Can Dogs Eat Bananas? Are Bananas Good & Safe for Dogs?

Can Dogs Eat BananasThe short answer is YES!  Bananas are not toxic and are safe for your dogs to eat.  We recommend that you feed them bananas in moderate amounts.

The long answer is there may be cases where it is not best for your dog or puppy.

Not all dogs are the same, and especially when it comes to feeding your dog bananas.

Some dogs will love bananas & other fruits (just like I do), while others won’t, and some could see negative effects on their digestive systems.

As you know, not every food that’s okay for mankind to eat holds the same for animals (checkout our extensive list of foods discussed in this section).  The last thing you want to do is harm or poison your dog without being aware of doing so.

What Fruits is Bad for Dogs?

Stay Away from Avocados, Apricots, Grapes, Pomegranates, Cherries, Raisins, Peaches, Plums, Persimmons, Apples, Figs, and Grape Fruits.  They are toxic or can cause upset stomachs.

Fruits that can be eaten with moderation are Mangoes, Pears, Bananas, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Cranberries, Watermelon, and Strawberries.

This is a general rule of thumb as some fruit such as Apples are fine if there are no seeds, stem or leaves since these are toxic parts.  So for more details check out our extensive list of Food Reviews for Dogs.

Plant Toxicity (Toxic vs Nontoxic) are an important aspect in determining what fruits can and can’t be eaten. Sometimes it is only parts of a plant or fruit that are toxic to your dogs.  The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) details many fruits/plants on their Toxicity List.

Why Should Dogs Eat Bananas?

Bananas have tons of benefits to offer our dogs.

Some benefits of bananas are they are a great source for:

– Potassium, which has amazing benefits for your dog’s muscles (especially if you’ve got a rather more active dog at home), as well as amazing benefits for your dog’s blood vessels and blood flow throughout the body

– Biotin

– Magnesium (very good for building protein in your dog’s body)

– Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, which improves blood cell function and oxygen transportation to vital organs in your dog’s body)

– Vitamin C (preserves cells and protects against cell damage)

– Fiber (a perfect aid for dogs with bowel movement problems) and copper. Ever heard of the BRAT diet that people with diarrhea are always recommended to follow for a few days until the diarrhea is gone? The BRAT diet stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast – so the next time your dog has a bad case of diarrhea, consider feeding them a few slices of banana to help them recover fast and easy!

Bananas are also very well known to promote improvements in dog bowel movements, which is always a good thing for dog owners to know.

However, be careful not to overdo it with the bananas, as that will just be counterproductive, as you will discover in the following section.

Some studies have also found that bananas have a recognized effect in protecting your dog’s stomach from ulcers, acid secretion and stomach wounds.

When incorporating small banana slices as treats/rewards during training sessions will help your puppy maintain their energy.  The carbohydrates and the sugar contained within the banana will keep your dog energized & focused for their physical training. Dog training efficiency 101, ladies and gentlemen!

How Many Bananas Should Dogs Eat?

As you know bananas are a high source of sugar, which means you should only feed your dog banana slices in moderation.

As with any new food that is added to your dog’s diet, when you start feeding your dog bananas, watch out for any suspicious signs that might suggest potential problems. These include, but are not limited to, allergic reactions, sudden changes in weight and diarrhea.

Avoid large servings of bananas otherwise you will put your dog at risk of constipation, since they become difficult to digest.  The amount will vary for each dog.

You will also be putting your dog at risk of heart problems due to excessive potassium intake, a condition known as Hyperkalemia. Moderation is key!

So, only think of bananas as a treat for your dog from time to time, and never consider bananas to be a big part of your dog’s diet.

As a general rule of thumb, try not to exceed giving your dog one whole banana per week.

YOUR dog may be able to tolerate a little more than that, so start off small and see how much your dog can handle.  If you see negative repercussions then you know you have fed them too much.

How Can Dogs Eat Bananas?

It’s really up to you how you choose to feed your dog a few slices of bananas, as there are many ways you can go about this, and all roads lead to the same destination.

To start off, it’s preferable that any banana you feed your dog is a ripe banana and not an unripe banana (also known as green banana). Your dog will love the ripe banana much more than the green banana, not to mention the health benefits they get from eating the ripe banana.

