Can Dogs Eat Pineapple? Or Is Pineapple Bad For Dogs?

I always talk about feeding dogs pineapple when dogs eat their own poop, since this is one of the most common subjects that always troubles dog owners and leaves them clueless as to what they should do.

And, given the fact that pineapple is one of the most favorite fruits there are in today’s time, many dog owners always wonder whether or not they can safely feed their furry friends some of this delicious fruit.

So, I thought it’s best I dedicate an entire post by itself for feeding Fido some pineapples and everything you should know about the subject!

Can Dogs Eat Pineapple? Or Is Pineapple Bad For Dogs?

So, can your dog eat pineapple or not?

The short answer is, YES, your dog can eat pineapple, and they are in no way, shape or form life threatening to your dog if they eat them (unlike giving dogs mushrooms, which might be fatal).

Whatever life stage your dog may be in, whether they’re still a young puppy that has only recently seen the light of day, an adult dog or a senior dog at the last stages of life, pineapple is a welcome human food to any dog’s diet.

However, there’s a lot more to this question than a simple “yes, you’re good to go” or “no, don’t feed your dog pineapple” answer, as there are a few details you have to be aware of before you feed your dog any pineapple.

So let’s dive into the details and everything you should know about.

Why Is Pineapple Good For Dogs?

Pineapple And Dogs That Eat Their Own Poop

One word, coprophagia!

Does your dog eat their own poop/feces?

If so, feeding your dog small amounts of pineapple is one of the best ways in which you can help your dog with overcoming that problem.

According to veterinarians, when your dog eats pineapples and they are digested properly, it results in a revolting smell and taste in your dog’s poop the next time they have to go, which will make them refrain from eating their own poop.

Another reason your dog may have coprophagia is because of possible nutrient deficiency, meaning they aren’t getting all the nutrients they need from their diet and/or aren’t eating enough food, so they get this urge to try to make up for the nutrients they’re not getting from their diet by attempting to get them from consuming their own poop.

Pineapple can help solve this problem because of all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it contains, that could make a difference in your dog’s diet within a larger framework.

Now, this is by no means an advice to feed your dog pineapples each and every single day if they suffer from coprophagia, but just a heads up on what one of the most important benefits of feeding your dog pineapples is.

There are much more professional ways out there to go about solving the problem of your dog eating their own feces, of course, some of which you can read about in this article on Paw-Rescue.

Vitamins, Minerals And Nutrients

Not to mention the fact that pineapples are fruits rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals (most important of which are Vitamin C and Manganese), all of which will improve your dog’s health markers, immune system and overall digestion.

Bromelain In Pineapple For Dogs

Pineapple also contain Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme that helps your dog’s digestive system break down proteins more effectively and efficiently, thus acting as an important digestive aid for your dog.

It must also be noted that to reap the rewards of Bromelain, you should only feed your dog freshly sliced pineapple.

While feeding them canned pineapple might seem like a time saver for you, canned pineapples lose the Bromelain in them. This means that canned pineapple will not provide your dog with the same digestive system-boosting properties that freshly sliced pineapple does.

Bromelain doesn’t just help out with the digestive process, it also helps fight the formation of cancerous cells in your dog’s body as well!

If you’ve already had a tumor discovered in your pooch, bromelain also has tremendous capabilities when it comes to reducing tumors that already exist.

The Sugar Craze

Another benefit pineapple has to offer your dog (and you as a dog owner) is tremendous help if you’re trying to get rid of bad habits and trying to stop feeding your dog processed goodies that are high in sugar.

How can pineapple help, you may ask. Well, due to the high levels of natural sugar in pineapple (the good kind of sugar), this fruit is able to quench your dog’s sweet tooth by providing them with the healthiest kind of sugar there is, instead of providing them with the terrible kind of sugar (added sugar) found in processed treats.

Kidney Problems

Does your dog suffer from any kidney problems? If so, adding in moderate amounts of pineapple to their diet can work wonders.

This has been a common practice for a long time now, where not only do dog owners feed their dogs pineapple within their diet, some also give their dogs Bromelain supplements in the form of tabs so they can reap the benefits that pineapple has to offer any dog suffering from kidney problems.

The most common kidney problem that dog owners like to make use of pineapple in order to solve is the formation of bladder stones in their dogs.

