If your dog has ingested an orange or tangerine or clementine, you may be wondering, “Can dogs eat oranges?” Here’s the good news: Yes, dogs can eat the fleshy part of oranges.
While some dogs may not enjoy the acidic taste of this citrus fruit, the fruit of oranges is safe and full of vitamin C, while also packing a punch of potassium and fiber.
Because commercial dog food diets are nutritionally balanced, your dog should not require supplementation of any of these nutrients, but if your furry friend begs for this sweet treat, it can be enjoyed in small quantities.
While dogs of all breeds, ages, and sizes can safely eat oranges, they should be avoided in dogs with some health conditions.
For example, dogs that are overweight or suffer from diabetes should not be fed oranges. While the natural sugar in oranges is not inherently bad, it can impact the blood sugar levels of diabetic dogs and can lead to excess calories if fed in large amounts.
The sugar naturally found in oranges, as well as their acidic nature, can cause stomach upset in some dogs. You should only offer your dog a small piece of orange the first time to ensure that this doesn’t happen. Dogs that are known to have sensitive gastrointestinal (GI) systems should not be offered oranges at all.
All of the treats you give your dog (including any fruit such as orange), should never make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake, so make sure to adjust meal portions accordingly.
How to Feed Your Dog Tangerines Safely
Just like oranges, tangerines include indigestible stuff that might upset a sensitive dogs stomach. The stem, the bitter rind, the white peel (the pith) and even the seeds should ideally be removed, although a dog, depending on their size, may be able to chew up, swallow, and comfortably poop most everything in a small tangerine.
Avoiding the parts of fruits and vegetables that are least likely to be digested comfortably, though, can help you avoid dog vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain as well as a potential trip to the veterinarian to deal with an intestinal blockage, says Renee Schmid, DVM, DABVT, DABT, a veterinarian toxicologist who works with Pet Poison Helpline.
And what about essential oils? You may have heard that you should avoid them around dogs, and citrus fruit like tangerines have essential oils. However, Schmid says you dont need to worry about the amount in a fruit: “Citrus fruits do contain essential oils, but its really the concentrated oils that can be more irritating and problematic than eating the whole fruit itself.”
So if your dog likes tangerines and you dont overfeed these sugary treats to disrupt your dogs healthy diet, youre golden.
How Are Tangerines Good For Dogs?
Tangerines are the perfect summer fruit — light, sweet, and entirely refreshing. We love them, so there’s really no reason to think that our dogs wouldn’t. And luckily, they’re dog safe!
Also, they can be quite fun! Tossing a little tangerine morsel to your pup to catch mid-air is usually a fun activity for them. Plus, it allows you to have control over properly preparing the bit they consume.
Fun aside, tangerines are also quite nutritionally beneficial for dogs. They include vitamin C, folate, potassium, and beta-carotene.
According to RVT Rachel Hinder of Embrace Pet Insurance, “Giving dogs tangerines in small quantities won’t hurt them and will provide some of those valuable nutrients.”
Dogs can be a bit iffy about citrus, so you’ll just have to test it out. However, if your dog typically likes oranges or other citrus fruits, then likely they’ll love tangerines.
Are the Peel, Pith, and Seeds Toxic to Dogs?
Although humans don’t typically eat the whole peel of citrus fruits like tangerines, we do use the zest from them. When you use a grater on citrus fruit to add zest to a recipe, you’re releasing the fruit’s essential oils. While this adds delicious flavor to our recipes, dogs don’t feel the same way.
Citrus essential oils are toxic to dogs, especially in high amounts. Not only can essential oils upset your dog’s stomach and cause digestional issues, but they also can irritate your dog’s mouth and tongue.
The pith of the tangerine is bitter and should be avoided. It also contains citrus essential oils that can harm your dog.
Citrus fruit seeds contain trace amounts of cyanide. If your dog accidentally gobbles up a few tangerine seeds, it won’t suffer from cyanide poisoning, but you don’t want your dog to regularly eat the seeds.
FAQ
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