Can Dogs Eat Raspberries?

Raspberries are possibly the most common fruits in the summer in every household. People either grow raspberries in their own gardens or buy them from the local grocery shops. Raspberries act as an amazing and deliciously refreshing treat for both humans and dogs. However, can dogs eat raspberries? This is what we are going to find out in this blog post.

For humans, raspberries make for the perfect tasty and healthy snack. It is also part of many desserts that we love. Dogs indeed love the taste of raspberries. Most dogs tend to love raspberries and are often seen begging if you are having some. But the question arises, can dogs eat raspberries? Are raspberries good for dogs? How much raspberry should you give your dog at once? That’s minor answers to all these questions.
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Can dogs eat raspberries?

If you are looking for the answer, can dog eat raspberries, the answer is yes! Dogs are allowed to eat raspberries. However, raspberries should be given to dogs in very moderate quantities. As long as you give your dog raspberries in moderate quantities, your dog will be fine. Avoid giving too many raspberries at once. Before I discuss why giving too many raspberries to your dog is a bad option, you need to know the benefits that this amazing fruit has to offer to your pup.

Can dogs eat raspberries? Nutritional profile

In most cases, dogs do not need to consume fruits for their nutritional value. If you’re providing your dog with high-quality food, you don’t need to worry about adding extra supplements. However, if the kibble brand you’re giving your dog is not meeting all the nutritional requirements, then it is a good idea to look into other options like superfoods for dogs etc.

Raspberries offer a ton of health benefits when it comes to dogs. Raspberries contain low levels of calories and sugar. However, they are pretty high in levels of vitamin C, manganese, and fiber. If you give your dog one Cup of raspberries, you are providing him with:

• Sugar: 6 grams
• Fiber: 8 grams
• Calories: 46

Since raspberries rank low in the glycemic index, this makes them perfect for your dog, even if your pup is suffering from obesity or diabetes. Let’s look at the health benefit of raspberries for your pup.

Can dogs eat raspberries? Health benefits

It is hard to imagine that Raspberry being such a small fruit, can be so nutritionally packed. However, vegetable and fruit treats can provide your dog with additional nutrients that your dog needs for proper growth and development. These supplemental fruits can also keep your dog from aging quickly.

Here are the benefits of adding raspberries to your dog’s diet

Antioxidants

The primary reason raspberries are so favored is because of their antioxidant capabilities. Several studies have shown that raspberries contain a higher level of antioxidants than most other foods. This is because of a higher level of quercetin, allergic acid, flavonoids, and vitamin C.

Antioxidants are needed because they help your dog fight off the free radicals which are produced as a result of oxidation. These free radicals cause oxidative damage to cells. When there is oxidative damage, cells get destroyed early, and it leads to premature aging. Antioxidants are also responsible for reducing inflammation. They can prevent the growth or spread of cancer and also boost the immune system of your dog.

If your dog belongs to senior years, it is crucial that you add antioxidants to your dog’s diet. As I mentioned before, adding antioxidants to your dog’s diet can help slow down the inflammation in the joints, if your dog is suffering from any form of arthritis. They can also reduce the effect aging has on your dog’s brain. Therefore, they can help prevent dog dementia. Antioxidants also help in preventing cognitive aging in the case of dogs. Therefore, raspberries are a good option for your dog if given in moderate quantities.

Provision of dietary fiber

Dogs need fiber to keep their bowel movement ideal and keep them from suffering from indigestion. A diet that contains a good level of high-quality fiber can benefit not only your dog but you as well. The fiber present in raspberries is of insoluble form. Therefore, when you and your dog eat raspberries, the fiber remains intact, and it helps in pulling all the waste from all different sections of the digestive tract and adds bulk to the stool of your dog. This can be very beneficial in preventing constipation or diarrhea.

If your dog is overweight, fiber can act as a boon in your dog’s diet. Fiber can keep your dog feeling satiated for a longer duration and keep him from asking for treats now and then.

