Can dogs eat pineapple? Yes, pineapples are rich in nutrients and can be fed to dogs with a reasonable amount. Pineapple has certain pros and cons for dogs. I will briefly explain to you below. In the end, I will also leave a few things to pay attention to when you are feeding pineapples. Be careful!
The benefits of pineapple for dogs
Let us first look at the nutrition profile of pineapple. One cup (5.8 ounces or 165 grams) of pineapple chunks contains the following (1Trusted✔️
USA FoodData Central
Source) ：
- Calories: 82.5
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Protein: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.6 grams
- Fiber: 2.3 grams
Excellent nutritional value
Pineapple contains a lot of vitamin C and manganese, both of which are extremely important to your furbabies. Vitamin C contributes to growth and development, a healthy immune system, and the absorption of iron from food. Manganese is a natural mineral that helps maintain normal and healthy metabolism and has antioxidant properties.(2Trusted✔️
National Institutes of Health
Source) (3Trusted✔️
PubMed Central
Source)
Contains antioxidants
Antioxidants are super important to every living thing. It helps the body to resist oxidative stress. Many so-called superfoods are also rich in antioxidants. When the body accumulates too much oxidative stress, it is easy to cause chronic inflammation and even weaken the immune system.(4Trusted✔️
PubMed Central
Source) (5Trusted✔️
PubMed Central
Source)
Pineapple contains 2 antioxidants more than the other, which are flavonoids and phenolic acids.(6Trusted✔️
PubMed Central
Source) In addition, many of the antioxidants in pineapples are connected to each other, allowing them to survive in harder environments and produce longer-lasting effects in the body.(7Trusted✔️
PubMed Central
Source)
Proteases and other minerals
Moreover, pineapple also contains proteases (to help digestion8Trusted✔️
PubMed Central
Source) and various other vitamins and minerals, such as thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, riboflavin, and folic acid. These ingredients are commonly found in more premium dog food, so if your dog is already eating high-quality dog food, you don’t need to worry too much about these nutrients.
The downsides of pineapple for dogs
Pineapple is rich in dietary fiber. If your furbabies eat too much, it will cause intestinal discomfort, stomach pain, and so on. Pineapple is high in sugar. Excessive consumption may also cause dental problems, overweight, and even diabetes in dogs.
All of the above are caused by overeating, and the sugar content of pineapple is a bit too high for dogs. Therefore, the portion must be controlled.
Attention before feeding pineapples⚠️
Although the right amount of pineapple is absolutely safe for dogs, there are actually 2 cautions for feeding pineapples. Be careful and don’t let your furbabies eat them!
Pineapple peel
It is the crusty skin on the outside of the pulp, which looks chewy and hard. Although people with common sense will not eat it, dogs may swallow it because of its appealing smell. Pineapple peel is extremely difficult to digest and can cause gastrointestinal congestion.
Pineapple stem
Everyone who has eaten pineapple knows that the stem in the center of the flesh is semi-hard but not soft, which is the pineapple stem! Some people like to eat it, but that’s not very safe for dogs. It’s because dogs do not bite (or chewy thoroughly) while eating, and pineapple stems are easy to get stuck in the dog’s esophagus and block the intestines. Therefore, only a small amount of pulp can be given when feeding pineapples, which is the best for dogs!
