If you’re looking for the answer for the question: can dogs eat pears? then your best answer can be found here.
This article is aimed at carefully addressing this concern while highlighting the potential benefits and risks.
Let’s dive right in.
Dogs And Pears – The Facts.
Dogs have over time adapted to man’s diet shifting from the traditional carnivorous diet still associated with their wolf relatives and ancestry. Considered by most to be true omnivores, Canines are capable of thriving on a basic human diet. Studies have revealed however that dogs lack efficiency in digesting plant matter compared to their human counterparts. This is attributed to the presence of cellulose in the basic make up of most plants.
Pears are a class of pomaceous fruits belonging to any of several speciesvalued for their taste and nutritious value. Pears are a personal favorite to me and are a constant item on my grocery shopping list. My dog Charlie, a Doberman, seems to enjoy crunching on pears as much as I do. To this effect, I took it upon myself to find out whether there are any risks that can be associated with pear eating in dogs.
Pears are native to coastal and mild temperate regions ranging from Northern Africa, Western Europe and across Asia. Some varieties of pears cannot be easily identified by the shape of the fruit. An example is the Nashi Pear that resembles an apple in appearance.
Can Dogs Eat Pears?
Pears are considered by most veterinarians and animal nutritionists as being a generally safe and healthy treat for your furry friend. It is recommended that the total amount of fruits ingested shouldn’t exceed ten percent of your dog’s daily diet. This includes pears as excessive consumption causes stomach upsets. Nutritionally speaking, pears pack an array of nutrients that impart various health benefits when consumed by your dog.
Pears are known to be rich in antioxidants, flavonoids and other cardio-friendly substances. As healthy as pears are, moderation is key while feeding your dog but how much is too much? Pears are low in calories and it is generally recommended not to feed your pooch more than a slice of the same.
[su_list icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#2a9c1e”]
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C is present in impressive amounts in pears. It is an outstanding antioxidant that minimizes cell damage by free radicals. Vitamin C helps build collagen which keeps your dog’s skin strong and elastic. It also aids in the absorption of iron from plant dietary sources.Vitamin C provides protection against immune system deficiencies, eye disease and cardio health in dogs.
- Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a blood coagulation agent that prevents hemorrhaging. This vitamin is also essential in the formation of strong bones and has been noted to prevent heart disease in canines.
- Solidum Free – Rich In Potassium
Pears are sodium free but rich in potassium. This reduces the incidences of high blood pressure in dogs while maintaining normal heart rhythm and muscle contraction.
- Low Fat
Low fat content in pears is among the many reasons veterinarians highly recommend this fruit for your dog. Several factors may affect the state of your dog’s cardio-health and low fat/cholesterol levels certainly help.
- Dietary fibers:
Lignin and non-digestible carbohydrates form the major bulk of dietary fibers. Dietary fibers present in pears minimize the incidences of obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in dogs. Dietary fibers also promotes your dog’s normal gastrointestinal function.
[/su_list]
Essentially, pear skins and flesh are the tastiest and most nutritious part of the pear. Before feeding pears to your dog, thoroughly wash the fruit to eliminate any traces of agrochemicals present on the skin. Dogs are highly sensitive to most chemical compounds used in agriculture owing to the fact that their livers lack the ability to efficiently detoxify ingested substances.
There have been numerous cited cases where dogs have succumbed after ingestion of chemicals. This grim reality can be averted by the simple act of washing pears and other fruits before allowing your furry friend to eat them.
Cyanide Poisoning
By all means, avoid letting your dog anywhere near pear cores and seeds. Similar to apple seeds, pear seeds contain cyanide toxins. Pear seeds contain the chemical amygdalin. Amygdalin is a cyanide-sugar compound that is degraded by the liver producing the toxic compound Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN). The levels of amygdalin in pear seeds are not sufficient to produce toxic reactions in humans.
The case is almost similar in dogs. Dogs have a heightened tolerance to amygdalin exposure. It would take a rather copious amount of pear seeds to induce a cyanide poisoning incident. However, this doesn’t rule out the possible risks.
