Kiwi is a nutritious fruit that is available the entire year in most regions of the world. A tasty kiwi is an instant source of energy for your system. It has a lot of health benefits with an influx of vitamin C and potassium.
As per the U.S. Department of Agriculture food database, 100g serving of kiwi has 61 calories, 1.14 coming from proteins, 0.52 from fats, and 14.66 from carbs. It also boasts with large quantities of Magnesium, Calcium, Folate, Niacin, Choline, dozens of other goodies.
You can freely enjoy kiwi, but the question is, can your dog eat this fruit too? There are common questions regarding the safety of kiwi for dogs, and I’ll try to cover it in this article.
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Is kiwi safe for dogs?
In general, yes, kiwi is safe for dogs. The fruit has many health benefits for humans as well as dogs. But first of all, you must limit the amount of kiwi you give to your dog. Kiwi is great for humans with its richness in vitamin C, but a whole fruit may not be safe for a dog.
There is no shortage of vitamin C in dogs, as their bodies are capable of producing it by metabolizing glucose. So an excessive amount of it may even cause problems. So the critical safety rule is to feed kiwi to your dog in small pieces. And only on rare occasions.
Can kiwi be bad for dogs?
Kiwis can potentially harm a dog. It is not necessarily a bad thing for your dog to eat. The reason it can be dangerous is due to the wrong way of feeding it to your dog. Dogs naturally produce an adequate amount of nutrients to stay healthy.
They do not need a high concentration of nutrients in their food. Kiwis are extremely rich in nutrients. As such, a whole kiwi can be too much for your dog to digest. If any, you should feed kiwi to your dog in minute amounts.
Another part of the kiwi that may not be suitable for your dog is the skin of the fruit. It does not cause issues in humans, but dogs do not always receive the kiwi skin well since it has too much fiber. It can cause a bad case of indigestion in your dog. Hence, it is probably for the better to keep kiwi away from your dog.
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Can dogs eat kiwi skin, or it’s poisonous?
The skin of kiwi fruit is not poisonous for your dog, but it is advisable to keep it away from the dog. In general, the kiwi fruit, as well as the skin, has no notable adverse effects. It is edible as a whole.
However, the kiwi skin has way more vitamin C and fibers compared to the fruit itself. And dogs generally don’t need much of both. So, giving your dog some kiwi skin is way worse on its digestive system. And can potentially lead to more severe issues like excessive oxidation and cell damage.
Is kiwi good for dogs? What are the benefits?
Kiwi as a fruit only has healthy effects on your body, but in dogs, they produce mixed results. Overall in tiny doses, kiwi is good for dogs. It is highly nutritious and rich in fibers, such as potassium, a vital electrolyte for both dogs and humans that is essential for the normal functioning of nerves, heart, and muscles.
But have to be very careful when feeding kiwi to your dog, as it has consequences as well. The digestive system of dogs does not respond well to large amounts of kiwi. Even a single, whole kiwi fed can cause diarrhea. The benefits of kiwi are not worth risking the health of your dog. Consider the suggestion of a vet before feeding your dog anything with high nutrition value.
Kiwi in dog food
Even though giving the whole kiwi to your pup might not be the best idea, some dog treats are using this ingredient. So if your puppy is a huge fan of kiwi aroma, you can try Apricot and Kiwi Coconut . It is an excellent product praised by many pet parents, so you might want to check it out.
Or you can opt-in for Kiwi and cocoa butter pet hair and skin conditioner if you are still on the fence about sharing kiwi as food with your pup. The conditioner is packed with all those pet-friendly ingredients that will leave your dog well-groomed and nice-smelling. And the reviews are quite stunning too.
Can dogs have kiwi? Summary
Yes, it is safe for your dog to eat kiwi. It is a nutritious fruit that is very healthy. The best way to feed your dog some kiwi is by peeling off its skin first. It is also advisable to get rid of the seeds in the kiwi. Then, cut the kiwi into thin slices and feed them to your dog a tiny piece at a time. That will be more than enough.
High doses of kiwi will do more harm than good for your dog. It’s high in vitamin C, and dogs can produce a healthy amount of this nutrient on their own. So too much of the kiwi’s goodness can be not that good for your pup.
Thanks for the blog graphics: Canva.com
