Can Dogs Eat Dragon Fruit?

Can dogs eat dragon fruit? Should you share this tropical fruit with Fido?

Is dragon fruit good for dogs? If you tend to ask yourself these questions it means that you are a responsible dog owner, and know that certain human foods are bad for dogs.

Let’s answer if a dragon fruit is safe to share with your dog.

Can Dogs Eat Dragon Fruit?

The short answer is yes, dogs can eat dragon fruit.

Dragon fruit, also known as Pitaya or Pitahaya, is completely safe for your dog when consumed in moderation.

The best way to give dragon fruit to your dog is as an occasional treat, and never as a full meal.

Dragon fruit contains high amounts of sugar which aren’t safe for dogs.

In fact, if your dog eats too much dragon fruit you can expect to see some side effects in your dog.

Let’s see how much dragon fruit dogs can eat and how to serve it.

How To Serve Dragon Fruit To My Dog?

One spoon of dragon fruit is more than enough to serve your dog. Dragon fruit contains extremely small seeds that dogs can chew safely as they won’t stuck in the dog’s body.

Never give your dog too much at once – the canine’s stomach is sensitive and it could cause an upset stomach.

In general, dogs should not eat seeds, like seeds in grapes, as they contain cyanide and as such are dangerous for dogs.

Can Dogs Eat Dragon Fruit Skin?

Do not feed your dog dragon fruit skin. This outer layer is hard, leathery, and spiky making it hard for dogs to ingest.

It is very hard to chew dragon fruit skin and as such, it can be a real choking hazard.

The majority of dogs do not chew their food but just swallow. When they rush their food without chewing, they simply swallow it. This is how it comes to intestinal blockage.

All in all, to serve dragon fruit to your dog make sure that you peel it first and serve it with a spoon.

There are many different kinds of dragon fruits; the most common color combination is red skin and white flash, but there are other combinations, like red skin and red flesh, yellow skin, and white flash, so don’t let this confuse you.

No matter what type of dragon fruit you have, be sure to serve only the flesh to your dog.

Probably the easiest way to do this is to cut the fruit in half and scoop out the mushy flesh.

Remember, dragon fruit skin isn’t toxic for a dog, but it is really difficult to chew and digest.

Feeding Dogs Dragon Fruit: Side Effects

Moderation is the key when it comes to serving human foods to your dog. To make the dog’s diet a bit interesting you can serve a tablespoon of dragon fruit from time to time.

Mix it with dry food, to serve as a snack on the side. Although dragon fruit comes with some benefits, eating it too much can upset the stomach, lead to diarrhea, or cause more serious complications.

Here are some of the most common side effects of feeding your dog too much dragon fruit:

1. Depilation

Eating too much sugar can cause depilation for the dog.

Moreover, the sugar in dragon fruit can irritate a dog’s stomach and provoke the burden of the intestines. Furthermore, it can cause depilation and endocrine disorders.

2. Teeth Problems

Eating too much sugar can strongly damage dogs’ teeth.

It can lead to tooth decay and the fruit sticks to dogs’ teeth after eating.

3. Obesity

Just like with humans, too much sugar can lead to overweight and too much sugar can make your dog fatter. And as it’s familiar, obesity can lead to several health problems.

It is important to know that dragon fruit doesn’t not only taste sweet, so some people add dog-friendly addition to this snack, to make it a more pleasant.

At the same time bear in mind that dragon fruit has high nutritional value.

How To Know If Your Dog Likes Dragon Fruit?

Your dog will be fast to show you if he likes the dragon fruit or not.

Once your dog has a bite of dragon fruit and he likes it he will probably stare at you, lick his lips and beg you for more.

You may see Fido tapping your body with his front paws as a way to tell you that he wants more.

In some cases, a dog may try to tell you that he likes the taste by doing tiptoes.

On the other hand, if your dog keeps turning its head away, or stepping back from the food it should be a clear indicator that he doesn’t like the taste.

If so, do not force your dog to eat it. Now that you know the answer to the question – Can I give dragon fruit to my dog and how this fruit should be served, let’s see if a dragon fruit is really good for dogs. Let’s talk about its benefits.

