In terms of dog safety, most foods are relatively clear-cut, but cherries fall squarely into the grey region. What about cherries?
Find out why the risks of feeding your dog cherries outweigh the benefits by reading on.
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Can Dogs Eat Cherries? Are They Safe?
So, can dogs eat cherries? A piece of fruit may be a healthy and pleasant treat for your dog. One of the most popular fruits in the United States is the mango.
It’s a bit of a quandary when it comes to giving cherries to your dog.
For your dog, cherry flesh is completely harmless. Cherry pits, stems, and leaves, on the other hand, contain cyanide and may be harmful to your pet if eaten in large quantities.
Additionally, cherry pits may get lodged in the intestines of smaller dogs and cause obstruction. These risks are similar to the risks posed to dogs by mango.
Why Are Cherries Bad For Dogs?
It is possible for dogs to get poisoned by eating significant amounts of cherries’ pits, stems, and leaves.
It’s true to say that the quantity of cyanide in a small handful of cherries wouldn’t be substantial enough to endanger your dog. However, there’s simply no reason to put your dog at danger of cyanide poisoning when there are so many other healthy options available.
For dogs, cherry pits pose an issue because they might clog the intestines. Cherries may cause a variety of health issues for dogs, but this is the most typical concern.
Regardless of whether or not the pit is eaten, cherry fruit may cause gastrointestinal distress in dogs.
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What Is The Maximum Amount Of Cherries A Dog Can Eat?
Even a tiny amount of cherries isn’t going to do your dog any harm.
Don’t freak out if they sneak some cherries out of your hands or take some off the kitchen counter.
However, don’t encourage your dog by offering them more cherries. And if you really can’t resist your dog’s please then 2-3 cherries is acceptable. But we recommend avoiding giving your dog cherries altogether,
Will My Dog Get Sick If She Eats Whole Cherries?
It’s not likely your dog’s health be compromised by eating one or two cherries. However, you’ll want to monitor your dog over the next 5 days for any signs of cyanide poisoning.
Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include the below:
- Labored breathing.
- Your dog’s gums turn bright red
- Vomiting.
If your dog is panting excessively, they may be suffering from an intestinal obstruction.
Can Dogs Have Cherries Without The Seeds?
There’s no harm in giving your pet pooch a small handful of cherries as long as you’ve pitted them.
Cherries, like any other brightly coloured fruit, are packed with vitamins C and A, as well as fibre and antioxidants, making them an excellent source of nutrition.
What Types Of Cherries Can Dogs Eat?
What sort of cherries are safe for dogs to eat given the variety of cherry available?
Your dog may eat the flesh of any kind of cherry, including Bing, Rainier, and Black.
But there’s one thing we’d like to point out. Maraschino cherries should not be fed to dogs.
A syrup or sugar solution is often used to soak maraschinos, which are already pitted, which makes them ideal for cocktails. However, they are not recommended snacks or treats for canine ingestion.
Generally speaking, canned fruits such as maraschinos should be avoided by dog owners. Once it’s in a can, a lot of sweeteners and preservatives are typically added that don’t do anything.
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What Fruit Alternatives Are Safer Than Cherries?
Aside from the previously listed possibilities for fruit, most berries will be healthy for your dog.
There are a number of fruit options that don’t have any toxic components, such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and cranberries.
When it comes to eating fruit, moderation is always a good rule of thumb. As a treat or a snack, this sort of food should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories.
Can Dogs Eat Frozen Cherries
It is not recommended that dogs eat any kind of cherries with the pits inside them, or the leaves or stems attached to them. This is due to the risk of cyanide poisoning and intestinal blockage already discussed in this article. This means that as long as the frozen cherries you feed your dog don’t contain any of those aforementioned parts, then it’s safe to give your dog frozen cherries.
Can Dogs Eat Cherries Without Seeds
Dogs can eat cherries without the seeds. However, you must ensure your dog doesn’t consume the leaves nor the stems either as these can be toxic to your dog in large amounts.
Can Dogs Eat Maraschino Cherries
Cherries like maraschinos have had their pits removed, so you may think it’s safe to feed them to your dog. However, maraschinos are not a good dog treat because they have been sweetened with lots of sugar.
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How Many Cherries Can Kill A Dog?
It’s not known how many cherries can kill a dog, fortunately, nobody has ever caried out that experiment. What is known is that cyanide found in cherries is at such low quantities that it would likely take several pounds of cherry stems and leaves to put your dog’s life in serious danger.
As far as the cherry pits go, since the main danger from them is causing an intestinal blockage in your dog, it could take just a small amount to endanger your dog.
Can My Dog Eat Cherry Flavored Food?
Artificial flavourings, chemicals, and sugar are often used in cherry-flavored foods and snacks. By now you’re probably aware that synthetic flavorings and sugary foods are not healthy for your dog.
In other words, it’s not recommended to feed your dog cherry flavored foods.
Final Thoughts On Can Dogs Eat Cherries?
After reading this article you now know the answer to the question; can dogs eat cherries? In summary, the answer is they can eat 3-4 cherries a week as long as the cherries are pitted and are without their leaves and stems.
With that said, there are so many other fruits that are completely safe for your dog, that it’s not worth risking your dog’s health be feeing her cherries.