Can Dogs Eat Pineapples? – Health Benefits, Side Effects & Tips

Pineapples are one of the healthiest fruits in the world – packed full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutritions. It’s no wonder why humans love them. But for dog owners, you may be wondering if dogs can eat pineapples? And are they safe for dogs to eat? 

Yes, Dogs Can Eat Pineapples

Dogs can safely eat pineapples, but only in moderation. In fact, there are potential health benefits a dog may enjoy from the occasional pineapple. These amazing fruits have a surplus of vitamins and nutrients, which may lead to better digestion, an immune boost, and can even act as a natural pain reliever.

Pineapples have also been known to help with Coprophagia and Pancreatitis in dogs. Some even use it to help prevent kidney stones. Despite all the benefits of feeding your dog pineapples, there are many still several side effects that need to be considered and monitored.

3 Benefits of Feeding Dogs Pineapples

With all the health benefits that pineapples provide dogs, you may even call them a dog superfood. But don’t get me wrong, i’m not saying pineapples will keep your dog healthy guaranteed. And there are still no conclusive research on pineapples for dogs.

However, dogs will most likely benefit to a certain degree if given pineapples from time to time. Here are some of the notable health benefits of pineapples for dogs.

In a single cup of Pineapples (165 grams):

• Vitamin C – 105% Human Daily Value
• Manganese – 77% DV
• Copper – 20% DV
• Vitamin B6 – 11% DV
• Fiber – 9% DV
• Vitamin B1 – 11% DV
• Folate – 7% DV
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) – 7% DV
• 86 Calories

1. Pineapples Have Essential Vitamins That Benefit Dogs

Pineapples contain nutrients that helps boosts our immune system, and it can do the same for dogs too. These tangy fruits contain essential vitamins that may even give your dogs extra energy, such as Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and Vitamin B6.

The Vitamin C in pineapples may not be as beneficial to young healthy dogs because dogs can naturally produce the C vitamin. However, it can benefit older dogs because they often don’t produce Vitamin C as efficiently or effectively.

Other notable minerals include manganese, which will help with strengthening the bones and joints of your dog. Pineapples also provide a sufficient amount of Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and folic acid.

2. Pineapples May Help With Digestion

These tropical fruits will help with digestion and battle the occasional constipation with its 2.3 grams of fiber per cup. However, i want to note that giving too much fiber to your dog may actually cause the constipation due to the fibers absorbing all the water in the stool.

Pineapples also contain bromelain, which is an enzyme that helps break down protein and allows them to absorb other nutrients better. This is important because most dog foods (and diets) tend to be very protein heavy.

Although a dog’s diet is supposed to be made primarily of protein, pineapples can still help a bit with loosening their stool. Just don’t get carried away with too much of this fruit.

3. Pineapples Help Battle Inflammation in Dogs

Overly active and energetic dog breeds tend to injure their bodies while running around or playing with other dogs (yes, we’re looking at you, Border Collies). However, often times, the injuries are mild and not noticeable. But even so, the injury will still end up swelling.

Pineapples are an anti-inflammatory food and can help reduce the swelling in your injured dog. If you plan to use pineapples for the sole purpose of reducing inflammation, make sure to consult with your local vet first.

Pineapples are not the only foods that can help a dog with inflammation. Other fruits and vegetables include cantaloupes, broccoli and cherries. All of which, are dog friendly and safe for them to eat.

3 Potential Side Effects: Dogs & Pineapples

Pineapples are, without doubt, a safe and healthy fruit snack for your dogs to eat. But this doesn’t mean to permanently include them in your dog’s daily diet regimen. Remember: moderation is key.

For the nutrition in these fruits to be as effective as possible while minimizing any side effects, you may want to consult with your veterinarian. Too much pineapple can increase the odds of side effects.

1. Sugar in Pineapples Decay Teeth

These sweet and tangy fruits also contain a lot of sugar. In fact, a thin slice (56 grams) of pineapple will contain roughly 6 grams of sugar.

Anything with a high concentration of sugar will always help speed up the decay of your dog’s teeth, especially if the owners don’t brush their dog’s teeth on a consistent basis.

Luckily, pineapples are fruits with the most amount of sugar. Fruits such as grapes, mangoes, cherries, bananas, apples and kiwi all contain more sugar than pineapple. A high amount of sugar can also lead to gastric problems, diarrhea, stomach pain and in some cases, vomiting.

2. Constipation in Dogs

I know we mentioned in the health benefits section that pineapples can help with digestion and get rid of the occasional constipation. However, when your dog consumes too much pineapple, it can lead to constipation in some dogs.

It may seem a bit counterproductive for this to happen, but it can. Fiber will soak up water, so having too much fiber in your system can potentially cause the stool to harden if one doesn’t get sufficient water. A dog won’t know this, and may not drink more water when eating pineapples.

2. Side Effects of Unripe Pineapples

There’s no question that pineapples are loaded with great health benefits. However, unripe pineapples can pose some serious health risks for you and your dog. For example, the juice contained in an unripe pineapple can cause vomiting in your dogs.

