If you’re looking for the best answer for the question “can dogs eat bananas?” then you’ll love this post.
First I will answer this your question base on my in-depth research in this field…
Then you’ll know are bananas good for dogs or not?
Let’s dive right in.
You know, my dog is not a picky eater at all! In fact, he is a real glutton! I can’t even open a sweet wrapper without him hearing me. You would think a banana would be safe, wouldn’t you? No such luck! He has this seemingly miraculous ability to know when I am about to eat a banana. Then he sits there, staring at me, almost as if he was trying to hypnotize me, saying: “feed me some of that delicious banana, human!”
At this point, you might wonder whether I give him some of my banana. The answer is yes, I do, actually. The second question you might ask me is: “can dogs have bananas?” Yes, they can, in fact, and I am going to explain why.
What You Need To Know About Dogs and Bananas
A banana is not only a healthy treat for humans. It is great for dogs as well. It has many vitamins and minerals that keep us, and our pets, healthy. These include potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Bananas are also easily digestible and soft on the stomach. It is great for dogs that are ill. They do not need to chew it too much, and you could always mash it up for easy eating.
Bananas have a high carbohydrate, calorie, and sugar content, however, so take care not to feed your dog too much. Too much banana is bad for dogs. It causes weight gain and dental problems.
Please remember that just because my dog eats a banana (actually he eats anything) does not mean your dog will. Dogs are like humans. What I like is not always what you like. So give him a small slice and see what he will do. Mashing it up and mixing it with his regular food is an easy way to introduce banana into his diet.
Can Dogs Eat Bananas?
The answer to this question is “Yes! Dogs can eat bananas!” Many dogs like the sweet taste. Bananas are also very nutritious. Bananas have a very low salt content and contain many antioxidants that are beneficial to his skin and coat.
A dog can eat the fruit of the banana, but not the banana peel. The banana peel is not toxic at all but is difficult to digest. It could, potentially, cause a blockage, making your dog constipated and very ill. It is best to stay away from banana peels.
Ripe bananas are best. These are bananas with yellow peels and a few brown spots. They are the healthiest. Green, unripe bananas are difficult to digest, so do not give them to your dog.
Just do not give your dog too much banana. Too much banana affects a dog’s health negatively.
The Health Benefits of Bananas for Dogs – Are bananas good for dogs?
Ripe bananas, in moderation, is a wonderful dog treat. It is packed with vitamins and minerals that help keep him healthy.
These vitamins and vitamins have many health benefits, such as:
- Potassium
Potassium helps with the proper functioning of muscles and blood vessels and helps your body to maintain its fluid balance. It also maintains good heart health, for you and your dog.
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps boost your dog’s immune system and helps him recover from injuries – faster. This vitamin also helps to fight against arthritis, glaucoma, infections, kennel cough, and cataracts.
Most dogs produce their own vitamin C, but older dogs produce less. Bananas, therefore, make a great dog treat for older dogs.
- Magnesium
Your dog needs magnesium in order to absorb other vitamins and minerals. Besides playing an important role in the absorption of these vitamins and minerals, the magnesium in bananas helps to support bone growth. It is, therefore, great for active, growing puppies!
- Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 plays a role in proper brain function. It helps produce hormones like serotonin, and with the secretion of melatonin.
Serotonin is a hormone that affects your dog’s mood, while melatonin is the sleep hormone. Melatonin helps a dog regulate his sleep patterns. Without enough melatonin, dogs, and humans, often find it difficult to go to sleep or wake up a lot during the night.
- Vitamin B7
Vitamin B7 keeps your dog’s skin in good condition and his fur healthy. It also maintains a healthy heart, digestion, and nerve function.
- Fiber and Pectin
Fiber is important to keep your dog’s bowel movements regular. Bananas are thus great for constipated dogs.
Pectin is a thickening agent. In other words, it thickens the stools of dogs with diarrhea, normalizing their bowel movements.
You may think it is impossible to have a food that can stop diarrhea but also promote bowel movements. The thing is, the fiber and pectin in bananas create an environment for healthy, normal, bowel function. Bananas in small amounts are, thus, wonderful for soothing an irritated intestine.
In addition to all this goodness, bananas contain prebiotics needed for good gut health and soluble carbohydrates. These carbohydrates, when converted into natural sugar, give your dog energy.
When Are Bananas Bad For Dogs?
There is no doubt giving your dog bananas as an occasional treat is great for him. The word here is occasional. Giving him too much banana is bad for him.
How much banana should I give my dog?
How much banana to feed your dog depends on his age and breed type. Puppies and small dog breeds should not be fed more than about two slices of banana twice per week. Larger and medium sized dog breeds do fine with half a banana twice a week. More than this and you invite problems.
