Can my cat or dog eat oranges?

Here, our vet will answer the most frequently asked questions around feeding oranges to dogs and cats. Can dogs eat oranges? If your dog has looked longingly at you whilst you are peeling an orange and you have wondered if your dog can enjoy this snack with you, there's good news: dogs can enjoy a segment or two of orange fruit as part of a healthy balanced diet. Orange is a tasty fruit with some health benefits, adding variety and nutrition to a dog's diet in small amounts. Not all dogs will enjoy the flavour or taste of orange, but there's no harm in offering to see if they enjoy the taste of the flesh of the orange fruit. Can dogs eat orange peels? No, dogs cannot eat orange peels. They're bitter in taste and difficult to digest so it's safe to say your dog would not enjoy eating the peel. If your dog accidentally eats some leftover orange peel, try not to worry. The peel isn' toxic, it's just bitter and in large amounts can cause gastrointestinal upset symptoms. Very rarely if your dog has eaten a large amount of orange peel, it can become stuck in the intestines needing surgery to remove. If worried, contact your veterinarian for advice on what to do. The same is true for orange seeds. They're bitter in taste, and your dog won't enjoy eating them, so remove the seeds before feeding the orange segment to your dog. Can dogs eat tangerines, satsumas and mandarins? Tangerines, satsumas and mandarins are the same family as oranges. The flesh of these fruits are safe for dogs to eat in small amounts. Do not feed the seeds or peel of these citrus fruits as they can make your dog feel unwell. Can dogs have orange juice? Sadly, no they cannot enjoy your morning orange juice with you. Orange juice is a concentrated form of the orange fruit, high in sugars and acidic in nature. The combination of acidity and high sugar concentrations makes it highly likely your dog's digestive system will be irritated by the acids, and the high sugars will cause diarrhoea , flatulence or an upset in the bacterial composition of your dog's intestines (important for healthy digestion). What about orange-flavoured foods or products? It's best not to feed orange flavoured foods or products. The issue lies not with the orange flavour, but more so in the other possible ingredients included in the food. Many ingredients that we use for human foods are not safe for dogs to eat and can even be toxic. If you really want to feed a particular orange flavoured food or product, you will need to ask a vet to check the ingredients list to make sure it's safe for your dog, and get advice on how much they can safely eat. When we consider how many other safe foods are available for your dog to eat, it's easy to see its best just to pick another type of food to feed to your dog! Are oranges suitable for puppies? Puppies have very small digestive tracts, and the acidity of the orange is more likely to cause a stomach upset. It's best to wait until your puppy is more mature, and eats adult dog food before adding oranges into their regular diet. What are the signs of an orange allergy in dogs? The chances of your dog being unfortunate enough to have an orange allergy are incredibly low, but not impossible. Signs of food intolerance can be mild, from tummy upset symptoms such as diarrhoea, bloating or vomiting. Signs of allergy to a food such as oranges can also be more severe, needing emergency veterinary care. The signs of a severe allergy would include collapse, vomiting, difficulty breathing and lumps appearing on the skin. This type of reaction is known as anaphylaxis and is very very rare, so try not to let these scary symptoms put you off feeding oranges to your dog, as it's very unlikely anything untoward will happen. Are there any benefits of oranges for dogs? Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C, well known for its anti-oxidant properties. Oranges also contain potassium, important for muscle function, and fibre, useful for gastrointestinal health. The one thing that's also true for oranges, is that they are packed with natural sugar. This means it's important to feed only small amounts of orange to make sure your dog is not having too much sugar intake. Can cats eat oranges? If dogs can eat oranges, you would think that cats can too right? Nope! You should never feed your cat oranges, mandarins, satsumas or tangerines . Oranges are part of the citrus family, and these fruits can make cats unwell. The citric acid is, as the name suggests, an acid, and affects the pH of the gut, leading to gastrointestinal upset. This can lead to signs of vomiting, lethargy, diarrhoea and inappetence. The smell of the orange is highly offensive to cats, so it's very unlikely they will eat it. This is likely a self preservation tactic, as some of the compounds found in the orange fruit like citric acid, and the essential oils that contribute to the aroma of orange are toxic to cats. These compounds can create skin reactions, particularly around the mouth or gums if eaten, and in very rare cases can lead to central nervous system depression. The good news is your cat is highly unlikely to want to eat any orange or citrus foods, so the risks of an adverse food reaction are rare. Make sure you clean up all peel, seeds and leftover fruit after eating to keep your cat safe from risks of illness.

Can my cat or dog eat oranges?

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