Moving on, you should slice the banana into small pieces and feed a few to your dog as they are, or you can choose to mash a few of these banana slices together and add them to the dog food that your pooch is already having.

When you mash a few banana slices together and mix them in with certain dog food recipes, this can significantly make your dog’s food a whole lot tastier.

(Not all recipes will work with this, however, as I wouldn’t think a dog food with salmon recipe would taste good with a few banana slices mashed together).

The reason you should slice the banana into small pieces first and not feed your dog the whole thing altogether at once is that the larger the banana piece your dog eats is, the harder it is for them to digest it and the higher the risk of gastrointestinal blockage happening is.

Here’s an awesome recipe we found if you’re looking to get creative with bananas as treats for your dogs – it’s a banana and honey dog treat that Fido will adore you for. Just take it easy because of all that sugar!

When Should I Feed My Dog Bananas?

As we established above, bananas are a rich source of sugar, so your dog should eat them sparingly. You’re best off using them when you want to give your dog a treat or reward when training them, and not including them as a regular food item in your dog’s overall diet.

When Should I Not Feed My Dog Bananas?

If your dog is diabetic you should not feed them bananas because of the high sugar content in bananas. If your dog is diabetic, talk to your veterinarian about this first, and don’t take any risk by feeding your dog something that could harm them.

Two more reasons to not feed your dog bananas are if your dog has a banana allergy or a sensitive stomach.  If your dog is allergic to bananas then they obviously need to stay away from bananas.  Also, if your dog has a sensitive stomach you might find that they don’t handle bananas very well.  If so, they should steer clear of bananas, even though this is not typical for the average dog.

This is why it’s extremely important to keep your veterinarian up to date on any potential changes to your dog’s diet that you intend to make. Like they say, better safe than sorry!

Can Dogs Eat Banana Peels?

Needless to say, you should never feed your dog a banana peel, as banana peels are known to cause gastrointestinal blockage in your dog as well as give them a bad case of constipation.

The only part of the banana your dog should ever eat is the banana flesh, nothing else.

Can Dogs Eat Banana Chips?

Dogs eating banana chips is a definite NO-NO, very much like dogs eating anything else that’s deep-fried like this is a NO-NO as well.

If you were to deep fry bananas yourself and feed those to your dog, that’s very bad in and of itself because of the very high amounts of fat that these bananas will have in them, which is terrible for your dog’s health and well-being.

And, if you were to purchase readily-made banana chips from the supermarket, that’s even more terrible because of the very high fat content in them in addition to all the chemicals, additives and preservatives used in these products and that help increase their shelf life.

When it comes to feeding your dog bananas (or any other food, fruit or vegetable), always opt for staying natural.

Can Dogs Eat Banana Bread?

We previously talked about dogs eating banana bread in an article about dogs eating bread in general, but we have to say it again here – NO, dogs can’t eat banana bread safely, so please refrain from feeding this type of bread to your dog.

The majority of banana bread manufacturers love to include certain ingredients that make the bread taste ever so heavenly, but the bad news is that these ingredients are very toxic to dogs.

Some examples of the ingredients used in banana bread are raisins, chocolate and chocolate chips, and we all know how anything made of chocolate or raisins can be very dangerous to dogs.

Do Bananas Help a Dog’s Upset Stomach?

Yes, giving your dog bananas can help with their upset stomach & diarrhea.  Often this could be caused by something your dog ate so understanding what it causes this is important to avoid upset stomachs in the future.

Some other foods that can help your dog are canned pumpkin, sweet potatoes, oatmeal &

Symptoms and causes can vary and impact each dog differently.  Before trying any natural foods be sure to consult your vet as this could be something more serious.

Do Bananas cause Constipation in Dogs?

Bananas have been known to cause constipation and even diarrhea.  Whether caused by excess or unripe bananas.  You should make sure you are feeding them appropriate amounts.

Excess of even a good thing can become harmful or have negative side effects.

It is important to consult your vet before giving your dog any new foods and ensure they will be healthy additions to your dog’s diet.

1 COMMENT

  1. We have five acres of bananas and likewise mangoes. Our 6 dogs eat these fruits until the cows come home. The cattle dogs peel the fruits, the Mastiffs eat the whole thing, minus the pit of the mango.
    Happy, healthy dogs. And huge poops from the Mastiffs.
    The Mastiffs also eat coconuts, anvils and the odd neighbour.

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