Mandarins are citrus fruits also known as mandarines or mandarin oranges. The juicy fruit belongs to the same family as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits. Mandarins differ from regular oranges in that they are smaller, sweeter, and less difficult to peel.
You may be eating a mandarin and seen your dog looking wishfully at you and thought to yourself, can dogs eat mandarins?
The simple answer is yes, it’s safe for dogs to eat mandarins. The citrus fruit doesn’t contain any substances that are harmful to dogs and most pooches enjoy the taste, however only small quantities should be given to dogs.
The main consideration is should you feed mandarins to dogs? Are there any health benefits for dogs? And are there are any negative side effects for your dog?
Read on to discover the answer to these questions and more.
Table of Contents
Can Dogs Eat Mandarins? – Are Mandarins Safe For Dogs?
Yes, dogs can eat mandarins. The citrus fruit doesn’t contain any substances or chemical compounds that are hazardous to dogs.
With that said, mandarin oranges should be given to dogs in small moderate quantities. For example, you can feed your pooch one or two slices of mandarin as an occasional treat.
While mandarins in and of themselves are safe for dogs to eat, there are more suitable dog treats available that your pooch will enjoy more.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Mandarins For Dogs?
There are some health benefits available to your dog by eating mandarin, as you can see below.
Vitamin A To Help Your Dog’s Eyesight
You can help your dog’s eyesight at night by giving him a daily dose of vitamin A from a mandarin.
Vitamin C Antioxidants For Your Dog
Vitamin C, which is abundant in mandarins and functions as an antioxidant to protect your dog from sickness, is one of several vitamins found in this fruit. Free radicals and oxidative stress may both be counteracted by vitamin C.
Cancer, kennel cough, bacterial infections, arthritis, and other diseases are only some of the conditions for which vitamin C is prescribed by veterinarians.
Minerals For Your Dog
Calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and zinc are just a few of the minerals found in the mandarin. Minerals have an important role in a wide range of bodily functions, including supplying your dog with energy and helping to keep him healthy.
As you can see from the above, there are some health benefits for your pooch in eating mandarin. However, your pooch can also gain more health benefits from other more suitable dog snacks.
What Are The Risks Of Letting Dogs Eat Mandarins?
There are some risks in feeding your dog mandarin and it’s important to be aware of them.
Mandarin Seeds Contain Cyanide
There are minute levels of cyanide contained in mandarin seeds which can be harmful to dogs. The danger exists despite the fact that the quantity of seeds required is high, and your pet will need to eat or shatter the seeds to expose the cyanide. That’s why you should remove the seeds from any mandarins you give to your canine friend.
High Sugar Levels In Mandarin Is Bad For Dogs
For dogs, eating a lot of sugary foods like Mandarins may cause teeth damage, obesity and diabetes. Overweight dogs are becoming more common, and almost half of all dogs over the age of four are overweight (https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/obesity-in-dogs). That alone should make you think twice about giving your four legged friend any extra sugar.
It’s not recommended to feed your dog mandarins if they are already overweight or have diabetes or other sugar-related health conditions.
Mandarin Peels Can Harm Dogs
The peel of a mandarin orange is bitter and tough for your dog’s digestive tract to break down. An upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea are all possible side effects of ingesting mandaring skin.
Eating the peels may also be harmful to your pet’s health because of the pesticides and chemicals that may be present in them. Diarrhea can be a symptom of pesticide poisoning in your dog, as well as disorientation, extreme thirst, tremors and more.
On top of those risks, it’s important to point out that a dogs’ digestive system isn’t capable of processing and breaking down citrus fruits in the same way that a human’s can.
There are better choices of dog treats and snacks than mandarines.
Will Mandarin Oranges Hurt Dogs?
Mandarin oranges are non-toxic for dogs and don’t contain any substances that will inherently hurt a dog. However, mandarins should only be fed to dogs occasionally as a treat. This is primarily because mandarins are high in sugar, and deliberately adding extra sugar to a dog’s diet is never a good idea.
Not only that, mandarin peel can be a hazard to dogs because there are often harmful farming chemicals and pesticides present on them.
Further, a dog’s digestive system isn’t capable of breaking down citrus fruits in the efficient way that a human can. A dog could potentially suffer from intestinal discomfort if they eat mandarin oranges, especially if they’ve not eaten it before.
How Many Mandarins Can A Dog Eat?
The quantity of mandarin you may offer your dog depends on the dog’s weight and size.