Dogs just like humans have different physiologies and tolerance levels to various substances. Toxicity levels of Hydrogen Cyanide are 1.7 grams per kilo of body weight. This combined with the fact that dog’s livers don’t do an average job at detoxifying Cyanide compounds means that your pooch would not be at an immediate risk of poisoning if it ate pear seeds.
Some symptoms of cyanide poisoning arising from pear seeds ingestion will include;
[su_list icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#de2c0a”]
- Difficulty in breathing; shortness of breath.
- Diarrhea.
- Lack of stool production.
- Vomiting.
[/su_list]
Allergies to pears in dogs are not unheard of. The most likely explanation to these adverse reactions attributed to pear consumption would be severe intolerance to trace amounts of amygdalin and plant starch.
You are advised to first and foremost establish whether your pooch has any allergies to fruit before going ahead to feed him/her. Cut a clean thin slice of pear fruit and feed your furry friend while looking out for any telltale signs of an adverse reaction.
If none is observed, you can generally assume that no allergies to pears are present. If the slightest sign of a reaction is observed, immediately discontinue any pear feeding plans.
From time to time, there will be incidences when your dog overfeeds on pears. This is likely to induce some discomfort and bouts of stomach upsets.
While not life threatening, upsets caused by overeating pears can cause a great deal of discomfort to your furry friend. Eventually, the upsets wear off and your dog should be running around as normal in no time. To hasten recovery, you can follow the following simple steps;
[su_list icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#de2c0a”]
- Find a well aerated room and get rid of any fabrics that might stain.
- Give you dog plenty of warm water and continuously rub your pooch’s tummy. This will induce vomiting.
- Keep encouraging your dog to drink water and throwing up. After a while, the upset should have cleared up.
[/su_list]
Safety Tips To Consider When Feeding Pears To Your Dog.
To ensure that your dog’s health and general wellbeing is maintained, you are advised to observe a few safety guidelines when feeding pears to your furry friend. Allowing your dog to indulge in fruits is with the aim that he/she will reap some nutritional benefits while enjoying the flavors and tastes. Eating apples shouldn’t necessarily be a risky affair to your dog.
First things first, pear farmers employ the use of all manner of chemicals to control pests and diseases. These chemicals remain persistent in the pear skins long after harvesting and sale. The said chemicals pose a poisoning hazard to your furry friend. Always thoroughly clean pears and other fruits before feeding them to your dog. This effectively gets rid of the chemicals on the fruit skins.
An alternative would be to buy pears and other fruits from certified organic grocery stores and outlets. These stock pears produced through non-chemical intensive methods ensuring that the pear you buy has at no point come into contact with any agrochemicals.
Pear cores contain seeds that potentially pose poisoning risks. Toxicologists assert that pear seeds alongside apple seeds contain the compound Amygdalin. . Amygdalin is a cyanide-sugar compound that is degraded by the liver into the toxic compound Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN). The levels of Hydrogen Cyanide in pear seeds aren’t sufficient to elicit toxic reactions in humans and to a large extent dogs.
However, cyanide poisoning cannot be completely ruled out as far as pear seeds are concerned. Pear seeds also pose a choking hazard to dogs. Ensure you get rid of pear cores and seeds as a rule before feeding your dog.
Never give your dog whole pears. This would mean that your pooch would need to bite off large chunks of fruit flesh. This in itself poses a choking hazard to your dog. Ensure that you only feed your dog thin slices of pears and other fruits.
As with any food you will feed your dog, moderation is of utmost importance. Ration the amounts of pears you feed your dog. Pears have low caloric amounts but excess consumption will assuredly present some gastric complications. To safely ensure that your dog reaps the benefits of consuming pears and other fruits, limit daily pear intake to no more than ten percent of the overall feeding plan.
Rotten or spoilt pears are unfit for consumption, obviously. However, some dog owners overlook this fact and go ahead to feed their furry friends with the same. I assure you this doesn’t end well, for the pooch at least. Spoilt pears contain colonies of microbial organisms that upon ingestion would induce severe gastrointestinal distress and quite possibly a risk of death. You have to really ask yourself if it is worth the risk. Simply put, don’t feed your dog anything you wouldn’t consume yourself.
