Banana peels are safe for us dogs to eat, but they are definitely not the best part.
Much like humans, we prefer to eat the sweet fruit trapped inside than the tough outer casing.
You do not need to worry if your dog eats some banana peel off of the floor, but I don’t advise feeding them to us directly.
This means that banana peels are relatively tough to digest and can cause intestinal blockages.
Constipation is not fun for any species, so please do not feed us much banana peel, if any. It is probably best to avoid feeding your furry friend banana peels as they can also cause them to vomit.
How to incorporate bananas into your dog’s diet?
There are so many ways that you can incorporate some bananas into our diets. Like humans, we love it the old fashioned way, straight from the peel.
If you’re after something more stimulating, what about putting it inside a Kong toy? This is my favorite way to eat bananas.
Peanut butter and banana is a match made in heaven that your dog will appreciate too. My human gives me this when I’ve been a really good boy.
In the summer, a fun snack to cool us down is frozen banana. The safest way to feed this to us is in small slices to make sure we don’t choke.
My human sometimes makes me special doggy lollies. She blends one banana, a scoop of dog-safe peanut butter, and a slice of cheese.
Then she takes my Kong toy and covers it in this yummy spread. I have to wait for hours while it gets really cold and stiff in the freezer, but then she gives it to me. It’s the best.
What benefits does banana give my dog?
The sugary sweetness of banana and it’s mushy texture is not the only thing that we love. Bananas are super good for our doggy bodies in so many ways!
As every human knows, bananas contain a lot of potassium which is vital for maintaining our cardiovascular health and controlling our blood pressure levels.
They contain a lot of vitamin B6, which we use to make red blood cells, keep our nervous system in working order, and metabolizing foods. Vitamin C is also found in bananas in high quantities. This is used in our bodies to absorb iron and prevent damage from being incurred to the cells and tissues of our bodies. This is also a vital vitamin for brain, bone, and skin health.
Manganese can be found in bananas which is used to produce collagen. This helps our skin, fur, and bones to stay healthy.
Finally, bananas are a great source of fiber. This comes in 2 forms, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps to regulate our blood sugar levels and reduce our blood cholesterol.
Insoluble fiber is the one involved in the regulation of our bowel movements, preventing constipation.
Can bananas give dogs diarrhea?
If you give us too much banana, the high fiber and sugar contents can be harmful to our health. This can not only cause us to get a runny tummy, but also leads to weight gain.
There are many health risks associated with being overweight, and so it is best to not allow us to get to this stage.
For smaller dogs such as Chihuahuas and Pomeranians, like me, 2-3 slices of banana is probably a good portion size. Larger breeds may be able to tolerate about half a banana. You should not exceed this daily, and really we should only have bananas 3 times a week at most.
Generally speaking, you should not feed bananas to puppies. They have very specific nutritional requirements which need to be met to support healthy growth.
The high sugar content of bananas could mean that your puppy fills up on them instead of eating their normal food. This could lead to them not meeting their nutritional requirements and then this may have knock-on effects on their growth.
Do bananas help a dog’s upset stomach?
Yes, they can. My human will always feed me bananas and oatmeal whenever I have tummy troubles. She’s been feeding them to me for years, so she knows exactly how I like them!
If you have not given your pup banana before, it is probably unwise to feed them for the first time when they have a sensitive stomach.
New foods can cause further digestive upset and so it is better to wait to introduce bananas to your dog’s diet until they are feeling better.
If you have fed your dog banana before, you can feed them banana oatmeal when they have a churning stomach.
Alternatively, you can mash up a little banana into our normal meal, or even combine it with some sweet potato.
Can dogs be allergic to bananas?
I once knew a German Shepherd that was allergic to bananas. I felt so sorry for her, they’re so delicious! It is not a common issue, but whenever you feed your dog a new food you should keep an eye out for any signs of an allergic reaction as you never know.
Some signs of an allergic reaction in your dog are behavioural, such as scooting their butt along the ground and scratching excessively.
You may notice physical signs of discomfort such as diarrhea and vomiting, hair loss, and swelling. The swelling is likely to be seen on the face, feet, joints, muzzle, and eyes.
Your dog may also struggle to breathe and may be gasping. If you see any of these warning signs in your dog, you should take them to the vet immediately.
What food will settle a dog’s stomach?
A great thing to feed us when we have stomach problems is bone broth. We love the meaty taste, and it’s very low-maintenance to make.
Simply simmer meat on the bone in a large pot with water and apple cider vinegar. Allow it to simmer for about a day and leave to cool.
Skim off the fat from the surface and decant. You can even freeze this for ease later.
