals, which can cause cancer and other degenerative diseases. Just one mandarin can help protect the cells in your dog’s body from potential harm while slowing down signs of aging by providing nutrients that can trigger healthy energy levels.
4) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Can Improve Memory
There are 8 types of vitamins essential for a balanced diet: A, D, E, K, C, B1, B2, and B3. Thiamine can benefit your pet’s nervous system, helping them feel more relaxed and provide memory improvement qualities that can also improve their behavior and mood changes.
5) Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Boosts Production Of Antibodies And Wards Off Infect
Vitamin C can strengthen your dog’s immune system. Just one mandarin can provide the Vitamin C they need to help keep their body healthy and helpful during cold and flu season.
6) Improve Heart Health
The potassium found in oranges can aid healthy heart function, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which is the number 1 killer of dogs. Potassium can also prevent muscle cramps. High antioxidants can also protect your pup’s heart since they can inhibit plaque formation on artery walls.
7) Promote Healthy Teeth & Gums And Hair Coat
Vitamin C stimulates collagen production, which helps with tissue repair while increasing firmness in bones and muscles. Since collagen (the main structural protein that forms fibers like in skin, bones, and tendons) can be used for reconstructing wounded tissues in the body, it can also promote a healthy hair coat.
Mandarins can help with teeth and gum health by removing tartar build-up that can lead to plaque build-up, which can cause gingivitis. Tartar is a yellow-brown hard deposit of minerals on your dog’s teeth, usually caused by calcium and phosphorus from saliva mixing with food particles. It can start to form within days of your pet eating something high in carbohydrates or sugars. Early detection is key since tartar can eventually turn into calculus (tartar harder than enamel) which requires professional cleaning at the veterinary clinic. You can use a paste made for dogs, or home remedies can also be made from baking soda and coconut oil.
8 ) Improve Insulin Regulation
Potassium can help balance out blood sugar levels, reduce insulin resistance, and lower your pup’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This can be helpful for senior dogs or canines that are overweight since it can improve the secretion of insulin by the pancreas, which can lead to more effective glucose uptake into cells where it can supply energy.
9) Promote A Healthy Reproductive System & Boost Natural Energy
Oranges contain high B vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, Vitamin C, and a variety of minerals such as iron, magnesium, and calcium needed for a healthy reproductive system – including both male and female dogs. Potassium can also help reduce the effects of stress and can increase your pup’s stamina and energy levels.
10) Natural Diuretic Effect can help with Respiratory Infections
The diuretic effect can help remove toxins, water, and waste from their body by increasing urine output which can be helpful for urinary tract infections or ease respiratory conditions such as kennel cough. The high water content in mandarins can prevent dehydration which can lead to more serious health issues. Just one fruit can hydrate them, just like drinking a bowl of water.
11) Easy To Digest & Nutrient Absorption Can Help Prevent Constipation
Dogs lack the amylase enzymes needed to break down carbohydrates and starches, so fruits can help digestion since canines can’t produce their own. The high fiber can prevent constipation, promote regularity, and improve your dog’s intestinal transit, which can aid in toxin removal.
12) Improved Exercise Tolerance & Muscle Development
The potassium can reduce muscle cramping, which can be helpful during exercise or for senior dogs to help them get around easier. Since oranges are rich in Vitamin C, this can also stimulate collagen development, giving your pet more energy, stronger muscles, and healthier skin.
13) Promote Optimal Weight Gain
Dogs for tissue repair need vitamin C, which can aid in weight gain – an ideal snack for puppies that are too young to eat bones or just recovering from surgery. They can also help canines that are underweight since they can increase appetite and can improve muscle development.
14) Prevent Liver Disease
Liver disease can be common in older dogs or canines that have a history of liver damage which can negatively impact the production of prothrombin – a clotting factor needed to form blood clots. Vitamin C can prevent deficiencies in Vitamin K, an essential vitamin needed for normal blood coagulation. It can further protect against oxidant stress caused by cancer treatments or environmental factors such as pollution. In addition, it can stimulate the production of new liver cells to regenerate damaged tissues and improve function.
15) Protect Against Cancer Development & Promotion Of Healthy Wound
Citrus fruits like oranges can stimulate white blood cell production can prevent canines from developing leukemia since canines can’t produce their own Vitamin C. Vitamin C can further reduce the incidence of other types of cancers, including urinary, breast, and stomach cancer. It can also improve wound healing by increasing collagen production, an essential protein needed to build connective tissues.
What side are effects associated with feeding your dog with mandarin?
Here are some of the side effects of feeding your dog with mandarin.
#1) Heartburn/Regurgitating
Feeding your dog an orange means that they get to eat the whole fruit, peel, and all. When dogs eat citrus fruits, the acidity can erode their tooth enamel over time. It’s even worse if they try to chew or bite through the rind (source). The acids in citrus also irritate their digestive system, causing heartburn or even regurgitating (source). If you’re worried about them eating too many oranges, cut them into small bite-sized pieces.
#2) Constipation/Diarrhoea
Citrus fruits are also not filling, so you might have to feed your dog more of it than usual if they eat an orange or two. Dogs with sensitive stomachs may experience constipation or diarrhea. You can avoid this by feeding your pups citrus fruits in moderation and ensuring their meals don’t lack other nutrients like fiber and protein.
#3) Nausea/vomiting
The acids from mandarins may irritate the digestive tract lining, which can lead to nausea and vomiting (source). If your pup has eaten too many oranges and feels nauseous, try to give him small amounts of water or milk. If he can’t keep anything down, please go see a vet immediately.
#4) Skin Allergies
It might be surprising, but oranges contain salicylates, also found in human anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin. While the body metabolizes it quickly for people, dogs do not seem to process this substance as well. This causes some dogs to develop skin allergy symptoms like itching and dry skin.
So, can dogs eat mandarin?
Yes, they can. Dogs enjoy this tasty fruit just like humans do, but remember it is all about balance; feed your dog these tasty orange tidbits only now and then (and don’t forget the toothbrush!) Just make sure that you brush afterward or give them smaller pieces of fruit instead of whole slices to help keep their dental health in good shape too.
