It is not entirely unusual if you choose to treat your dog with your favorite fruits instead of giving him canine food. Of course, it’s your favorite snack, but what about your pup? If it’s your favorite, your dog also loves it because he is eating it with relish, right?
Certainly not. Actually, as omnivores, the dogs have no particular selection of food. Their mouth is like a vacuum cleaner; it takes up everything. But you must know which fruits and vegetable dogs can eat because consuming the wrong stuff can lead to severe health problems, which may be fatal in some of the worst-case scenarios.
You probably know already that fruits are good for your health, but did you consider the fact if the particular fruit you are eating is also good for your dog or not? Although your dog does not require fruits to be healthy, adding fresh fruits to your pup’s regular diet is a good idea.
Then, after confirming their safety and taking consent and guidance from your veterinarian, you can provide him with an added dose of minerals, vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, as well as water in the form of fruit.
Talking of which, is the exotic fruit papaya safe for dogs to eat? What are the possible benefits and harms of this fruit? Let’s check it out!
Can Dogs Eat Papaya?
Papaya is a tropical fruit. Originated from Southern Mexico, Northern South America, and Southern Florida, it is now grown in different countries of the world with other tropical fruits.
Dogs can eat papaya, but don’t let your dog eat papaya whole. The entire papaya fruit is not safe for dogs. While some parts provide numerous health benefits serving as a healthy treat, some parts are actually harmful to dogs.
Following is the detail of the edibility of different parts of papaya for dogs:
Can Dogs Eat Papaya Flesh?
Yes, dogs can eat papaya flesh of various varieties, including Green papaya, Red papaya, Gold papaya, Hawaiian papaya, and Mexican papaya. However, be aware of black papaya. It’s not a variety of papaya fruit; in fact, we use the name when ordinary papaya has black spots on it. It might be due to a disease caused by a fungus or a mold.
Dogs enjoy ripe papaya flesh more than unripe ones—feed papaya to dogs by cutting it in small slices or cubes to avoid any choking hazard.
Can Dogs Eat Papaya Seeds?
Like apples, cherries, and peaches, papaya seeds also have some cyanide. Therefore, if a dog chewed papaya seeds, his life would be at stake. Moreover, these black seeds might accumulate in the digestive tract and lead to intestinal blockage when consumed in large quantities.
Can Dogs Eat Papaya Skin?
You should not let your dog consume the skin of the papaya fruit. It is because papaya peel is too hard to masticate and digest by humans and canine friends. Being indigestible can cause awful stomach problems, including discomfort. In the worst case, if the dog has consumed enough of it without being noticed, the undigested papaya skin may become lodged in the dog’s digestive tract, causing an obstruction of the digestive system. Moreover, it is also a potential choking hazard for your dog. This may lead to some emergency situation and may necessarily cause a trip to the veterinary clinic. So, avoid feeding him skin; always remove it before you feed your dog papaya.
Another point to keep in mind is that too much fiber content of the papaya skin can also give most dogs an upset stomach.
Can Dogs Eat Dehydrated Papaya?
Scientifically known as Carica papaya is a dried papaya. It has less water content and more concentrated sugar than fresh papaya. However, too much sugar can become the cause of many stomach problems affecting your dog’s digestive health.
Although not a healthy treat, dehydrated papaya has other nutrients too. It’s safe if your dog has consumed it in tiny amounts. But it’s a better idea to feed your dog fresh papaya. Fresh fruit has natural sugars balanced with water and other nutrients that make papaya good for dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Cooked Papaya?
Just like other fruits, this tropical fruit can be roasted and cooked to make delicious human foods. You can offer this cooked papaya to your canine friend as long as it has no additional spices or condiments that might harm your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Pickled Papaya?
All kinds of pickles have some ingredients in them, including herbs such as garlic and onion, different salts, spices including chilies, vegetable oil, and vinegar of different varieties. These ingredients are not safe for dogs, which simply implies pickled papaya is not safe at all.
Since we viewed it from the perspective of some common pickle ingredients, keep all kinds of pickles out of your dog’s reach.
Can Dogs Have Papaya Juice?
