Can dogs or cats 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.

If your cat has given you the same expression, the opposite is true. Oranges are not safe for cats to eat, and any part of the orange fruit being eaten can lead to signs of illness for them.

In this article, our vet will answer the most frequently asked pet parents questions around feeding oranges to dogs and cats.

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 is not 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 are the signs of an orange allergy?

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.

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.