While plant-based foods aren’t a necessary part of the canine diet, your dog can benefit from eating fruits once in a while.
Which brings us to the question, “Can dogs eat kiwi?” You know, that amazing fruit health enthusiasts love for its high vitamin C content and delicious taste?
The short answer is yes, dogs can eat kiwi and even reap the rewards of consuming something so nutritious.
However, like most fruits, kiwi is best served as an occasional canine treat. We’ll be discussing the reasons why and other important kiwi facts below, so read on!
Kiwi: the nutritional benefits
Also known as kiwifruit, the kiwi is high in nutrients essential to humans. The good thing is, your dog can also benefit from many of these nutrients, including:
Carbohydrates
Kiwi is loaded with carbohydrates, a nutrient crucial to dogs – especially breeds with high-energy requirements.
Your dog’s body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is the primary energy source for their organs, tissues, and cells.
Carbohydrates also generate body heat and work with other nutrients to keep the body healthy.
Vitamins
If your dog eats kiwi, they enjoy the benefits of several important vitamins.
Kiwi has a decent amount of vitamin A, which is good for your dog’s vision, immune system, skin, growth, and reproduction.
Vitamin B9 a.k.a. folic acid plays a role in DNA synthesis and can help your dog maintain weight among other benefits.
Kiwi has much higher levels of vitamin K, which helps in bone development, blood clotting, and healthy blood function.
Minerals
Kiwi is rich in copper, a mineral that plays a role in cardiac and immune function; the formation of hemoglobin, bone, and myelin; the development of connective tissue; and the production and function of various enzymes.
The fruit contains potassium and magnesium in lesser amounts. Potassium aids in many biological processes such as nerve impulse transmission and osmotic balance maintenance. Magnesium helps metabolize fats and carbohydrates.
Antioxidants
Feeding your dog kiwi allows their body to absorb antioxidants, which enhances their protection against toxins. This is particularly significant as dogs are exposed to toxins more regularly than humans.
Antioxidants also safeguard the body from cellular damage caused by free radicals and improve the immune system’s ability to fight off infections and diseases, in turn preventing serious problems including cancer and diabetes.
Roughage
The kiwi flesh is rich in insoluble fiber a.k.a. roughage, which helps the dog pass food more quickly through the intestines and prevents constipation.
Low fat, low calories
Because kiwis are low in fat and calories, your dog is extremely unlikely to gain unnecessary weight from eating them.
Why too much kiwi is bad for dogs
If your dog enjoys a well-balanced, vet-approved diet, then they’re likely already receiving appropriate amounts of the above nutrients. This means if they eat lots of kiwis, they’ll end up consuming an unnecessary surplus of important nutrients in addition to nutrients they don’t need.
For this reason, you should consult with your dog’s vet before feeding them kiwis. Otherwise, your pet could experience the following issues:
Vitamin C overload
Unlike humans, dogs don’t need vitamin C supplements in their diet. Why? The canine liver produces its own vitamin C!
Kiwis are extremely rich in vitamin C – even more so than oranges. So if your dog eats kiwis every day, they can end up absorbing an excess of vitamin C resulting in a bevy of problems.
Vitamin C makes your dog’s urine more acidic. Highly acidic urine is conducive to the formation of a type of bladder stone known as calcium oxalate bladder stone. Bladder stones can cause your dog pain, urination difficulty, and bleeding. They can even lead to an obstruction in the bladder or neighboring regions; if these stones aren’t removed immediately, they can result in a potentially deadly bladder rupture.
Don’t feed kiwis to a dog with a history of calcium oxalate bladder stones, as it can make the problem reoccur.
Other bladder stone symptoms include sharply smelling urine, excessive licking of the genitals, dribbling pee, accidental peeing, vomiting, poor appetite, and discomfort in the abdominal or kidney area. If you observe any of these symptoms in your dog, take them to the vet as soon as possible.
As if all that isn’t bad enough, the excessive consumption of vitamin C can also lead to diarrhea and liver and kidney failure.
Gastrointestinal issues
The kiwi is a large fruit that a small dog may nibble on. A larger dog, however, may be tempted to swallow the entire thing whole. The fruit can then get lodged in the dog’s throat, resulting in choking and obstruction of the airways. It can also get stuck in the intestinal tract. These are potentially life-threatening issues that need emergency care.