Pancreatitis

Besides kidney problems, pineapple is also renowned for its abilities to help out with problems related to other organs in the body, both in humans and dogs alike.

In dogs, a very common problem that many dogs go through (mainly because of very poor dietary choices made by their owners) is pancreatitis – the inflammation of the dog’s pancreas which could very well result in death.

It’s the same enzymes that help out with your dog’s digestive system and help treat kidney problems that also help out with treating pancreatitis.

Of course, the enzymes in pineapple aren’t nearly enough to fully treat pancreatitis, they just help out within the scope of a well-planned lifestyle and treatment program.

When Can Dogs Have Pineapple?

One of the most preferred times dog owners feed their dogs small tiny pieces of pineapples is when they’re training them, by using these pieces of pineapples as treats.

How Much Pineapple Can Dogs Eat?

Being a fruit very rich in sugar, you should only feed your dog pineapple in moderation. Dogs never do well after they’re fed anything that contains more sugar than their bodies can handle at any given time.

This is why it’s recommended that at first and when feeding your dog pineapples for the first time, you only feed them 1-2 small pieces at once and observe how they react to them during the day.

Start off slow, and depending on how your dog reacts to the 1-2 small slices, you can determine whether to continue feeding them pineapples or to stop it altogether.

Also, due to the high sugar levels in pineapples, feeding your dog too many slices all at once will put them at risk of having diarrhea, which is another reason you’re best off feeding your dog 1-2 small slices at first and seeing if it affects them in any way.

This 1-2 slices rule at first seems to be a very common rule of thumb when it comes to feeding your dog fruits rich in natural sugars, as the same portion recommendation gets thrown around when it comes to feeding dogs oranges.

A Note About Pineapple Skin

Most importantly (and obviously for some of you who might be reading this), you can never and under any circumstances feed your dog pineapple skin.

Besides the fact that there’s no real need or benefit from feeding your dog pineapple skin, doing this will bring along a whole world of well-being risks for your dog, and you obviously don’t want any of that happening.

Not only is pineapple skin very hard for your dog to properly chew on and can potentially damage their teeth over time, it’s also very hard for your dog’s digestive system to properly digest it.

You also never know what the pineapple came in contact with wherever it grew, and what kind of poison it has on its skin that’s just waiting for your dog to fall victim for.

A Note About Pineapple Leaves

The same way that pineapple skin can be very bad for dogs to eat, pineapple leaves are also very bad for dogs to eat.

Not only are pineapple leaves also very hard for your dog’s digestive system to properly process, but pineapple leaves also pose a serious toxicity threat to your dog.

Can Dogs Eat Canned Pineapple?

Many people prefer to go down the route that saves them valuable time on having to prepare everything themselves, so they choose to buy canned pineapple and feed their dog some of it.

But, is this a healthy thing to be doing? Can dogs eat canned pineapple? Or is canned pineapple bad for dogs?

Truth be told, canned pineapple is a very bad choice of food for you to be giving your dog, and dogs should never be allowed to eat canned pineapple. The only form of pineapple your dog is allowed to eat is freshly cut pineapple.

(Hint: Speaking about freshly cut pineapple, there are ways for you to know whether or not a pineapple you have at home is still fresh or has had some significant time pass by that made it become old. A fresh pineapple will almost always have its flesh completely yellow in color, while an old pineapple won’t always be in such a unified color. Old pineapples may be potentially harmful for dogs, while fresh pineapples are the best kind of pineapples you can feed Fido).

Besides what we already covered in a section above about how canned pineapple contains much less levels of a very helpful enzyme called Bromelain that aids in digestion, canned pineapple is literally pineapple swimming in a sea of sugar-filled water.

Other than the natural sugar content that pineapple is already rich in as it is, the water in the pineapple can is very high in added sugar levels as well.

3 COMMENTS

  1. You should make it clear in the very beginning of your article that you are only talking about fresh pineapple, NOT canned pineapple. Also, I found numerous sites that say pineapple, even in small amounts, can cause upset stomach/diarrhea in dogs. So maybe research a bit more.

  2. Just was cutting up a pineapple and wanted to share some with my canine friends! I was so tickled to read it can be a poop eating deterrent, and we all the sudden have been dealing with this revolting and previously never before experienced problem! I’ll keep you posted if it helps!

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