Can Dogs Eat Apple Cores?
Apples are actually a delicious treat and many dogs like to eat apples. If you do feed your dog apples, chop it up so that the segments are bite sized pieces. Be careful that your dog does not choke on the core if you do feed her apples, hence chopping it into bite size portions is ideal to avoid her inhaling the whole thing accidentally. Never allow her to eat a whole apple as this may lead to choking or getting it lodged in her esophagus. This can be a problem for dogs who don’t actually chew their food, but swallow it instead.
Apples are a good source of what is called insoluble fiber and a small percentage of dogs may eat an apple or the core and develop GI upset as a result, most commonly diarrhea or softer stools than usual. This is typically self-limiting and will resolve on its own. You can continue to feed chopped apples incrementally over time, allowing the bacteria in her gastrointestinal tract to adjust.
Every plant-based food contains toxins at some level. Below the harmful threshold, these are just things to keep your dog’s liver busy. No effect, no harm. Our livers don’t get enough credit for the work they do.
Apple seeds contain hydrogen cyanide. Yes, cyanide is toxic. But it’s not as simple as that.
However, when I mention the health benefits of fruit to clients, they always say, “I heard apple cores are toxic”.
They’ve got to know that when I eat an apple I share the joy. Of course, this means I have to then eat a second so it’s all fair and square.
Every time I bite into a crunchy apple, I hear the pitter-patter of eight tiny feet. That’s not some 8-legged apple monster, just my two hungry dogs.
Should I Feed My Dog Apple Cores?
The short answer is no. We do not recommend feeding apple cores to your dog. Apples themselves are fine for most dogs, but the cores themselves are not. Just like banana peels, the biggest risk for a dog consuming apple cores is that it can present a choking hazard. It can also potentially cause a bowel obstruction, which is a life-threatening emergency.
If your canine companion ate an apple core while you weren’t looking, you “should” be fine. We still recommend calling your vet as seen in the steps below. But we do not recommend intentionally feeding your pup the core of an apple because of the potential risks.
Apple seeds contain amygdalin, and if the seeds are chewed, amygdalin degrades into cyanide. However, most dogs are very unlikely to chew the seeds thoroughly enough to release this toxin, and even if he did, there is such a tiny amount present that it will not cause any toxic effects in most dogs.
If your pup has liver disease, the seeds can cause a life-threatening emergency. You’ll need to contact your veterinarian immediately if this is the case for your pup. Even if your dog has a healthy liver, the most sensible thing to do is avoid them altogether with your canine companion.
Can Dogs Eat Apple Cores? | DogVela
“My dog ate apple seeds, will he be ok?” And beyond that, are apple cores toxic to dogs? Don’t panic and let’s see how safe apples are, and whether or not you should be careful not to let your dog eat apple cores.
Since most conventional dog foods have low nutrient qualities, most dog owners consider giving their dog a superfood treat just to compensate for the lack of vitamins in minerals in their regular diet.
However, fruits and vegetables have different characteristics that can be either good or bad for dogs. Just because it is safe for humans to eat, it doesn’t necessarily mean that is also good for dogs.
Since apples are one of the most available fruit in most regions and fairly cheap, most dog owners consider giving their beloved pets an apple treat.
So, can dogs eat apples? The short answer is, yes. Apples are safe for dogs to eat.
On top of that, most dogs love apples and they will devour their treat in seconds. Most people know that different parts of the apple have different nutritious qualities. For example, apples are very good to cure a dog’s joint pain. However, apple seeds contain trace amounts of cyanide.
So, what if your dog grabs and eats the apple seeds or apple cores while you are not watching? Here is what you should know.
In order to understand whether or not apple seeds are safe for dogs, we have to analyze what’s in the central part of this fruit.
The apple core contains the seeds of the fruit and usually has the stalk at one end. The apple core is tougher than the rest of the fruit, therefore it is usually uneaten or discarded.
Most people will argue that the apple core doesn’t taste any different from the rest of the apple. With that said, the apple core is perfectly safe for most dogs. However, similar to other fruits, the problem usually lies within the seeds that can be found in the core.