Even kiwi seeds can cause blockages. In addition, they can be toxic to your dog if eaten in abundance.
The kiwi’s flesh and hard, outer skin also contain a surplus of fiber. While consuming appropriate levels of fiber is good for your dog, eating too much can upset the stomach and cause diarrhea. For this reason, you shouldn’t give kiwis to a dog prone to having loose stools.
A dog experiencing gastrointestinal problems after eating kiwis may also show symptoms such as vomiting, poor appetite, lethargy, and a distended or painful belly.
It’s better to be safe than sorry; remove the kiwi’s seeds and skin and only feed the flesh to your pet.
Practice safety when feeding dogs kiwi
While kiwis are indeed nutritious, there are other foods your dog can eat that boast many of the same nutrients but without any of the accompanying risks.
Nevertheless, it’s not a bad idea to give your dog the occasional kiwi as a treat. Just make sure to keep the following information in mind:
Serving frequency and size
While there’s no rule about the number of kiwis a dog can eat per week, it’s best not to give your dog the fruit every day. One or two feeding sessions per week should be fine.
As mentioned earlier, never give an entire kiwi to a dog. Cut the fruit up into bite-sized wedges, then give a few to your dog per feeding session.
Don’t incorporate kiwi into your dog’s regular diet; it’s best provided as a special treat. You can even put the kiwi slices inside a treat toy so that your dog can enjoy some mental stimulation.
Organically grown vs. non-organically grown kiwis?
Organically grown kiwis are grown without the help of chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, etc. Non-organically grown kiwis are the opposite.
In general, it’s ideal to feed your dog fresh, organic foods as they don’t contain chemicals that may not be good for them.
Fresh or processed?
As any kiwi that has been altered using seasonings or ingredients contains substances that can be bad for Fido, give your pet fresh kiwis only.
Say no to kiwi jam, kiwi jelly, kiwis that have been treated with preservatives, and any cooked or uncooked kiwi dish that uses salt, spices, fat, or oil.
Green kiwis or gold kiwis?
Gold kiwis are kiwis that are harvested once they’re fully ripe. Green kiwis are harvested before the fruit has ripened.
There are only slight variations in nutritional content between the two types. Gold kiwis generally have more vitamin C, whereas green kiwis have more fiber.
Both are equally nutritious – and equally dangerous in excessive amounts – to dogs.
Can dogs eat kiwi seeds?
While a few seeds likely won’t hurt your dog, consuming too many can cause the gastrointestinal issues described above.
Can dogs eat kiwi skin?
Because kiwi skin is rich in fiber, eating it may give your dog diarrhea or stomach aches. The skin of non-organically grown kiwis also contains chemicals that may be harmful to your pooch.
Can dogs eat dried kiwis?
Dried kiwis are high in sugar. As sugar can lead to tooth decay, diabetes, weight gain, obesity, and digestive problems, don’t feed your dog dried kiwis.
Can dogs eat kiwi berries?
The kiwi berry may lack hair and be as small as a grape, but it is closely related to regular kiwis. Both fruits have similar nutritional content, so your dog can also eat kiwi berries in moderation. You may also want to slice the berry up into smaller bits to safeguard your pooch against choking.
Can dogs eat stale kiwis?
Avoid giving your pet any expired fruit. A stale kiwi can be home to harmful mold, bacteria, and even insects that, if consumed, can harm your dog’s health.
Introducing kiwis to your dog
When giving your dog a treat they’ve never had before, don’t give them too much too quickly.
As canine tummies tend to be highly sensitive to new foods, start with a few, tiny kiwi slices and stay observant of digestive problems such as diarrhea. Wait several days between feeding sessions, with the serving size increasing per session until your dog can eat the recommended amount.
Should any problems occur, stop feeding your dog kiwis and contact a vet immediately.
Final thoughts…
It’s true: dogs eat kiwis! And if eaten in moderation, these tasty fruits can help boost your pet’s health in more ways than one. As long as you make sure kiwis are enjoyed as an occasional treat, your dog should have no problems.