Can Dogs Eat Apples?

If you're wondering whether you can feed your dog a bit of apple, the answer is yes. Apple is a very healthy fruit recommended in dogs' diets, with a few exceptions.

Let's look at apple's nutritional benefits for dogs, what precautions we should take, and the right amounts.

Can My Dog Eat a Bit of Apple?

Of course — apple is a very healthy fruit most dogs can eat (except those whose vet has prohibited it in their diet).

Giving our dog a bit of apple will be very healthy for it, even if we give it with the skin on. Apples are very tasty for them, so besides eating healthily, they'll enjoy it a lot.

How Much Apple Can a Dog Eat?

As with everything, apple is healthy as long as we give it to our dog in the right amount — if we give too much, it can upset it and cause digestive problems and discomfort.

• A large dog (over 40 kilos) can eat a whole apple a day, once or twice a week. Or small pieces every day of the week.
• A medium dog (between 20 and 39 kilos) can eat an apple a week, or small pieces of it daily.
• And a small dog (under 20 kilos) should only eat small pieces occasionally.

Remember you should NEVER let it eat apple seeds, since they contain cyanide and are harmful to its health. Fruits and vegetables should always be a small part of a dog's total daily diet.

Benefits of Apple for a Dog

Apples are a very healthy fleshy fruit packed with vitamins and fiber, and also have beneficial properties for our dog's health, since they'll help lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

Actually, they have so many benefits, both traditionally and for its health, that they should be mandatory in every dog's diet.

• They have beneficial properties for digestive problems, such as ulcers, gastritis, or heartburn.
• Rich in vitamins such as B and C, as well as phosphoric acid.
• Rich in fiber (pectin) and also has an astringent effect (yes, both things).
• It's a diuretic.
• Helps stop diarrhea (in small doses).
• Helps keep teeth and gums clean and free of bacteria.

Drawbacks of Giving Apple to a Dog

Not every dog handles this fruit well, so it's always a good idea to start with a very small portion and wait at least a day to assess. Also, with small dog breeds, we need to be careful with portion size to prevent choking.

The seeds are harmful to its health, we need to avoid them completely. Excess seeds can even poison them.

Apple is good for curing diarrhea as long as it isn't of viral or bacterial origin, in which case it will need veterinary attention. In excess, it can have the opposite effect, increasing bowel movements.

Is It Better Raw or Cooked?

Raw food has many more nutritional properties than cooked food, but cooked food is much more digestible than raw. So either way is fine.

We can give our dog raw apple with the skin on, or baked (once cool). Always with no seeds to prevent health problems.