Oranges are the world’s most cultured citrus fruits. Almost everyone loves oranges, even our four-legged friends. Can dogs eat oranges? How much orange can dogs eat? Do you want to find out the answers to these questions? Carefully read everything.
Can dogs eat oranges?
Oranges are available in different varieties on the market. They are among the citrus fruits. The most well-known varieties among them are navel oranges and blood oranges. Ripe and sweet oranges are allowed for your dog. Oranges are basically compatible and healthy for the dog. However, not too much because the acid could cause stomach/bowel problems.
Oranges contain many vitamins
Vitamins and minerals are abundant in oranges. There is a high content of Vitamin C, but also Vitamin A, D, B12 and B6 in them. In addition to the vitamins, the orange also contains high content of iron, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. The pulp is not the only impressive part of the orange, the white shell surrounding the pulp, which we like to remove, contains important phytochemicals.
Are dogs allowed to eat oranges?
Even the orange peel is suitable for consumption. The prerequisite is that the oranges were not treated chemically or with wax.
Related: Can Dogs Eat Bananas, Can Dogs Eat Blueberries.
Citrus fruits from Southeast Asia
An orange that you know from the supermarket today is a cross between tangerine and grapefruit. As such, it combines many valuable ingredients of both fruits.
Oranges originally came from China or Southeast Asia. In Europe, the juicy fruit landed in the 11th century. At that time, however, it was the bitter orange that was not particularly suitable for consumption.
It was not until the 15th century that the sweet variety found its way to Europe, where it is grown in southern regions such as Spain. Oranges are among the most popular exotic fruits.
Recognize ripe oranges
You probably pay attention to the color when buying, as most consumers do. The rich orange tone of the shell says nothing about the orange being ripe or not because even green oranges can be ripe.
In the warm regions, oranges are generally sold green. Because the fruits only turn orange when they live through cold nights. So before you give your dog an orange, you should give it a taste test. If she is juicy and lovely sweet, then she is just right.
Mince the fruits before feeding
Oranges should ideally be pureed. The white shell may like to stick to it. Purification is the process of breaking down the ingredients and allowing the dog to make better use of the orange.
Citrus fruits such as oranges have a high acid content that can lead to digestive problems in dogs. However, always feed only small amounts, to avoid those kinds of problems. Also, too much of this fruit can cause diarrhea and vomiting.
Even if a dog grabs a whole orange and bites off a piece of it, no need to worry. Oranges can be combined with apples or carrots and even cottage cheese.
How much orange can dogs eat?
When feeding your dog with oranges for the first time, do it in really small pieces, like one section of orange. This way you can learn how his body will react to the fruit.
If your dog eats oranges without getting an upset stomach, you can proceed to feed a bit more the next time but try sticking to one or two sections of orange for all dog sizes.
Photo Credit: Benjamin Golub/Flickr; Vladimir Agafonkin/Flickr; Clint Lalonde/Flickr
Source: ZooHund www.zoohund.de