Symptoms associated with too much banana for dogs
Remember dogs are mainly carnivores and rely on meat products for their diet. Some fruit and vegetables, however, are great for them. When feeding your dog too much banana, you run the risk of him developing health problems. Included amongst these are the following:
- Teeth problems
Dogs also get tooth decay if their teeth are not cared for. Sugar, once in the mouth, becomes acidic and eats at your dog’s tooth enamel. In moderation, bananas are fine. Too much, however, contributes towards tooth decay in your pet.
- Heart problems
Potassium is healthy and promotes good heart function. Too much potassium, however, has the opposite effect! It actually causes heart problems. This condition is known as hyperkalemia. It means your dog’s heart rhythms is no longer normal. It leads to serious consequences, including death.
- It results in constipation
You may think the fiber in banana stops constipation. This is normally true. But if your dog eats a lot of banana but does not drink enough water, he actually becomes constipated. This is especially the case when he eats whole or large chunks of banana.
- It results in diarrhea
You might think this is strange. How can a dog get constipation and diarrhea from bananas? When a dog drinks enough water and eats too much banana, his stomach becomes loose and may result in diarrhea. The fiber and water loosen his stool. So once more, remember, he should get banana in moderation.
- It is a possible cause of headaches in dogs
Headaches, I know from personal experience, hurt! Your dog cannot tell you he hurts. So when you give him banana, make sure to keep an eye on him the next day. If you see he does not feel well or does not have his usual energy, be assured the banana is to blame.
But how does banana cause headaches? Bananas are a rich source of amino acids. These amino acids dilate the blood vessels in the brain and cause headaches.
- Bananas may cause allergic reactions
According to research, up to ten percent of all dogs have a genetic tendency to get food allergies. One of the foods included on the list that may trigger a good allergy is bananas. Take your dog to the vet if you suspect he has a banana allergy. Symptoms to look out for include:
- Licking their paws all the time
- Frequent scratching
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Flatulence
- Chronic ear problems
- Chronic skin problems
If you notice any of these conditions, take your dog to the vet.
- Your dog could become obese
Bananas have a high sugar content. Too much sugar is one of the major causes of obesity in dogs and humans.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Peels?
Banana peels are not toxic to dogs, and they have many nutrients. But dogs cannot digest banana peels properly. Feeding your dog banana peels may cause a blockage in his intestine that results in an operation. So to answer the questions, can dogs eat banana peels? No! You should not feed your dog banana peels. Only feed him peeled banana.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Chips?
Banana chips are dried, sliced, banana. When you dry fruit, their sugar becomes concentrated. So a dried banana chip has much more sugar than a raw slice of banana. Too much sugar is not good for your dog. Your dog’s digestive system also has trouble digesting banana chips while too many of them cause health problems as mentioned above. Banana chips also contain sulfates which are bad for dogs.
So no, dogs cannot eat banana chips.
What You Need To Do When You See Your Dog Has Problems After Eating Banana
If your dog is like mine and will steal bananas and gobble them up, he may get ill. When this happens, you need to take care of him. Taking care of him includes the following:
- Keep him calm and sheltered, away from other pets if you have any
- Make sure he has a bowl of clean water
- If your dog’s condition gets worse, take him to the vet
- If you notice signs of an allergic reaction, take him to the vet
How To Feed Your Dog Bananas
Feed small dogs and puppies two slices of banana, not more than twice a week. Feed medium and large dogs half a banana twice a week. Do not exceed this. He might develop problems.
- Preparing bananas for your dog
There are many ways in which you can feed your dog bananas. You can mash it and add it to his regular dog food. Freezing cut slices of banana and giving them to your dog is a great summer dog treat. Of course, you could always splash out and make up some of my great dog treats!
This recipe is great for hot, summer days. It is a human treat too! Make sure your dog is not lactose intolerant as the recipe contains yogurt.
You will need:
- 4 bananas (ripe)
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup plain yogurt
Method:
Mash up the bananas in a bowl. Add the peanut butter and yogurt and stir well. Place in the freezer until set. You could also place dollops of the mixture into freezer trays for easy serving.
You will need:
- 500g wholemeal flour
- 450ml water
- 2 mashed, ripe bananas
- 2 desert spoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and grease two baking trays. Combine all the ingredients and mix with an electric beater until ingredients are combined. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead until it is no longer sticky. Roll out the dough until it’s about half a cm thick and cut out shapes. Place shapes in over for about 20 minutes. Turn off oven, leaving cookies inside for another 30 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack until cold. These cookies keep well in an airtight container.
The Final Verdict
I hope I have answered the question “can dogs eat bananas?” to your satisfaction. Bananas have many vitamins and nutrients that are great for his health, skin, and fur. On the other hand, too much banana has a negative effect on his health. This means that while you can give your dog banana to eat, you need to remember to do so in moderation.
Please let me know whether you enjoyed this information. Also, do feel free to leave a comment and share it with other dog lovers. I would appreciate it.
