Is it OK for Dogs to Eat Bananas?
It's common for people with dogs to wonder whether some human foods are acceptable and safe to share with their canine friend. After all, dogs are pack animals, and they often enjoy sharing food with their people.
And it's good to wonder because there are human foods that are quite toxic for dogs, and some of them might be surprising, like grapes and the vast variety of foods that contain xylitol.
Can Dogs Have Bananas?
Bananas are commonly around human homes, and they're an easy thing to share with a dog. You can just break a piece off and offer it up with little muss or fuss.
The good news is that bananas are not toxic to dogs, and it's probably OK to feed yours a bit at a time. In fact, the potassium, vitamin C, and fiber in bananas can actually be good for dogs.
However, any individual dog could be bothered by any food. Those dogs could get gastrointestinal upset and even vomit or get diarrhea. If you do decide to give your dog a little banana, start out by doing it alone, without other human foods, and monitor him closely for several hours, watching for any signs that it didn't agree with him.
Additionally, if your dog has a lot of banana, it could cause constipation. And eating banana peels often causes irritation of the GI tract and might even result in a dangerous obstruction. Peels also cause choking in dogs. So keep your bananas where your dog can't just help himself.
Bananas are high in sugar, so avoid them if your dog is diabetic, and don't give too much banana to any dog. A piece or two occasionally is probably as much as you should consider giving.
When you give your dog human food, consider that it might cause or reinforce begging behavior that could become bothersome. Rather than feeding your dog part of the banana you're eating, consider putting some small pieces in his bowl for him to eat from there. Learn more: "Dog Begging Behavior."
Always check with your veterinarian if you're concerned about whether a food is safe for your particular dog, especially if he has any medical conditions.
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