This is our latest post in the series covering foods that your dog can / should eat or avoid completely. We break it down into bitesize articles and will cover everything from artichokes to antelope! These are all extracts from Jo’s upcoming book called “Can My Dog Eat This?” 

Not just colourful! Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes, clementines, tangerines, satsuma, ugli fruit and grapefruit), are great for humans but be wary of giving them to your dogs!

Similar to vegetables, many fruits are good for your dog. When integrated properly into the diet they provide antioxidants, vital minerals and vitamins. Some of them also have additional health benefits as natural pain killers, anti-inflammatory agents and enzymes that support digestion.

However, some fruit can be toxic, so it is important to check before giving them to your dog.

Fruits, like vegetables, are a good source of polyphenols; food for friendly gut bacteria that can help to produce your dog’s vitamins, protect his gut lining and help modulate his immune system, and produce healthy by-products like short-chain fatty acids. Some polyphenols also help to stop the growth of bad gut bacteria.

Fruits are potent "free radical" scavengers. Free radicals are a major cause of chronic inflammation. Feeding fruits can really help combat oxidative stress caused by these free radicals. Because each fruit provides your dog with different health benefits, you should feed a variety of fruits (and vegetables).

The flesh of citrus fruits are safe for dogs and are high in vitamin C. However, their high sugar and citric acid content is unhealthy and can cause gastrointestinal discomfort to your dog.

The rind, pith and plants of citrus fruits (particularly grapefruits, lime, lemon) contain strong essential oils and psoralen's are toxic to dogs and should be avoided.

Only feed in moderation, if at all, and remove the peel and any seeds before feeding to your dog.

Stay tuned for more "Can My Dog Eat This?" posts.

About these posts...

More and more owners are moving away from processed dry and tinned foods towards more natural, healthy diets for their pets. With this shift comes considerable confusion and misinformation. Are blackberries poisonous? Is garlic good or bad for dogs? What about avocado?

There is an important distinction between what dogs can eat and what dogs should eat. As with humans, dogs need a balanced diet to thrive. These posts will hopefully give you a steer in the right direction!