Benefits Of Dragon Fruit For Your Dog

This colorful fruit comes with many benefits both for dogs and humans. Thanks to its benefits, dragon fruit can be a real nutritional boost for your canine.

Check below why dragon fruit is beneficial nutrients-wise for dogs, and how it can boost a dog’s health system.

That being said, dragon fruit contains the following benefits for dogs:

1. High Amount Of Vitamin C

A high amount of vitamin C is a great natural way to safely boost your dog’s immune system to keep him healthy.

Strong vitamin C presence in your dog’s system can help prevent a number of deceases, including cancer and heart diseases.

However, dogs shouldn’t intake too much vitamin C as it can lead in the opposite direction and cause additional health issues. Balance is the key here.

2. High In Fiber

Interestingly, dragon fruit is high in fiber that can boost your dogs digestive tract.

It can help your dog’s digestive tract in terms of being healthy and functioning properly. This means that your dog will go for ‘number two’ regularly.

Moreover, it will clean any presence of harmful toxins present in your dog’s digestive system. This high-fiber food is also good for helping to maintain a healthy dog’s weight.

3. Rich In Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Surprisingly, dragon fruit includes several additional vitamins and minerals that all together support your dog’s health system.

There is even a significant amount of Omega-3 in dragon fruit.

When it comes to Omega-3 and the canine’s world, it serves to protect the dog’s coat and skin and make their fur more shiny and strong.

Omega 3 is not beneficial only for humans. In addition, Omega-3 can decrease inflammation in your dog, and much more.

Some of the additional benefits of Omega-3:

• boosts energy
• helps with allergies and arthritis
• enhances cognitive development in puppies
• improves cognitive development in older dogs
• improves the skin and coat condition

4. High Levels Of Calcium And Iron

Last but not least, dragon fruit is rich in high levels of iron and calcium which helps you keep your dog’s bones super-healthy and strong.

Calcium is responsible for proper heart function. Plus, calcium:

• helps the blood to clot
• supports adequate nerve function
• helps to contract all those muscles that your canine buddy joyfully uses so he can run and be active all day long

Calcium is the number one reason for your dog plays all day long.

In addition, calcium is extremely important when it comes to building and maintaining strong teeth and bones.

Dragon fruit is a nice addition to your dog’s nutrition if your canine buddy is suffering from any form of iron deficiency, including anemia.

If a dog’s body doesn’t produce enough iron there is an issue with red cell development.

Simply said, they do not develop as they should.

It also may lead to lower oxygen-deficiency features. This condition is more seen in adult dogs.

Anemia is an underlying disease that can even be life-threatening. Therefore, having a daily iron boost can only benefit your dog’s health in the long run.

5. Antioxidants

Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals in our bodies, and dogs’ bodies too.

If free radical levels become too high in the body, they can cause harm and are linked to multiple illnesses.

Antioxidants are naturally found in humans’ and dogs’ bodies but are also found in foods, especially in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based, whole foods.

Among other health benefits, dragon fruit is full of antioxidants (including Vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene, betalains, and others) so a small portion of this fruit will protect the dog’s cells from damage.

Dragon Fruit Calories and Nutrition Data:

In one 6-ounce serving of dragon fruit flesh, you’ll get:

Can Dogs Eat Dragon Fruit – Conclusion

Dragon fruit or Pitaya is one of the most popular tropical fruits globally. It is gladly seen in every human diet.

Also, it is rich in nutritional value. That makes it perfect for dogs’ diets as well. Just like humans, dogs are big fans of new tastes and sweet things.

However, there is a slight difference when it comes to the amount of dragon fruit that a dog can actually intake on a daily level.

You should always bear in mind that just one spoonful of this exotic fruit is enough for your dog to get a significant intake of vitamins and minerals.

Dragon fruit is great for dogs’ proper heart flow, bones, teeth, skin, and hair. Moreover, it is extraordinary when it comes to improving anemia and protecting your dog from cancer.

So, limit it to 1-2 spoonfuls at a time. Don’t give your dog the fruit’s skin.

Dragon fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals and packed with essential micronutrients making it perfect for boosting your dog’s organism.