By now and with all of the internet being filled with health related information being shared on blogs, informational websites and on social media, it’s no secret to anyone the many health benefits that kiwi fruit offers us and our bodies – but can the same be said when it comes to our dogs?
Can dogs eat kiwi fruit? Or are kiwis bad for dogs? If kiwis aren’t bad for dogs and they can safely consume them, does this fruit have any health benefits to offer our furry buddies the same way it has to offer you and I?
Can Dogs Eat Kiwi Fruit? Or Are Kiwis Bad For Dogs?
Assuming your dog isn’t allergic to Kiwis in any way, shape or form, then the answer to this question is a YES – dogs can safely eat Kiwis if this fruit is given to them in moderation.
As long as you remain within the realms of moderation when it comes to feeding your dog Kiwi, just as you should be doing with any fruit, vegetable or human food out there, your dog will be safe and there’s no property in Kiwis that may be toxic or poisonous to them.
If you feed your dog a little too much Kiwi all at once, it’s almost certain that this will turn into a case of “good gone bad” and they’ll get a nasty case of diarrhea and most certainly experience some stomach pain.
If, on the other hand, you know from previous experience that your dog’s stomach doesn’t accept Kiwi and they’ve experience negative side effects before when consuming even just a tiny amount of it, then you should keep this fruit off limits for Fido at all times.
Why Are Kiwis Good For Dogs To Eat?
While your dog certainly won’t benefit from eating Kiwis the same way you and I would, due to the difference in nutritional needs between us and dogs and due to the difference in how the two bodies processes foods, the following is a list of some of the most notable health benefits that this green fruit has to offer in general.
– Kiwis are high in Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Vitamin E
– Kiwis are high in potassium
– Kiwis are one of the top fruits when it comes to high fiber count
– Kiwis are rich in antioxidants and are notorious for their anti-cancerous properties
Most of you asking the question of “can dogs eat kiwi?” are most probably not considering feeding this fruit to your dog for any potential health benefits, though – you’re most probably doing this for the sake of offering a tasty snack.
(I’m not sure why you’d want to feed your dog Kiwi, though, as this is definitely not a cheap fruit to be buying in most countries! There are tons of other cheaper dog treat products on the market that you could go with – but, that’s ultimately your decision to make).
How Can Dogs Eat Kiwi?
Before you feed your dog any amount of Kiwi, you must make sure to wash it thoroughly beforehand and take off the peel so that the only thing your dog ends up eating is the green flesh of the Kiwi.
Kiwi peel is bad for dogs since they can’t properly digest it, which ends up causing them gastrointestinal trouble such as blockages and constipation, and they don’t really benefit nutritionally from eating the peel, so there’s no real reason you should be giving your dog any part of the Kiwi other than the flesh, really.
One thing you should keep in mind at all times is to never ever give your dog an entire piece of Kiwi to eat all at once in its entirety, even if you were to remove the peel from it before you give it to your dog.
The reason you shouldn’t do this is that an entire piece of Kiwi is too big for your dog to eat by themselves in a safe manner and there’s a really big risk that they’ll just gulp the entire thing down at once and very possible choke on it.
So, always stay on the safe side and give your dog a couple of small slices of Kiwi to remove the risk of choking.
How Much Kiwi Can Dogs Have?
As a general rule of thumb, cutting the Kiwi into multiple small slices and offering your dog 1/2 or 1 slice of Kiwi as a snack is a good standard to start off with.
Depending on your dog’s reaction to it, you can either decide to up it up a little and give them 1 and a half or 2 slices of Kiwi as a snack (not more) if they positive react to it, or you may decide to not give your dog any Kiwi anymore if they were to negatively react to it.
If you enjoyed reading this you might be interested in our article on Can Dogs Eat Grapefruit.
