It is common for dog owners to share their snacks and meals with their four-legged friends. Some owners even choose to create homemade, fresh food for their pets and like to include fresh fruits and vegetables. While they can be a tasty and nutritious addition to a pup’s diet, not all fruits and vegetables are safe for canines to eat. One fruit that people love to eat, fresh and dried, is apricots. But can dogs eat apricots?
Apricots are stone fruits with a pit in the middle that is quite dangerous to dogs. If that pit is removed, they can safely eat an apricot. However, with the pits in them, these are a hazardous food. Canines can eat apricot in moderation, but there is a little more to it than that.
You should research before adding fresh fruit to your pup’s diet. While fruits like this are incredibly healthy and tasty for humans, canine’s nutritional needs are not the same as ours. So, before slicing up that apricot to share with your Champ or Buddy, we want to share more about how dogs can safely eat apricots.
Can Dogs Eat Apricots?
Yes, dogs can eat an apricot, providing that you remove the pit and stem. The hard stone pit is a choking hazard. It can cause an internal obstruction or even tear inside the gastrointestinal system. Intestinal obstruction can be a severe emergency, so you must ensure that your pets do not consume any fruits that are intact with the pit or contain the stem.
Is Apricot Safe For Dogs?
Apricots are safe for dogs only if the stone pit is removed and no stems or leaves are still attached. Additionally, they should be chopped up into bite-sized pieces. You should also inspect fresh fruits to ensure they are ripe and have no spoilage spots.
Keep in mind that any treat should only make up 10% of your dog’s daily diet.
Nutritional Benefits Of Apricots
When consumed safely, apricots can have several nutritional benefits for dogs.
- The fruits contain antioxidants, including beta carotene, which can help work against cell oxidation and damage from free radicals. Beta carotene is also beneficial in boosting eyesight. Other antioxidants help protect the body against disease and benefit skin and coat health.
- Fruit is a natural and healthy source of dietary fiber. Fiber is beneficial in regulating the digestive tract and helping with healthy bowel movements.
- Apricots contain many vitamins, including vitamins A, C, and E. These help with the immune system, skin health, and bone and joint support.
- This fruit is full of nutrients and minerals, including potassium.
- They are beneficial in maintaining gut health, boosting skin health, promoting healthy vision, and offering extra moisture to a pet’s diet.
- They are very low in calories and sugar, as well as very low in fat.
Can Apricots Be Bad For Dogs?
Canines who are overweight, obese, have diabetes, or suffer from a medical condition should not have any produce without proper consultation with their veterinarian. If you hope to feed your pup produce to relieve a chronic condition like diarrhea or constipation, it is best to discuss this with your veterinarian first.
Apricot pits, seeds, stems, and leaves all contain trace amounts of cyanide. Cyanide is a chemical that is toxic to canines. They can become quite sick and experience poisoning. Symptoms include respiratory distress, bright red gums, fatigue, lethargy, dilated pupils, seizures, vomiting, and more. For this reason, only the fleshy part can be served to pets. Should your pup ingest any other part of the apricot, it’s best to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Apricot pits are a serious choking hazard and can cause life-threatening intestinal blockages, requiring extensive and expensive treatment to save a pup’s life. If you believe your pup swallowed an apricot pit, you must take them to the nearest emergency vet for examination and treatment.
Overeating apricots can cause gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea, constipation, gastrointestinal distress, and stomach pain.
Can Dogs Eat Dried Apricots?
Dogs can have dried apricots, provided there are no added sugars or other ingredients. In particular, the artificial sweetener xylitol is toxic and can cause canines to become ill.
Remember that dried fruit contains more sugar than fresh, so the portions canines can safely consume are much smaller. Always read the nutrition labels to ensure no added ingredients or elevated sugar levels. Stay away from dried fruits if your pup has high blood sugar or is overweight. Pets on any prescription or special diet should avoid dried apricots.
Avoid any trail mixes with dried apricots, as these often contain ingredients like raisins, nuts, and chocolate bits that are toxic to canines. Only dried fruit with nothing else added is safe.
How To Serve A Dog Apricots
When serving fresh fruit to your fur baby, wash it off first and remove the pits. Once de-pitted, slice it up into appropriate bite-sized pieces. You can mix it in with your pup’s regular food or give it as a treat. You can also serve it as part of a smoothie or salad. Canines should only have small amounts of this, and never any preparation containing added ingredients.
Ideally, plain fruits are best. Just make sure to offer them in moderation, and remember that dried fruit should be served in much smaller quantities than fresh. You should always keep an eye on your pup when he consumes a new food for the first few times to ensure no adverse reactions. Though unlikely, some canines may be allergic, so owners should watch for any allergy symptoms.
How Many Apricots Can A Dog Eat?
The amount a dog can have depends on the individual animal’s size and health. Smaller breeds should stick to about 1/2 an apricot at a time, while bigger breeds may be able to consume a whole apricot cut into bite-sized pieces. Avoid offering these every day. Once a week or so is suitable.
While apricots are safe for dogs in small servings and with the pits removed, not every human food or fruit is safe. Your dog will likely encounter many unexpected dangers and health concerns throughout its life. Pet insurance can help decrease financial distress so you can focus on your pet’s health and recovery should an emergency arise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pet parents have many questions about feeding dogs fresh fruit like apricots. Below, we cover some of owners’ most commonly asked questions about their pups eating this fruit. Don’t see yours here? Ask us in our comments.
What should I do if my dog eats a whole apricot?
If your dog eats a whole apricot with the pit intact, you must contact your veterinarian right away. They can advise whether you should take your pet to the nearest emergency vet. Not only does the pit have a high potential for internal blockage, but it also contains cyanide. If it cracks open, your pup can become ill quite quickly. Do not ignore this situation. Even if you are unsure if your pet swallowed the pit, seek veterinary advice and care as soon as possible.
Is unripe apricot poisonous?
Avoid unripe fruits. While they are not poisonous, they can cause gastrointestinal distress, including vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain.
Can dogs eat apricots in jam or preserves?
Generally speaking, no, they should not have jam, jelly, or preserves. These food items are over-processed and contain other ingredients like sugar and other sweeteners. If you want to add mashed fruits to your pet’s diet, that is safe, but avoiding any highly processed fruity products is best. These are just too high in sugar and calories for your dog to have safely.
Are You Looking For Alternative Treats Or Your Pup?
Fresh produce can be tempting to add to a pup’s diet, and several fruits are safe for canines to eat. These do have some nutritional benefits and also add flavor variety. However, there are many other options that you can pick from. Canines enjoy the taste of meat, so owners may want to look at air-dried, vegan, freeze-dried, or fresh and raw meat-based treats. For pets who are experiencing anxiety or mood swings, CBD treats may be a good pick. Other pups who are overweight or diabetic may need treats designed for their unique dietary needs.
