If you’ve been a pet owner for years, you know that certain human foods are healthy and safe for your furry friends. In fact, being able to share your snack or meal with your pet is probably one of the best things you love as a pet owner. What’s better than bonding over food, right?
However, when it comes to plums, you need to be very careful. Plums are healthy and filling for humans, but your dogs’ bodies will likely have a different response when you give them the fruit. Don’t expect your dogs will stay healthy if you feed them too much plum.
To answer the question: yes, your dogs can eat plums. As long as given as occasional snacks or treats, your furry friend can enjoy the following benefits from plums:
Vitamin C
Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant in your dogs’ bodies. Vitamin C removes free radicals that can damage the cells of your dogs and expedite their bodies’ aging process. This vitamin is also responsible for preventing and treating chronic inflammation.
But because dogs’ bodies are capable of synthesizing vitamin C in their livers, they don’t need to consume excessive amounts of foods containing this vitamin to stay healthy. A little external supplementation is enough, so make sure to limit the amount of plums you give to them.
Vitamin A
Plums also contain high levels of vitamin A. This is an essential vitamin necessary for your dogs’ diets in order to keep them healthy. Vitamin A actually impacts several systems in your dogs’ bodies, namely their nerves, muscles, and eyesight. Your furry friends also need a sufficient amount of vitamin A to maintain a healthy coat and skin.
Dogs that don’t receive enough vitamin A will have unhealthy coats and skins. Over time, dogs with vitamin A deficiency can also experience night blindness, especially when they start to age. Without vitamin A, your dogs’ muscles can also deteriorate, making them feel weak.
However, too much vitamin A can also take a toll on your dogs’ health. An overdose of vitamin A can be harmful and even toxic to dogs, so limit the amount of plums you give them.
Good Hydration
Just like humans, your dogs need water in their bodies. Proper hydration is crucial for dogs to ensure that their bodies can absorb the nutrients from the food they eat and stay energetic. This is one of the reasons why giving your furry friend a clean bowl of water is important.
Plums are 87% water, and giving some to your dogs can aid in their hydration. Feeding them a small piece during a hot summer day will surely keep them refreshed!
Are There Any Health Risks For Over Feeding Dogs With Too Much Plum?
Moderation is key when sharing human foods with your dogs. When it comes to plums, you need to be very careful about the amount you give to them as going overboard can lead to the following health risks:
High Sugar Content
Fruits contain a lot of sugar, and plums aren’t an exception. And while the high sugar content of the fruit is harmless to humans, the same isn’t true in dogs.
Your dogs’ bodies were not built to tolerate large quantities of sugar. Excessive sugar can cause plenty of health problems in dogs, namely tooth decay, digestive upsets, diabetes, and even obesity.
Plums naturally contain a fair amount of sugar, which is why this fruit should only be given to your dogs every now and then. As a pet owner, you should resist the temptation of giving your dogs plums every day to ensure that they remain healthy.
Dangerous Pits
When feeding your dogs with plums, you need to thoroughly remove all the pit first. The pits are the perfect size to get lodged on your dogs’ throats, resulting in choking. The pits can also cause intestinal blockage, especially for smaller dogs.
There will be instances when the pit of the plums is sharp. When your dogs ingest them, their digestive tracts can easily get damaged and will require painful and expensive surgeries.
Then there’s cyanide. Cyanide is a deadly chemical found in the pits of the plums. When crushed or consumed in large quantities, cyanide will release amygdalin, which breaks down into hydrogen cyanide. This compound is toxic to dogs and can cause them to become very ill.
Xylitol Content
Xylitol is harmless for humans. In fact, this compound is often used in chewing gums, sugar-free snacks, and as artificial sweeteners. However, xylitol has a different effect on a dog’s body.
Xylitol is actually toxic for dogs because it disrupts how their bodies naturally regulate their blood sugar. This can cause hypoglycemia or a health condition wherein the glucose of your dogs significantly drops to unhealthy levels. Hypoglycemia can cause many symptoms, such as difficulty standing, lethargy, vomiting, and tremors.
When left untreated, hypoglycemia can damage the liver, which can cause seizures. Dogs can eventually fall into a diabetic coma and die after that.
