Let’s know about Can Dogs Eat Cherries. Loaded with nutrients like vitamins A and C, fiber, antioxidants, and melatonin, cherries are a sweet summertime treat. But are these delicious, nutritious fruits safe to share with our pets? While many summer fruits are healthy, refreshing, and safe to share with our four-legged friends, and cherries do contain some beneficial nutrients, they can, unfortunately, do more harm than good for dogs.
Are Cherries Safe for Dogs?
When it comes to cherries, while the flesh is not essential to our four-legged friends, they should only be offered with extreme caution. And that’s mainly because cherries come with an inherent danger to our pets—the pits, stems, and leaves contain cyanide. This is true for all cherry varieties, including Bing, Rainier, and black cherries. Cyanide is toxic to pets and humans alike and can be potentially fatal if consumed in large amounts. So while dogs can eat unprocessed cherries in small amounts, they must be prepared carefully to ensure that the pits, stems, and leaves have been completely removed.
Pet owners should also be hesitant to offer any cherry-flavored foods to their dogs, as they are usually loaded with artificial flavors, chemicals, and sugar. Even foods naturally flavored with real cherries often contain quite a bit of added sugar. As far as potential health benefits, while cherries have been linked to everything from blood sugar control to high blood pressure and even pain relief, unfortunately, it takes some cherries to reap these benefits. Takes the eater dog. Will happen – and when does that risk outweigh the benefits? And, of course, you always want to check with your vet before giving any food (or any other human food) to your animal.
Dangers of Cherries for Dogs
Along with the risk of cyanide poisoning, the cherry pits themselves also pose a risk of intestinal obstruction, as they can easily become lodged in a dog’s digestive system (which is life-threatening and may require surgery ). This is especially true for smaller breeds, which are more susceptible to blockages from smaller cherry pits. Pet owners should also be aware that puppies can be more sensitive to both inhibition and cyanide poisoning, so take special care when offering cherries or any other human food to a puppy. Of course, some cherries are pit-free, like super sweet maraschino cherries (the kind you often find in drinks).
The problem with these cherries — as well as with all canned, processed fruits — isn’t so much the amount, but the amount of added sugar that’s used to sweeten them. The short-term dangers of too much sugar for dogs range from hyperactivity to stomach discomfort to diarrhea, which over time lead to more serious conditions such as pancreatitis, diabetes, and obesity. In general, if you want to share some fruit with your dog this summer, stick to safe staples like blueberries or watermelon (and, as always, keep an eye on Rover’s portion sizes). If offering fruit with the pit, always be sure to offer only the flesh – even if the pit does not contain cyanide, there is always a risk of intestinal blockage.
What to do if your dog eats a whole cherry
If your dog swallows a cherry whole when you’re not looking, there’s no need to panic right away. A single cherry pit would not be enough to cause cyanide poisoning. However, there is still a risk of intestinal blockage, so you’ll want to be sure to monitor your dog for at least 24 hours, looking for symptoms such as vomiting, constipation, or decreased appetite and food production. , Symptoms of acute cyanide poisoning may appear within 15 to 20 minutes after eating cherries. However, if your dog has rejected several cherries, you should call your veterinarian and have them watch for signs of cyanide poisoning, which can include rings that are bright red.
This may include difficulty breathing and dilated pupils. In more severe cases, your dog may go into shock. All of these symptoms require immediate veterinary attention. Your vet can determine that the best course of action is to induce vomiting, which can help prevent cyanide poisoning.