Being popular fruits that many people love them, it is sensible to want to know if your dog eats oranges or not? Are dogs allowed to these citrus fruits? Are they safe or unsafe, good or bad?
What are oranges?
Orange or Citrus × sinensis belongs to the genus Citrus, commonly known as citrus fruits in the family Rutaceae, with other famous members being lemons, grapefruits, limes, citron, tangerines, clementine, yuzu, pomelos, among many others.
Also known as sweet orange, Citrus × sinensis is a hybrid of mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and pomelo (Citrus maxima) and should be distinguished from bitter orange (Citrus × aurantium).
Common types include the common oranges (white, blond, or round) famous for juice extraction like Hamlin, Valencia, or Hart’s Tardiff Valencia. The other types are navel, blood, and acidless (low in acid and known as sweet oranges in the US) oranges.
The navel oranges have cultivars like Cara cara navels, Bahia, Dream Navel, etcetera. On the other hand, blood oranges, which are high in anthocyanins that give them the characteristic dark-red color, have cultivars like sanguine Moro, Maltese, Sanguinelli, etc.
Nutrition
Per 100g, oranges have 88.75g of water 11.75g carbohydrates, of which 9.35 g are simple sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose, while 2.4g is dietary fiber, 0.9g protein, and 0.1 fats.
It is a good vitamin C source and has considerable amounts of pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, thiamine, potassium, and calcium, while their pH is about 2.9-4.0.
Can dogs eat oranges?
Yes. Dogs can eat oranges as an occasional treat or in moderation. Oranges are not poisonous or toxic, and they join other dog-safe fruits like apples, cantaloupes, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, kiwis, pears, raspberries, among others.
Dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds, including your huskies, French bulldogs, Shih Tzu, Yorkies, pitbull, Pomeranians, German shepherds, huskies, chihuahuas, Golden retrievers, Rottweilers, among others, can safely eat oranges.
When giving your dog oranges, you need to consider their calorie requirement and ensure that all treats they eat, including commercial ones, don’t exceed 10% of their calorific value. Therefore, their breed, size, activity level, age, and so on will influence how much they will eat.
However, not all parts of oranges can dog eat. They shouldn’t eat the following
1. Orange peels and seeds
Dogs shouldn’t eat orange peels or seeds. While seeds present a choking hazard and contain toxins and the rind or peels are hard to digest. If your dogs ingest these peels, there is a chance they will cause gastrointestinal obstruction.
Additionally, the various oils that the peels or pith have may result in a severe gastrointestinal upset that may cause vomiting and diarrhea as well as irritate your dog’s eye. Your dog may even end up dehydrated, warns Pet MD.
Technically, speaking, the various oils including D-limonene and linalool in the orange peel are in low concentration and may not show the insecticidal effects that pure citrus oil has which if ingested by a dog, “it metabolizes in the dog’s liver and causes toxicity, poisoning, liver failure or liver, notes Wag.
However, don’t worry about the citric extract may be safe for dogs. It doesn’t have essential oils and psoralen (toxic compound), Hence its use in canine food for its antioxidant properties.
Finally, be careful since some dogs may eat anything thrown at them, including peels.
2. No to orange plant
Please don’t give your dogs any part of the lemon plant (leaves, stems, or stalks) as they are unsafe. If you grow it, ensure your dogs don’t nibble it.
3. Avoid orange juices
Avoid orange juice. While it is not poisonous, it doesn’t have much of the dietary fibers and is more acidic, and is concentrated with sugars. Avoid giving it to your dogs since it won’t benefit them much. They even don’t need vitamin C it has. Instead, provide them with water if you want them to remain well hydrated.
Are oranges good for dogs?
Yes. Oranges are ok for your pup, and don’t worry about the citric since these fruits don’t have much of it, and it is unlikely to harm your dog. Some of the orange the following benefits:
1. Low glycemic index
They are an excellent low glycemic index (GI) snack that should replace the starchy commercial treats. While they may seem to be high in sugars, oranges have a low glycemic index, which is nothing than the rate at which the sugar they have enters to blood. This low GI is due to their high sugar content and various polyphenols they have.
