You are thinking about giving a treat to your canine, but you don’t know what exactly to offer your furry friend. You feel the need to reward your canine for being loyal and obedient. A friend then suggested giving cantaloupe to your dog. Can dogs eat cantaloupe?
Dogs can eat cantaloupe, and they enjoy eating it. The cantaloupe is a good source of nutrients for dogs, and your dog will benefit by having an improved immune system from cantaloupe when consumed in moderation. The sweet taste of cantaloupe makes it a good choice of dog treat.
The above shows one of the benefits dogs derive from taking cantaloupes. Later in this article, we’ll discuss more benefits your pooch can derive from this fruit. You remember we said moderation is key when feeding dogs cantaloupe.
Now, let’s discuss how much cantaloupe your beloved canine should eat per day.
How Many Cantaloupes Can My Dog Eat?
One cup of cantaloupe is enough for your dog per day. Vets recommend that fruits, such as cantaloupe, make about 10% of the daily calories of your pup.
The average cup of cantaloupe contains about 2.5 teaspoons of sugar, and this would give you approximately 53 calories. The average recommended daily calories for a pooch is about 530 calories.
You should always avoid the temptation of giving excess cantaloupe to your dog. Cantaloupe contains excess sugar compared to other similar fruits.
When your canine consumes excess sugar, there is an increased risk for your dog to become obese. When feeding cantaloupe to your dog, moderation is key.
Can Cantaloupe Kill My Dog?
No, your dog won’t die as a result of eating cantaloupe. Cantaloupes are perfectly safe and healthy for your canine.
Even the cantaloupe seeds found inside of the fruit are not harmful to your dog, unlike the seeds of other similar fruits.
But if your dog consumes these seeds in excess, it will cause slight abdominal discomfort for your furry friend. If this happens, do not delay in seeing a vet.
How Much Cantaloupe Is Too Much For A Dog?
Giving two cups of cantaloupe or more daily is too much for a dog. Just one cup of cantaloupe is sufficient for your dog per day.
If you decide not to feed cantaloupe to your dog in moderation, your canine would quickly turn diabetic. A diabetic dog is an unhealthy dog.
Cantaloupe is safe and healthy for a canine, but not feeding it in moderation is unhealthy.
Can My Dog Eat The Rinds Found Inside A Cantaloupe?
No, you should not allow your pup to eat the rinds found inside a cantaloupe. The rinds will not directly kill your dog, but they can cause an abdominal upset.
Since the rinds are hard and fibrous, feeding them to your canine is dangerous. The digestive system of your dog is not suited to digest cantaloupe rinds.
Never attempt giving cantaloupe rinds to your dog. But if your pooch accidentally ingests cantaloupe rinds, do not delay in taking your dog to the emergency room.
What Does Too Much Cantaloupe Do To Dogs?
Too much cantaloupe can make your dog sick. If the rinds found inside a cantaloupe are consumed with fleshy parts, there is a high risk of intestinal blockage.
Apart from the fact of making your dog sick, your four-legged furry friend will turn quickly obese if it feeds on too much cantaloupe.
If your dog is already obese, do not attempt to give it dog cantaloupe. You can look for another fruit with low sugar content to feed your canine friend.
The following are the common problems that are associated with feeding too much cantaloupe to dogs:
Gastrointestinal Problems
If your dog consumes cantaloupe’s rinds, there is a high risk of belly upset. The rinds are not toxic to your dog in themselves.
But if the rinds are consumed excessively, abdominal blockage occurs. You would notice symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and restlessness in your pup.
The digestive tract of your dog is not designed to break down the rinds. If you notice any symptoms of abdominal upset in your dog, call your vet immediately!
Before feeding your pup with cantaloupe, scoop out the rinds found in the middle part of the fruit to avoid making your cat sick.
Obesity
One of the results of feeding your dog with cantaloupe is obesity. When your canine consumes a lot of cantaloupes, it leads to unwanted weight gain.
Your dog is likely to come down with diabetes if you regularly feed them cantaloupes. To prevent diabetes, give only a small amount of cantaloupe to your canine.
If your dog is already diabetic, giving them cantaloupes on a regular basis will make them seriously sick in the long term.
Excess fats affect the quality of life in a dog. If your dog is diabetic, there is an increased risk of developing heart diseases, hypertension, and osteoarthritis.
Hyperkalemia
Hyperkalemia is another result of feeding excess cantaloupe to your dog. Hyperkalemia is the presence of a higher than normal concentration of potassium in the blood.
If there is a high concentration of potassium in the bloodstream of your dog, it will affect the ability of your dog to function normally.
If your dog is hyperkalemic, some of the symptoms you would notice include the following:
- Weakness
- Arrhythmia
- Collapse
- Flaccid paralysis
If you notice any of the above symptoms in your dog, take your canine to a vet hospital immediately.
What Are The Benefits Of Cantaloupe For Dogs?
Cantaloupe is packed with a lot of essential nutrients such as Vitamin A and C, beta carotene, antioxidants, and dietary fibers for the healthy living of your canine.
If you feed your dog with the right amount of cantaloupe, it goes a long way in keeping your dog healthy.
But if a cantaloupe is fed in excess to your dog, it becomes toxic and dangerous. You should always care about the quantity.
Let’s briefly discuss some essential benefits of cantaloupe to our four-legged friend.
Dietary Fiber
Fibers are beneficial in the sense that they aid digestion. Giving the right amount of cantaloupe to your dog will aid its digestion of food.
Fibers found in cantaloupes also prevent the overgrowth of harmful bacteria found in the digestive tract. Dietary fibers help out the colon to recover quickly from injury.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an essential vitamin for your dog. It helps the skin and the coat of your doggie to remain healthy. Vitamin A is required for the proper functioning of nerves and muscles.
Cantaloupe contains high levels of Vitamin A. If your dog doesn’t get the required amount of Vitamin A, it will suffer from night blindness.
Apart from feeding cantaloupe to your dog, alternative sources of Vitamin A include fish liver oil, egg yolk, and liver.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants raise the immune cell function of your dog, and they slow down the aging process. Antioxidants are especially beneficial to senior dogs.
Canines are regularly exposed to toxins, and a large number of toxins often leads to the buildup of free radicals in a dog’s body.
Cantaloupes are also packed with a large number of antioxidants. These antioxidants can help in clearing up the free radicals. If your dog is still at the puppy stage, antioxidants help to improve vaccine recognition in its body.
Can I Feed a Cantaloupe To My Dog Every Day?
Yes. You can feed cantaloupe to your dog in moderation every day, as it is safe and healthy. Just as humans don’t fancy eating the same food every day, your dog would also prefer having a variety of fruit to eat.
You should be careful about the type of fruits you give to your dog. Fruits such as grapes and raisins are poisonous to them. Cantaloupes serve as an excellent alternative to other regular treats your dog can take.