Canned pears, on the other hand, are an entirely different issue. These canned fruits contain copious amounts of chemical additives that wouldn’t particularly sit well with your dog. Preservatives are meant to extend the shelf life of canned fruits such as pears. Other additives enhance the flavor and taste of canned pears. This is done to maintain the supposed taste of pears for as long as the can remains on the shelf. Sugars are added to most canned fruits and this should be of major concern to you as a dog owner.
As is the case with humans, dogs are predisposed to several lifestyle diseases such as cancer, pancreatitis and most common of all diabetes. Sugar contained in canned pears will only aggravate cases of diabetes in dogs. Veterinarians and animal nutritionists highly recommend that you only feed your pooch farm-fresh pears.
Making Your Own Doggie Treats Using Pears.
A healthy well fed dog will be a source of pride and will to most dog owners and enthusiasts bring a sense of personal satisfaction and achievement. I am one of those people. My dog Charlie is my number one food critique and I can only hope he carries my homemade treats and delights in high regards.
The good thing is unlike humans, you can tell almost immediately when your dog doesn’t like a particular food.I can safely make the assumption that my homemade treats are top notch, judging by Charlie’s reactions and expressions.
I generally recommend that you come up with a selection of your own homemade dog treats and recipes. It is important to keep in mind that pears should not be served as the main course to your dog’s diet but rather should serve to complement and enhance its nutritional value. To make the perfect doggie pear treats, you will need the following ingredients;
Ingredients
[su_list icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#2a9c1e”]
- 2 Large eggs.
- 2 Mashed bananas.
- 1 cup of oats.
- Half a cup of natural bran.
- Quarter cup of germ wheat.
- Half a cup of oil.
- 3 cups of whole wheat.
- A full pear, washed.
[/su_list]
Method
[su_list icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#2a9c1e”]
- Place all the ingredients in a large bowl with the exception of the flour. Use a mixer with a mounted dough hook to thoroughly beat the ingredients into a uniform mixture.
- Add the flour to the mixture half a cup at a time. The end result should be a big ball of thick consistent dough. The dough should be stiff enough to handle.
- Place the dough ball on a clean flat dusted surface. Using a knife cut small pieces and roll into little balls and place on baking cookie sheets.
- As you work on the dough, pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees Celsius.
- Finish rolling up the dough and placing the ball on baking sheets. Place the cookie sheets on a baking rack in mid position in the oven.
- Bake for an hour then turn over the pear biscuits and allow to bake for an extra 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 200 degrees Celsius during the final thirty minutes of baking.
- Take out the biscuits and set aside allowing them to cool.
[/su_list]
The pear biscuits should be hard and brittle once cool and ready for consumption. This is one of those special treats your dog will surely enjoy. Your dog’s health will be a reflection of what you feed it. Pear based home-made dog treats are the perfect way to be sure of what your dog eats while at the same time saving you money. You will enjoy putting together all manner of recipes and treats that will surely impress your furry friend.
Don’t limit yourself to the recipe and ingredients above. When putting together treats for your dog, be as creative as you possibly can. Incorporate as many ingredients as you possibly can and make the recipe as lively. The end result will be your tempting dog treats and you will have a lot of fun experience making them.
Can Dogs Eat Pear: The Final Verdict.
Pears are among the healthiest fruits you can possibly allow your dog to nibble on. Dogs have a heightened tolerance to the Amygdalin-Cyanide compounds compared to most other domestic animals.
To smaller bodied animals, the toxins would have an impact. With dogs however, the narrative is different. Pears convey numerous health benefits to dogs and humans alike. Pears offer a sweet crunchy and pleasurable experience to your dog.
While at the store, pick up fresh, firm textured and visibly bright pear fruits and where possibly organically grown.
Overindulgence in any fruit or food will always cause gut issues to your dog. Always feed pears to your dog in moderation while ensuring that the pear core and seeds are disposed of properly to avoid poisoning or choking.
With that out of the way, the question of whether dogs can eat pears is finally put to rest. Pears are a healthy snack for your furry friend but do require some prior oversight.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this article “can dogs eat pears” as much as I did writing it. Being a down owner, I take it upon myself to ensure the safety of the foods my dog Charlie eats.
I felt it right to share this information with you so pass on the knowledge and help keep a dog safe.
