Can Dogs Eat Mango?
Can dogs eat mango? Finn discusses the potential benefits of giving your dog a piece of mango, and how you can do it in a safe way.
Let’s be honest, mango is one of the most delicious tropical fruits out there. If your dog is giving you the eyes while you’re eating one, it’s tempting to toss them a bite. But can dogs eat mango safely?
The pet lovers at Finn have the answers that you need.
Is Mango Safe?
Let’s cut right to the chase — can your pup eat mango? The short answer is yes, in moderation. As we’ll discuss, mango is packed full of different essential vitamins and minerals — for both you and your dog.
However, just like everything in life, you can have too much of a good thing. There are a few Important factors to keep in mind before giving your dog mango so that you can balance its benefits with any potential drawbacks.
But if you’re worried about that small piece of mango you just watched your dog hoover off the floor, you can breathe a sigh of relief — and so can they!
What’s So Great About Mango?
In addition to its citrusy, slightly floral taste, mango is full of vital nutrients. Most crucial vitamins and minerals can be found in your dog’s regular diet, but throwing in a healthy treat that they also want to eat is a bonus.
Specifically, mangos have relatively high vitamin A, B6 (pyridoxine), C, and E content. Let’s take a closer look.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is responsible for keeping your dog’s vision healthy and strong.
It is fat-soluble, which means that it dissolves more easily in the fats in the body. Vitamin A also supports overall growth and development as well as the function of your dog’s immune system and cells.
Vitamin B6
Although all B vitamins are essential, veterinarians and nutritionists often consider B6 one of the most crucial.
This member of the B complex is responsible for helping to support the production of glucose and red blood cells, regulating hormones and immune response, and supporting the function of the nervous system.
Vitamin C
Of all the vitamins mango is full of, vitamin C is probably the least surprising... It is a powerful antioxidant, scavenging potentially harmful free radicals (unstable molecules that are missing an electron) from the body. The vitamin is famous for helping to support the immune system (it’s the vitamin most humans take when they’re starting to feel under the weather). However, it can also help combat swelling in the body.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E can also help support the antioxidant properties of vitamin C. Like vitamin A, it is fat-soluble and helps support the function of the eyes, muscles, and reproductive system.
Fiber
Mangos also have a reasonably large fiber count, which is essential for a healthy, functional GI system. In the right amount, fiber helps increase the bulk of the stool and absorb excess water (which reduces the risk of loose stools or diarrhea).
What Should I Watch Out For?
Mango peels are fiber dense, and too much fiber can harm your dog. Because of that, it’s best to peel the mango before giving any to your dog. While they may technically be able to digest it, it can be hard on your dog’s digestive tract..
Interesting Fact! Mango skin may contain a chemical known as urushiol, especially near the stem. While most of it is washed off before peeling, urushiol is the same chemical that causes itching with poison oak or poison ivy.
If your furry friend ingests raw, unwashed mango peel, you may notice that they are itchier than usual. This is another reason it is essential to remove the skin before giving any mango to your dog.
Even more critical than peeling the mango is making sure to remove the pit. While mango peels are mostly harmless other than a bit of GI discomfort, mango pits can be a much larger problem. If your dog gets ahold of one, it can be a choking hazard or even lead to an intestinal obstruction.
Although mango pits are less than an inch in size, they can get stuck at any point in the GI tract — especially in smaller dogs. Obstructions are an emergency and require immediate care from a veterinarian (including potential surgery). In addition to potential blockages, the pit also contains a small amount of cyanide.
Signs to watch for if you suspect your dog may have eaten a mango pit include changes in their eating habits, nausea and vomiting, a tender belly, and straining to have a bowel movement (but often not able to produce one).
Is It Possible for My Dog To Eat Too Much Mango?
As we said, your dog can have too much of a good thing. A little mango makes an excellent treat, but too much of it can cause loose stools or an upset stomach. These symptoms are likely due to the sugar content of the mango, which comes in at around 45 grams.
However, as long as your dog doesn’t eat the pit, you don’t have to worry about toxicity.
How Should I Feed My Dog Mango?
Your best resource for feeding mango to your dog is your veterinarian. Before starting anything new, including components of your dog’s diet, give them a call or schedule an appointment to discuss it with your vet. They can give you an idea of how much is safe for your pet or if it will interact with any of their current medications.
You’ll want to take your dog’s size into account. Cut the mango slices into relatively small pieces for smaller dogs to reduce the choking risk. Larger dogs can often handle larger pieces.
Pro Tip for those hot summer days: Cut the mango into pieces and put it in the freezer for a while!
Although it is highly unlikely, allergic reactions to mango are possible. So start with a small piece and then monitor them to ensure that they aren’t allergic to mango.
Remember,not all of the signs and symptoms of allergic reactions occur right away — they may show up a day later in the form of watery diarrhea, hives, or itchy paws or ears.
What Else Can My Dog Eat?
One of the most challenging parts of pet ownership is learning what is ok to do and what may harm your dog. It often comes down to a lot of frequent searching on the internet, sometimes before you’ve given your dog a snack and sometimes frantically afterward.
While there is a seemingly endless amount of foods your dog can and can’t eat, we wanted to give you a few suggestions for other human foods you can use to treat your dog.
Blueberries
Broccoli
Carrots
Cheese
Cooked boneless skinless chicken or turkey breast
Green beans
Raspberries
Peanut butter
Pumpkin
Again, the key to any of these foods is giving them to your dog in moderation.
The Treat To Food Ratio
Even though it would be great just to give our dog as many treats as they want (and they want a lot!), it’s important to consider their nutrition first.
It helps to consider the 10% rule. According to most animal nutritionists and dieticians, treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s calories a day. For example, if your dog requires 500 calories a day for their basic needs, only 50 of them should come from treats. The other 450 calories should come from high-quality dog food.
A cup of peeled mango comes in at around 100 calories to put that into context. That means you could give the above dog half a cup of mango a day, as long as they aren’t getting any other treats. Giving them more than that may contribute to weight gain — and that extra chub can have a whole host of potential side effects in the long run.
Long Story Short…
If you’re looking to give your pup a sweet treat that is also good for them, look no further than mango! Not only can dogs eat mango, but the many vitamins and minerals the fruit contains can also provide them with a few benefits.
Stick with Finn for more information about what foods your dog can safely eat and other tips and tricks for improving your beloved pet’s quality of life.
Sources:
Intestinal Obstruction - Gastrointestinal Disorders | Merck Manuals Professional Edition
Sharing is Caring: Foods You Can Safely Share with Your Pet | ASPCA