Raspberries. They’re red, they look kind of weird, but they’re certainly delicious! And surely you want to share some of that flavor with your furry friend, but first you have to know: “Can dogs eat raspberries?”
Lucky for your pup, they can munch on some raspberries for a tasty treat. With that said, let’s take a closer look at raspberries and how they affect your fur baby.
Why Can Dogs Eat Raspberries?
A close relative of the mighty wolf, your dog’s diet is fairly similar a wolf’s. In fact, wolves have been observed foraging and eating berries in the wild.
While biologists aren’t sure whether the wolves eat the berries for pleasure or nutrition, it’s safe to say that berries pack quite the nutritious punch.
Like a wolf, your dog can eat raspberries and other delicious fruits. Your pup certainly will take pleasure in eating some raspberries. But they’ll also benefit from the red berry’s healthy nutrients.
Like most fruits, raspberries contain lots of vitamin C, which helps boost your pup’s immune system. But the beneficial nutrients don’t end there. Raspberries boast a plethora of antioxidants that scientific research links to reducing cancer rates, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.
Raspberries are rich in B vitamins and manganese, as well. These vitamins and minerals aid your dog’s energy and metabolism levels: breaking down carbohydrates and turning them into energy.
Don’t forget fiber. The fiber in raspberries helps fight obesity and benefits your fur baby’s digestive system.
Can Dogs Eat Raspberries Everyday?
Like any food, too much is too much for your pup. While the occasional raspberry everyday won’t hurt your pup (and will likely benefit them), giving your dog a handful of raspberries all the time creates the possibility of an upset stomach.
Over time, excessive treats lead to possibilities of diabetes and obesity. So remember, moderation is key!
When you do feed your canine companion some raspberries, remember the correct portion sizes. Larger dogs, weighing sixty to one hundred pounds can safely eat up to ten raspberries in a day. However, smaller and medium sized pups should eat no more than five or six raspberries.
Your dog doesn’t require raspberries as a main part of their diet. Raspberries should be used as a delicious, rewarding treat. You know, during those times where you want to earn some crucial, extra love points with your fur baby.
What About Raspberry Jam?
Can dogs eat raspberries? They sure can! But it’s a different story when it comes to raspberry jam (or jelly).
Avoid feeding your pup raspberry jam because of the high amounts of sugar. Really, that’s the main reason why.
Your pup doesn’t metabolize sugar as well as you and, frankly, dogs don’t require sugar to wolf something down. Anyone who tried dog food when they were younger knows this for a fact (hey, I was young and naive!).
But some jams do contain the artificial sweetener, xylitol, which is extremely toxic to dogs.
In fact, raspberries contain very small amounts of xylitol in their natural juices. While this sounds frightening, dog owners need not to worry. It would require a ton of raspberries to give your pup xylitol poisoning.
Whatever the case, watch out for upset stomach, constipation, vomiting, or diarrhea if you’re worried your fur baby ate too many raspberries.
While some rice and boiled chicken should help with your pup’s upset tummy, take them to a vet if their condition doesn’t clear up.
A Berry Tale Ending
There you have it. You’re free to feed your furry friend some tasty raspberries. Just avoid feeding them any raspberry jams or jellies, especially sugar-free ones containing xylitol.
After all, you want your pup’s treat to be a good one: with a magical, berry tale ending.
