You might have tried to share some papaya with your furry friend, but right before doing so, you get this weird feeling on, Will It Be Safe?
That is why we’re here; in this article, you’ll get to know everything you need to know before feeding some papaya for your dog, so keep reading.
Can Dogs Eat Papaya, And Is It Safe?
Before going in further, let me answer this question…
Can Dogs Eat Papaya?
And the answer is a simple “YES.” They would love to have a piece of the delicious fruit, and it’s healthy for them too!!
Papaya is a Tropical Fruit with numerous Vitamins, Disease-fighting Antioxidants, Phytochemicals that helps to fight heart diseases, and finally, it contains Healthy Fats.
As you can see, there are many advantages for your dog when eating papaya; however, this does not mean that you can feed them excessively.
As always, make sure to feed them in moderation as this will prevent your dog from having any negative effects; also, do not overfeed them.
In case you’re feeding papaya to your dog for the very first time, then make sure to start off with a little slice of it and look for any unwanted reactions like:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Itching
If you experience any of these, then immediately stop feeding and contact your VET.
SIDE NOTE: before you even think of feeding papaya to your dog, we recommend you contact your VET and get his approval.
Benefits Of Eating Papaya For Dogs
Now that you know that you can feed papaya to your pooch safely, here are some benefits your dog can gain through it.
As I said before, papaya is a very healthy fruit for both humans and dogs, which has Vitamins A, K, and C, Minerals, Antioxidants, Fiber, and much more…
- Calcium: Contributes to your dog’s growth, helps to sustain healthy and strong teeth and bones.
- Fiber: helps to avoid constipation and maintain an ordinary bowel movement, also prevents bloating.
- Potassium: improves your dog’s bone health, boosts muscle and strength, helps in neural function, and finally helps the dog to absorb nutrients.
- Magnesium: is beneficial in the same way as Potassium and Calcium. It helps to maintain heart health, improves muscle function, and finally helps with Electrical Signals of Nerve Cells.
- Vitamin A, C, E, K: strengthens the immune system, boosts energy, and helps to prevent atherosclerosis.
Problems Your Dog Can Face When Eating Papaya
Even Though there are benefits, it doesn’t mean that there are no problems; feeding any food in large amounts to a dog can mean damage, so it’s best to feed them in moderation.
And before feeding them, make sure to test your dog with small chunks of papaya and see the outcome; if it is ok and your dog is fine, then you can continue feeding them more.
However, speaking of problems, you can be aware of:
- Allergies: your dog may or may not be allergic to papaya; if the dog is prone to allergic reactions while eating papaya, itching, skin problems, loose stools, and vomiting can be evident and if this is the case, immediately contact your VET.
- Limit How Much You Feed: As I said before, limit your feeding based on the size of your dog. Never overfeed; overfeeding can also cause significant problems like diarrhea, digestive issues, and ingestive issues, so a small amount of papaya is always ideal.
- Skin: as you may know, papaya skin is very hard, and your dog might find it difficult to digest, and there is a chance that it leads to choking; not only that, it could also cause problems in the belly, so before feeding make sure to peel off the skin thoroughly.
- Seeds: this not only goes for papaya; before feeding any fruit, you should clear off the seeds; papaya seeds contain a small amount of cyanide and are toxic for dogs, also; if large amounts of seeds are swallowed, your dog can suffer serious intestinal blockages. So take off every seed that is present in the papaya.
Typically, consuming papaya won’t make your dog sick or produce any problems unless your dog is allergic to it. Also, make sure to follow the above-listed guideline before feeding to avoid any unwanted issues.
Can Dogs Eat A Whole Papaya?
Papayas are large fruits; eating a whole papaya would be doable for a dog, depending on its size.
However!!
It is not recommended simply because of its skin; as I said before, papaya’s skin is indigestible and large pieces of papayas can get stuck in your dog’s belly and will wreak havoc with your dog’s digestive system, which can lead to a blockage.
If this happens, a surgery would be required to get rid of the blockage, so DO NOT LET YOUR DOG EAT A WHOLE PAPAYA.
Things To Keep In Mind Before Feeding Papaya
As long as your dog is not allergic to papayas, you can start feeding them without any problems, but Before you do so, there are some things that you need to follow; this will help to avoid any unnecessary problems.
- Choosing the Perfect Papaya: before you do anything, make sure to serve it fresh and avoid dehydrated papayas, which has a higher amount of concentrated sugar, because this can increase blood sugar level, and especially avoid feeding dehydrated papayas to the dog’s with diabetes, pancreatitis, and arthritis.
Frozen Papayas can come in handy on a hot day, and it’s completely safe, but make sure not to feed immediately after taking it out from the freezer. Also, avoid feeding dogs with sensitive teeth.
- Serving It Right: after taking a fresh piece of papaya, cut the skin thoroughly, take off the seeds, cut into small cubes (depending on the size of the dog) and serve it right.
- Feeding Schedule: Feed 1-2 small cubes for a medium-sized dog and 3-4 cubes for a large-sized dog a day, and more than that could upset your dog’s belly, avoid feeding papayas to your dog every day, 3 to 4 days a week is pretty much perfect and will avoid loose stools, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Also, if your Furry Friend is still a puppy, you should not feed papayas to him because puppies have tiny bellies, and they are not yet ready to digest the fiber and sugar in the papayas.
Always make sure to follow these things before you start feeding some papayas to your pooch, and most importantly, keep it fresh, don’t forget to cut it into pieces depending on your dog’s size.
Conclusion
I think you’ve got your answer; now it’s up to you to decide whether to feed papayas to your dog or not. While your dog might not be able to eat papaya in some cases, there are always other ways for your dog to enjoy viewing papayas.
If the dog is not allergic to papayas, then it is entirely safe to consume.
Make sure to start off with a very small-sized bite. If your dog is perfectly fine with it and does not show any allergic reactions, only then can you start to feed on a basis.