Yes! Dogs can eat bananas safely - it’s a healthy, lip-smacking snack for a dog that’s packed with potassium and other vitamins and minerals. Read on for all the answers on feeding bananas to your dog.
Is banana good for dogs?
Yes - bananas are a great choice of healthy snack for your pooch. They’re natural, full of healthy fats, and contain a host of vitamins and minerals. As with any food, you should give banana to your dog in moderation, and it should be deemed a treat or snack, not a meal replacement.
What are the health benefits?
Bananas are all-natural and have multiple benefits to a dog’s health. Here’s why bananas are so nutritious:
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High in potassium - Important for muscle contraction, nerve function and balancing electrolytes in your dog’s body.
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Vitamin B6 - Contributes to your dog’s brain development and metabolises energy
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Vitamin C - Boosts immune function and supports antioxidants
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Good source of fibre For excellent digestion and firmer poops
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Low calorie, low sodium, low cholesterol For weight management and good heart health in your dog.
Can puppies eat bananas?
Puppies sure can eat bananas, so long as they’re ripe, cut into small pieces suitable for tiny puppy mouths, and with all the skin removed. Bananas are a great source of potassium and nutrients for a growing pooch, and they’re tasty, too. Remember it’s a snack for a pup, not a replacement for their regular puppy food.
When is banana unsafe for dogs?
Though bananas are nutrient-rich, they’re also quite high in natural sugars and fats, so should be fed in moderation to a hungry dog. Just like with humans, more than one banana at a time is excessive, and could cause stomach upset - so feed small portions to your pooch as a snack or treat.
It’s unsafe to feed the skin, so always peel the banana and throw it away. Though it’s not toxic to dogs, it’s very tough and hard to digest, and could cause a blockage (it doesn’t taste good either).
Can dogs be allergic to bananas?
It’s pretty rare for a dog to be allergic to banana, but it’s possible - so if you’ve never fed your pooch banana before, introduce it slowly into their diet, perhaps by mashing it up with some of their regular dog food.
If a dog is allergic to banana, they may show the following symptoms:
- Itching, redness or a rash on their skin
- Diarrhoea and vomiting
- Swelling
- Stomach pain, bloating
- Breathing problems (wheezing etc.)
- General lethargy or appearing down in the dumps.
Can bananas make dogs sick?
Eating anything excessively can make a dog sick, and bananas are no exception. More than one medium-sized banana at a time is likely too much for a dog (depending on their size and breed), so keep portions in moderation so they can get the full benefits.
If your pooch is allergic to bananas, this might make them sick. Always be sure the bananas are ripe but not past their best, and never feed the skin, only the soft flesh.
How to safely give bananas to your dog?
Banana is a relatively risk-free snack to feed your dog, but of course, there is an ideal way to serve this tasty, nutritious fruit.
- Be sure the banana is ripe (not green - and firm, but not squishy).
- Remove the skin and throw it away. Your dog shouldn’t eat this part.
- However you feed banana to your dog (suggestions below), keep the portion size reasonable. More than one medium-sized banana is likely too much.
- Banana is a snack or treat, not a meal replacement.
If you’re wondering ‘Can I feed my dog bananas every day?’ That’s also inadvisable, as it’s best to change up the healthy snacks you give your dog throughout the week to ensure they’re receiving a broad range of vitamins, nutrients and health benefits.
Serving suggestions for feeding banana to your dog:
Let’s look at the variety of ways you can serve a tasty banana…
- Freeze a banana, then peel it and give to your dog whole (perhaps smothered in some dog-friendly peanut butter)
- Chop a banana, freeze it and place the frozen chips in your pooch’s bowl or in a feeding toy
- Mash some banana with dog-friendly peanut butter
- Mix chopped banana with some wet dog food
- Just chop up a room temperature banana and serve as is.
Important note: if you mix banana with peanut butter, be sure it’s dog-friendly and doesn’t contain Xylitol or other artificial sweeteners.
What types of bananas can dogs eat?
Dogs can eat all types of fresh bananas so long as they’re ripe and served without the skin. Here are some other banana-related foods to consider…
Can dogs eat banana bread?
As banana bread is essentially a type of cake, it’s not recommended to feed this to your dog. It could contain spices, raisins and other ingredients toxic to dogs, or contain wheat or gluten (which causes havoc for dogs with a grain-allergy). It’s much better to keep banana bread as a human treat.
Can dogs eat banana skins/peels?
Banana peel isn’t toxic to dogs, but it’s not particularly pleasant for them to eat and they will likely have problems digesting it. As it’s tough, it doesn’t break down easily and could cause a blockage in their digestive system. We recommend you remove the skin from the banana and throw it away before serving.
Conclusion
Bananas are a nutritious, delicious and low-calorie snack for dogs, great for their health and overall wellbeing due to their potassium, vitamins and fibre content.
They should be seen as a snack or treat for dogs, not to replace meals. Serve a ripe banana without the peel, and you’re good to go!
What other foods can dogs safely eat?
If you’re keen on feeding banana to your dog but would like to try alternatives, these are other healthy snacks for dogs:
Check out our other articles on what to feed your dog, or browse our range of healthy, grain-free food for dogs, packed with whole ingredients that are rich with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