Large-breed dogs may be fed up to a full mandarin once a week without experiencing any negative effects.
A medium-sized dog may eat around half a mandarin each week.
A quarter of a mandarin orange each week is an appropriate amount for a small-breed dog.
Keep in mind that dogs will get a lot more nutritional benefit out of dog-specific snacks compared to mandarins.
Can I Give My Puppy Mandarin?
Puppies can eat mandarins and there are no harmful toxins contained in the fruit. While mandarins can offer puppies some health benefits, there are much healthier puppy-specific snacks and treats available.
Keep in mind that the digestive system of a grown adult dog is not able to break down citrus fruits in the same efficient way that a human’s can. Inevitably, the digestive system of a young puppy is even less capable of processing mandarins and other citrus fruits. In light of that, it’s best to keep mandarins out of the reach of puppies.
Many veterinarians will recommend a specific diet for the first few months of a puppies’ life, and this diet is unlikely to include mandarin.
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Is Mandarin Skin Poisonous To Dogs?
Mandarin skin does not contain any substances that are toxic to dogs, however it’s not advisable to let your dog eat mandarin skin. This is because mandarin skin can be harmful to dogs since dangerous farming chemicals and pesticides may be present in them. Pesticide poisoning can cause diarrhea, disorientation and vomiting in dogs, and even worse in some cases.
Further, the skin of the mandarin orange might become stuck in a dog’s stomach and create digestive issues.
For these reasons it’s strongly advised you don’t give your dog mandarin skin.
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Can Mandarins Make Dogs Sick?
Mandarin oranges are safe for dogs to eat. But keep in mind that depending on how much your dog eats, they may feel sick afterwards. Why? Because citrus fruits can’t be processed and broken down by a dog’s digestive system as easily as they can be in a human’s digestive system.
Even one or two slices of mandarin might have a negative impact on a dog’s digestive tract, especially if they’ve never eaten citrus fruits before.
Further, if your dog is diabetic then you must not feed them mandarin. A small wedge of mandarin can heavily increase your dog’s blood sugar levels.
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Are Mandarins Healthy For Dogs?
Vitamin C and A are abundant in mandarins, as are several minerals. In that sense they’re healthy for dogs. However, your dog should be eating a comprehensive balanced diet, and as a result they will already be getting sufficient levels of vitamins and minerals. With this in mind, there’s no need to add mandarins to your dog’s diet.
Are Mandarins Good For Puppies?
Mandarins are safe for puppies to eat and don’t contain any toxic substances. However, few veterinarians would declare that mandarins are good for puppies. Why? Because there are better puppy-specific snacks available that offer puppies significantly more nutritional value.
Not only that, but a puppy’s digestive may struggle to break down mandarin and other citrus fruits.
If your puppy has eaten a segment or two of mandarin, there’s no reason to panic. However, it’s not recommended that you give your puppy mandarin as a regular part of their diet.
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Is Mandarin Peel Bad For Dogs?
The peel of a mandarin does not contain any elements that are bad for dogs, however it’s not recommended that you feed your dog the peel. For the simple reason that mandarin peels may contain toxic farming chemicals and pesticides. In dogs, pesticide poisoning may induce diarrhea, dizziness, and vomiting, and in some circumstances, even more severe symptoms.
It’s also possible that the mandarin orange peel may become lodged in a dog’s stomach, resulting in digestive troubles and discomfort.
In light of the above, there are no good reasons to feed your dog mandarin peels.
How Much Mandarin Can I Give My Dog?
The amount of mandarin you can give your dog depends on the size of a dog.
You can give a large breed dog up to a whole mandarin once a week and it would be unlikely to cause them discomfort.
A medium breed dog can be given around one half of a mandarin each week.
You can safely give a small breed dog around a quarter of a mandarin each week.
With that said, there are better dog-specific treats that give dogs substantially more nutritional value than mandarins.
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Can Diabetic Dogs Eat Mandarins?
Mandarins are high in sugar and even a single wedge can spark a sharp rise in a dog’s blood sugar level. Typically, mandarins are not suitable for a diabetic dog to eat.
With that said, it’s always best to consult a veterinarian when considering whether to give a diabetic dog any high sugar foods, including mandarins.
Final Thoughts On Can Dogs Eat Mandarins
The question posed in this article is; can dogs eat mandarins? The answer is clear, yes, dogs can eat mandarins in small quantities and there are some health benefits that can be provided to dogs. However, dogs should be getting all the nutrients they need from a balanced diet, making the addition of mandarin to their diet unnecessary.