2. Rich in antioxidants
Oranges have flavonoids like hesperidin, naringenin, anthocyanins (dark-red varieties), carotenoids like lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin, and vitamin C, which scavenge free radicals that result in cell damage and inflammation. These antioxidants may help prevent some chronic illnesses like some cancers.
While dogs can synthesis their own vitamin C, getting it from these fruits, others and vegetables will supplement the amount produced and offer these health benefits.
3. Source of fiber
Canines need fiber in their diets, and oranges are such a good source with both the fermentable and non-fermentable, i.e., pectin, hemicellulose, lignin, and cellulose. Dietary fiber helps promote gut health, help control constipation and diarrhea, weight loss, manage diabetes, among many other benefits.
Do they like them?
Being safe doesn’t necessarily tell us if dogs love oranges. When it comes to liking them, it all depends on the specific variety as pups will tend to like sweet ones. Their sugar to acid ratios is what determines their sweetness.
On the other hand, some dogs will not like those with acid taste, especially if you get higher citric acid ones.
Feeding
Dogs don’t have a physiological need for oranges or any other fruit, vegetable, and carbohydrates. However, they can benefit from them in many ways. However, ensure you know how to give these or other fruits to your dog correctly. Here is a quick guide:
1. Preparing oranges for dogs
Wash your oranges in running water to remove any remnant farm chemicals before peeling them (remove the rind and all skin traces). Unless you bought the seedless varieties, you can split along their segments or sections and remove any pits or seeds.
If you can get organic ones, they will be a healthier choice since they are grown without being treated with herbicides, pesticides, or harmful fertilizers.
2. How much
The amount you give them depends on how many of the other treats they have and the calorific requirement of your pup. A large orange with a diameter of about 3-4/16 weighing about 184 grams has about 87 calories. Since these fruits have 12 sections, each section is about 7.25 calories.
If your dog requires about 450 calories a day, it means all treats should be about 45 calories (10%). Otherwise, too much may cause obesity. In such a case, by considering how much of the other treats they are having, you can determine the number of segments they can eat.
Typically, small dogs should have a single section, while medium to large dogs can have 2-3 segments depending on the orange size and their size or calorie intake.
Avoid giving them too much since they may cause weight gain and stomach upset.
3. How to introduce
If you feed your dog oranges for the first time, ensure you introduce them slowly, starting with a very tiny piece, and watch how their tummies react. If you don’t notice any vomiting, diarrhea, gas, or any other stomach upset, you can gradually increase the amount.
Can puppies eat oranges?
We have already implied that puppies can eat oranges. Of course, they are safe to your puppies, too, just like adult pups. However, it would help if you took the precaution of ensuring they only have a tiny amount. Their tummies are still young and may not handle the much sugar and acid that these fruits have.
When are oranges bad to dogs?
With all the benefits, it is good to note that there are instances that you should not feed oranges to your feline friend, and they include:
1. Is ill, has diabetic or other illnesses
If your dog is under any treatment, has any chronic illness like diabetes and chronic renal failure, or using any therapeutic diets, don’t give them oranges before consulting your vet.
For the diabetic ones, avoid these fruits since they are high in sugar. While they have a low glycemic index, they can impact blood sugar glucose, especially when fed with other high carbohydrate foods.
2. Sensitive stomach
Don’t give oranges to dogs if they have a sensitive digestive system as these fruits could worsen or hurt your dogs since they are high in sugars and acidity. You don’t want your pets ending up with stomach upsets.
3. Obese
To help manage obesity, most vets will recommend special diets which low high in fiber and low in calories. Don’t give your dog any of this citrus fruit during this time since high sugar, a source of calories, or high-calorie treats. This is the time not to add any extra calories.
Can dogs eat mandarins, clementines, tangerines, etc.?
In a nutshell, yes, dogs can eat mandarins, including satsumas, tangerines, clementine mandarins like halo and cuties, among others. They are not toxic or poisonous. However, since we need to look at nutritional content, acid content, how much to feed them, benefits, and other aspects, we will cover each of these fruits separately.
For instance, some dogs will not prefer those higher in citric acid or those that are bitter tasting.