Bananas are a popular fruit that many people enjoy eating – but can dogs eat bananas?
The answer is yes, dogs can eat bananas. You can see the pics of my dog Bingo enjoying a ripe banana throughout this article – he loves them!
However, there are some things you need to know before feeding them this type of fruit.
In this article, we will discuss the nutritional value of bananas for dogs and the potential health benefits and risks associated with feeding them this food.
Do All Dogs Like Bananas?
Not all dogs love bananas, but most will enjoy the taste and eat them given a chance.
If your dog doesn’t seem interested in this fruit, there’s no need to force them to eat it – try another healthy snack instead that they will be sure to love.
Some dogs may also show intolerance or allergy to bananas.
Watch out for signs like:
- Sneezing
- Red eyes
- Rash
- Vomiting
If you see any of these symptoms after your dog has eaten bananas, stop feeding them to them and consult with your veterinarian.
Dog food allergies aren’t common with bananas but will occur with some dogs.
Introducing Bananas To Your Dog
If you’re thinking of giving your pup a banana for the first time, start by mixing it in with their regular food.
This will help prevent any GI problems that could occur if your dog isn’t used to eating them. Start with a small piece and increase the amount gradually as your dog gets used to having bananas as part of their diet.
After a few days, you should notice an improvement in your dog’s behavior because the high fiber content will keep them feeling full for extended periods, which will reduce begging and other similar nuisance behaviors like barking when hungry.
Are Bananas Good For Your Dog?
Besides the nutritional benefits of bananas, they also have a high water content that provides hydration to your pet.
They’re low in calories and fat, so they won’t make them gain weight if eaten in moderation.
The amount of sugar in bananas varies depending on how ripe or green they are when your dog eats them. Generally speaking, there isn’t much because banana fruit doesn’t contain much sugar.
And while plain raw bananas are fine for your dog to eat in moderation, baking or cooking that makes use of bananas may not be. For example, bananas and cream oatmeal or banana muffins should not be fed to your dog.
The banana content would be fine, but sugar, baking powder, yeasts, and other common baking ingredients are not good for dogs.
The Health Benefits Of Bananas For Dogs
Bananas are a good source of dietary potassium, vitamin C, dietary fiber, manganese, antioxidants, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Biotin, and magnesium.
All of these nutrients can provide some health benefits for dogs.
1. Potassium: Potassium is essential for maintaining muscle function and water balance in the body.
2. Vitamin C: It helps keep the immune system functioning properly and may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
3. Dietary fiber: The fiber content promotes healthy digestion.
It also increases satiety because it slows down gastric emptying time, so your dog feels full for longer periods after eating meals containing these types of fruits or vegetables.
4. Manganese: Manganese is essential for bone development and wound healing.
5. Vitamin B6: It regulates blood sugar levels fluid balance, regulates hormones, and supports neurotransmitters in your dog’s body.
6. Biotin: Biotin is found in bananas too. It helps to metabolize fats and carbohydrates and repair damaged tissues.
7. Vitamin A: Bananas are a rich source of vitamin A which can help with vision development, skin health, and bone growth.
8. Antioxidants: Bananas also contain antioxidants to protect against free radical damage from environmental toxins like pollution or UV rays.
Antioxidants can reduce the risk of some types of cancer by protecting cells from damaging substances called reactive oxygen species (ROS).
9. Magnesium: Magnesium is necessary for converting food into energy building muscle tissue and bone structure.
It promotes strong bones by aiding calcium absorption from the digestive tract into the bloodstream where it’s needed most (i.e., teeth).
When choosing food for your dog, bananas in moderation are a good option.
DIY Dog Treats With Banana
You can buy banana dog treats online, or even better, you can make them yourself.
Here are 3 great ideas for how to make treats for your dog with bananas.
1. Peanut Butter and Banana Dog Treats
These are super easy to make – mix some mashed bananas with peanut butter, roll into balls, and refrigerate. However, it would be best to give your dog peanut butter in moderation because it contains a lot of fat, leading to weight gain.
2. Frozen Bananas
Cut a ripe banana into small pieces and freeze them on a baking sheet overnight. Once frozen, store in an airtight container. Give your pup one or two pieces as a special treat.
3. Banana Carob Chip Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In another bowl, mash together bananas, honey, carob chips (or chocolate chips), and vanilla extract.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; mix well.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
Chippin Anti-Inflammatory With Banana
Chippin Pet has an anti-inflammatory product with banana.
It’s called Anti-Inflammatory Antioxidant and it’s packed with cricket, blueberry, and banana.
This banana treat:
- Made of all-natural ingredients
- Supports gut health
- Also contains turmeric for anti-inflammatory benefits
Check out our complete Chippin Pet review to find out more about their other products (also on Amazon here).
Can Dogs Eat Unripe Bananas?
The answer to this question is no – unripe bananas are not safe for dogs to eat.
That’s because they contain high levels of starch and sugar, which can give your pup an upset stomach or diarrhea.
How Much Banana Is Too Much?
While bananas are safe to give your dog in moderation, they shouldn’t be the central part of their diet.
The recommended serving size is no more than a tiny piece per day; any more significant amounts could cause an upset stomach or diarrhea due to the high amount of fiber in these fruits (which isn’t easily digested by dogs).
However, it will also depend on your dog’s breed, age, and size.
For example, a large breed dog, such as a German Shepherd, can safely eat a larger amount of banana compared to a French Bulldog.
Dog Ate Too Many Bananas
If your dog is uncomfortable eating too many bananas, you will notice barking that isn’t normal for them because they feel nauseous and need some quiet time. Suppose your dog doesn’t seem to be getting better after resting quietly with water nearby.
In that case, before you consider a dog barking control, your dog may need medical attention as soon as possible so that the vet can figure out what else might have caused this problem, such as an allergic reaction from eating something toxic.
If your pup has eaten more than one banana, you can expect some vomiting or diarrhea.
Take note of what color it is (red), how much there was (a lot), and any other symptoms like lethargy so you can determine if this was accidental poisoning from eating something toxic such as chocolate chips which could cause seizures or death if not treated quickly enough.
Furthermore, if your pup has diarrhea after eating bananas, it could be due to the high amount of potassium contained within these fruits.
However, this isn’t usually very serious unless there are underlying health issues such as diabetes mellitus (DM) or hyperthyroidism that need addressing before introducing them into their daily diet plan again with cautionary measures taken beforehand.
Banana Peels And Dogs
There is a myth that banana peels are poisonous to dogs, but this isn’t true. You can feed your dog small amounts of peeled bananas as long as they’re ripe and have no mold on them.
While it’s safe for your pup to eat the inside portion of a banana, you should never let them chew or swallow any part of an unpeeled fruit because its high fiber content can cause gastrointestinal problems like constipation and diarrhea if ingested too much at once.
Furthermore, ensure that you dispose of banana peels safely. Keep them out of reach from your pet.
In conclusion, while it’s safe for dogs to eat bananas in moderation, there are pros and cons to including them in their daily diet plan.
You should constantly monitor any new foods being introduced into the household before giving one another’s pet free reign over what they want when hungry.
Zucchini and pickles are also really good healthy veges for dogs that you can start introducing into your pet’s diet.