The bromelain enzyme can also potentially cause negative reactions such as diarrhea, nausea and skin rash. There can also be swelling around the oral area of your dog if they consume unripe pineapples. But how do you tell when a pineapple is ripe enough for your dogs to eat?

The bottom (or butt) of the pineapple is the most fragrant part of the tropical fruit. Start by smelling the butt (as opposed to the crown) of the pineapple. If you smell a sweet fragrance, then the pineapple is ripe and ready to eat.

However, if you do not smell anything, then that means there isn’t enough sugar in the pineapple. This means that the pineapple is not ripe enough to eat yet.

Pineapples For Treatment in Dogs

The list of potential benefits from your dog eating pineapple continues. Not only do these tasty snacks have a ton of nutrition, but they can also help with dog medical conditions, such a Coprophagia and Pancreatitis.

Of course, we always recommend consulting with your veterinarian before trying these out with your dog. All dogs are different, after all.

Coprophagia Treatment in Dogs

Coprophagia is the condition where your dog will eat its own feces. I have had this problem with my dog before and it’s not something that sits well with you knowing your dog does such a thing. This could be from two reasons.

1. If you have a dog that loves to eat and you feed it a lot of treats, snacks, human foods, etc. that smell great, they may be eating the feces because they are still hungry and the feces actually smells good to them.
2. If your dog is not getting enough nutrients, it will re-eat what it had eaten before to supply the body with more nutrients.

Not only do pineapples solve a problem concerning nutrition, but it also changes the taste of the feces and makes it much less appealing to the dogs. Veterinarians suggest you use raw, un-canned pineapples if you are trying to cure this medical condition.

Pancreatitis Treatment in Dogs

A dog living on a fatty diet (such as eating excessive avocados) may potentially suffer from a prolonged inflammatory condition called pancreatitis. This disease is no joke and can eventually put strain on the dog’s liver as the bile move into the pancreas.

Other foods that can potentially give your dog Pancreatitis include peanuts. And even though the fat is “healthy” in peanuts, it’s still fat in your dog’s system.

Adding pineapples into their diets as a secondary treatment will help this condition by increasing the digestive enzymes in their system. Pineapples should never be the sole solution for treatment.

How Can Dogs Eat Pineapples?

When picking out pineapples as a snack for your dog, try not to get canned pineapples. Not only are they less nutritious than their un-canned counterparts, but they lack the enzymes that help with their digestion. The real fruit is always better than the canned fruit!

Note: A cup of canned pineapples could contain up to 26 grams of sugar! If you know what sugar does to your dog, you’ll definitely avoid it as best as possible. In addition, canned pineapples contain more carbs and calories. All while containing less fiber than the raw fresh version.

Pineapple Preparation For Dogs

Always start by washing the outside of the pineapple shell thoroughly. Yes, you’re right. We won’t be serving the skin of the pineapple, but the exterior may contain pesticide and bacteria that may get on your hand and eventually to your dog.

Cut the pineapple into smaller pieces. Obviously the smaller the dog, the smaller the pieces. These fruits can pose a risk if they aren’t fed in the appropriate size. Dogs don’t like to chew much, especially if you’re feeding them something as delicious as pineapples.

Large pieces of fruits have been known to cause choking in dogs. And in some cases, large chunks can also cause a blockage in the dog’s intestinal track. This will certainly lead to constipation or other more complicated health problems with your dog.

Start off with no more than 3 pieces of pineapple to see how your dog reacts. Dogs aren’t generally allergic to pineapples but there are always exceptions.

If you’ve monitored them and see that nothing is wrong with them, you can continue to give them more over time. I would not suggest giving them for than a few pieces per day. Also, don’t give your dog more than a few pieces every other day.

Pineapple Dog Treat Recipe

The perfect Pineapple and Molasses dog treat with all the nutrition of pineapples for your loved canine friend. If you have a hard time getting your dog to eat pineapples, you will not have a problem with this treat. Your dog will go crazy for these! This recipe is courtesy of The Blond Cook.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounce of crushed pineapple
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tspn vanilla
• 2 Cups of all purpose flour
• ¼ cup of olive oil
• ⅓ cup of molasses
• 1 ½ tspn of baking powder

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2: With a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder

Step 3: In another bowl, mix the olive oil, vanilla and molasses together. Add the crushed pineapples into the mix and stir thoroughly.

Step 4: Combine the two mixtures in the bowls and stir with a spoon.

Step 5: Use the spoon to drop tablespoons full on a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Step 6: Bake for 20 minutes or until the edge becomes golden brown.

Step 7: Wait until the treats cool down and enjoy! 

---

The Smart Canine is the online dog care and training resource dedicated in providing dog owners with the best and most accurate information on the web. We have done extensive research on the consumption of pineapples by dogs and am confident in the information presented. However, we cannot guarantee that your dog will receive a certain health benefit or potential side effects. Every dog is different and unique and it is impossible for us to “guarantee” something. Always consult with your local vet if you have any questions or concerns about feeding pineapples to your dog.