Can Dogs Eat Plum Skin?
Yes, your dogs can eat plum skin but in moderation. The skin is where most of the fiber content of the fruit is found and feeding too much fiber to your dogs can upset their stomachs and cause diarrhea.
Can Dogs Eat Cooked Plums?
Yes, your dogs can eat cooked plums, as long as they’re cooked without any added sugar and seasoning. It’s best to serve your furry friends with bland cooked plums.
Can Dogs Eat Dried Plums?
No, you should never feed your dogs with dried plums as they contain excessive amounts of sugar. This can trigger diarrhea and obesity in your dogs.
Dried plums are also very sticky, making it challenging for your dogs to chew them. This is especially true for puppies.
How About Plum Cake?
Although a satisfying snack for humans, a plum cake isn’t safe or healthy for dogs. Plum cakes have high sugar content and lack the nutrients found in the fruit. Stay on the safe side and only serve your plum cakes to your human friends, never to your pets.
Can Dogs Eat Plum Pudding?
No, you should never offer plum pudding to your dogs. Plum pudding doesn’t contain any nutrients, only a lot of sugar. Plum pudding is basically junk food for your dogs that can cause them to gain a lot of weight.
Can Dogs Have Plum Juice?
Unfortunately, no. Plum juice is extremely high in sugar and lacks the nutrients necessary to keep your dogs healthy. Letting your dog sip even a small amount of plum juice is basically putting too much sugar in their bodies.
Can Dogs Eat Plum Jams?
Again, no. Plum jam might be delicious and filling for humans, but its high sugar content can trigger several health problems, namely diabetes, and obesity.
What Should You Do When Your Dogs Accidentally Swallowed Plum Pits?
If your dogs swallowed a plum pit, call the nearest vet right away. Fortunately, swallowing one single pit doesn’t immediately cause poisoning to your dogs. They need to consume several more plum pits before they can get to that point.
Is It Necessary To Induce Vomiting When Dogs Ate Pits?
Since the plum fruit isn’t toxic to dogs, you don’t need to induce vomiting if they accidentally ate the fruit whole with the pit still intact. Expect that your dogs will experience some stomach issues as this is their bodies’ way of getting rid of the plums from their digestive systems.
Just make sure to give your pooches clean water if they ate a plum with the pit. The more water they drink, the easier it’ll be for their bodies to get rid of the salt and sugar from the plum.
What Are The Common Symptoms Of Cyanide Poisoning In Dogs?
If your dogs consume too much plum with pits on them, you need to watch out for common symptoms of cyanide poisoning. This condition can be fatal when left untreated, even for a couple of hours.
When you notice your dogs having red gums, tongue, and mouth, rush to the vet immediately. You should also do the same when you notice your dogs having problems in breathing, dilated pupils, foaming at the mouth, and seizures. All of these are common symptoms of cyanide poisoning in dogs.
How Should You Feed Plums To Your Dogs?
Before offering plums to your dogs, make sure that the fruit is thoroughly cleaned using running water. Refrain from washing the fruit with soap or any detergent as this can have adverse effects on your dogs’ health.
Once the fruit has dried, remove the pit and cut the flesh into small bite-sized pieces. These steps are vital to ensure that your dogs don’t choke on the plums or suffer from cyanide poisoning.
Aside from serving plums as is, you can also add the fruit to your dogs’ daily meals. Simply slice a fresh plum into small pieces and then place them on top of your dogs’ regular meals. Plums will make your dogs’ meals more flavorful and aromatic.
How Often Should Dogs Have Plums?
Generally, you should only give a few slices of plums to your dogs no more than twice a week. Yes, plums are healthy but don’t contain all the essential vitamins and minerals necessary for the growth and development of your dogs. Plums should be given as occasional treats or snacks to your dogs and not as a meal replacement.
Work With A Vet
If you’re still unsure whether or not it’s best to feed plums to your dogs, consult a vet first. They can properly assess the health conditions of your dogs to determine if plums will positively impact their health. Never feed your dogs with plums if you’re unsure of the quantity to give or the health risks associated with overfeeding.