No, don’t give your dog papaya juice. It’s high in sugars. In fact, avoid all kinds of fruit juices as they can lead to diabetes and weight gain.
How Many Papayas Can Dogs Eat?
Sugars are a natural part of fruits. Small dogs can’t consume much of it. Fiber content is high than a puppy can have. So it’s best to keep papaya away from them. At the same time, older dogs can have some of it safely. Just like any other fruit, let your dog eat papaya in moderate quantities.
Can Dogs Safely Enjoy The New Food?
Pet parents love dogs and want the best for them. Before adding new food to a dog’s diet, they are advised to feed in small portions. If a dog shows an allergic reaction, contact a vet. In the other case, add papaya to dog foods without any concern.
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Nutritional Benefits of Feeding Papaya
Following are the nutrients that make papaya good for dogs:
Vitamins
Vitamins A, C, E, and K are among the various essential and non-essential nutrients found in papaya. These play a major role, from acting as cofactors in various enzymatic reactions of the body to maintaining the immune system.
Although a dog usually acquires enough Vitamin A from their regular food, papaya includes beta-carotene, a precursor of Vitamin A. In the liver of the dog, this precursor is converted into Vitamin A. Therefore, when the dog consumes enough Vitamin A, beta-carotene is not employed to make the vitamin; instead, it starts working as an antioxidant.
Papayas contain 25% more Vitamin C per gram as compared to oranges. It helps the immune system, reduces the free radical damage to the joints, strengthens teeth and bones, improves growth, and reduces inflammation. Although some Vitamin C is synthesized in their liver, feeding them Vitamin C through food is also beneficial.
Vitamin K, like vitamins A, C and E is abundant in papaya. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for the health of your dog’s liver and blood. In addition, it is very critical for the working of microflora residing in the dog’s gut and for proper blood clotting after a cut or injury.
Antioxidants
Cellular metabolism produces free radicals, which can cause an imbalance called oxidative stress if not neutralized. Oxidative stress in dogs can be fatal in no time leading to heart failure. Antioxidants play an important role in neutralizing and eliminating these free radicals from the body. Papaya is a good source of these antioxidants and boosts your dog’s health.
Fibers
Besides the skin of the fruit, flesh also has fibers that can prevent constipation and aids in healthy digestion when added to your dog’s diet. Along with the digestive enzymes and the gut microbes, it eases bowel movement.
Folic Acid
Folic acid provides many benefits to dogs. It produces red blood cells in the body and also ensures DNA synthesis is done the right way, free of mutations. It also converts some harmful and toxic amino acids produced during metabolism into less toxic amino acids keeping your dog safe from their harm.
Protein
There is a great importance of proteins in dogs food. What are they all made of hair, skin, nails, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage? Proteins, for sure. So, supplementing a dog with some proteins in his diet will supply amino acids to all these structures of the body. Papaya has sufficient proteins in it, making it a healthy snack for dogs.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are used as fuel in the body. They provide energy to all the body parts from the brain to the toes and give them power for functioning properly. Dogs need carbohydrates for this purpose, too and fruits are a great source of them.
Potassium
Papaya is abundant in potassium which is an essential mineral and an electrolyte. It aids in nutrient absorption in the blood. Bone strength and muscle growth in your dog are also aided by this macronutrient. In addition, it helps in the conduction of electrical charges in the heart, nerves, muscles, and brain, thus promoting coordination and control in his body. Therefore, If it is lacking as an essential mineral, you may notice that your dog is constantly fatigued, loses control, exhausts easily, and may also stop eating or sleeping.
Calcium and Magnesium
Both calcium and magnesium are found in trace amounts in papaya. Calcium is required for healthy bones and teeth and better muscle function. Magnesium is needed by the dog’s body to generate energy at the cellular level aiding cells in better performance of their functions.
Conclusion
Dog people always search for the best foods for their dogs because their well-being is the first and foremost priority for them. Well! If you want your dogs to eat fruits, then papaya makes a great option. It has plenty of health benefits for both of you and your dog. But beware of the seeds and flesh, as these may cause digestive obstruction or choking hazards.