Vitamin K

Raspberries are also very rich in vitamin K. This vitamin is responsible for proper clotting. Vitamin K contains prothrombin, which is a crucial factor needed for an appropriate clotting mechanism in your dog. It is also responsible for regulating the calcium levels in the blood and for proper bone metabolism in your pup. The regulation of blood calcium levels by vitamin K also helps prevent heart disease.

B complex

The B complex vitamins are responsible for regulating the nervous system and metabolism of your dog. The other functions of vitamin B involve protecting the heart function and improving the health of your dog’s fur coat.

Trace minerals

Raspberries contain trace levels of iron, potassium, copper, magnesium, and manganese. These minerals are essential for supporting proper skeletal structure for your dog. They are also responsible for maintaining cell function, muscle contraction, fluid balance, and nervous system.

Can dogs eat raspberries? Yes?

So far, the health benefits of raspberries that have been outlined must have you thinking that raspberries are an excellent snack for your dog and should be provided to your dog every day. However, right now is not the time to take your decision. You need to know the other side of the coin before you decide to add raspberries as a part of your dog’s regular diet. Let’s look at the not-so-great side of this delicious fruit

Can dogs eat raspberries? The bad and the ugly

Artificial sweetner

If you are a responsible dog guardian, you must have come across the wood xylitol. Xylitol is one word that’s enough to give high blood pressure to dog guardians. This chemical is most commonly found in ice creams as a common sweetener. However, it is highly toxic to dogs. Xylitol is also a component of chewing gums, peanut butter, and many other dietary products used by humans.

Unfortunately, raspberries contain xylitol as well. This means you should not give raspberries to your dog at all, right? As I said before, you can provide your dog with raspberries in moderate quantities. For your dog to get xylitol poisoning from raspberries, your dog will have to eat 32 cups of raspberries (if he is of 22 pounds weight). Therefore, as long as you give your dog, moderate quantities and not regularly, raspberries can be given to dogs.

If you suddenly notice that your dog has ingested 2 cups of raspberries, you may not see the xylitol side effects. There may either be some diarrhea or vomiting, or your dog may suffer from a stomach upset.

The one thing that you have to focus on is to keep your dog from ingesting xylitol present in human foods like factory-manufactured peanut butter or human ice cream etc. These substances contain high quantities of xylitol. Puppies and small dog breeds are significantly more susceptible to suffering from xylitol poisoning. Therefore, if you have a dog belonging to a small breed or if your dog is still in the puppyhood stages, you must avoid giving human food items.

Fiber

As I mentioned before, my raspberries contain a ton of fiber in them. Fiber helps pull all the waste from the digestive tract and keeps your dog from having Constipation or diarrhea. However, if your dog consumes too many raspberries, it can upset the fiber levels in your dog’s intestine. Too much of fiber can cause vomiting, upset stomach, bloating, or even gas. Therefore, as long as you are giving your dog raspberries in moderate quantities, it should not cause a problem.

Sugar

The good part about raspberries is that they contain less sugar than many of the other berries. However, raspberries still contain sugar. A dog’s digestive system is not meant for handling large quantities of sugar. The ancestors of domesticated dogs were more used to eating berries. However, the hybrid berries we get in the market today have been genetically modified to be sweeter.

Again, if your dog belongs to a small breed or is a puppy, he is more susceptible to having a negative reaction from the high sugar level in the berries. Therefore, if you are thinking of offering your dog raspberries, make sure that it is being offered in very moderate amounts and only a few times a week. Too many raspberries can easily cause stomach discomfort, diarrhea, gas, bloating, or even diabetes in your dog.

One more thing that you must be aware of is that all vegetables and fruits can act as choking hazards for your dogs, especially if your dog belongs to a small breed. For parents of puppies and small breed dogs, always breakdown the fruits by smashing them before giving them to your dog.

How to offer raspberries to your dog?

There are many ways in which you can offer raspberries to your dog. If your dog belongs to a small breed or is a puppy, the best way would be to just um mash the raspberries and give them to your dog to consume. Alternatively, you can also make smoothies for your dog with greek yoghurt. To know exactly how you can make a Raspberry snack for your dog, keep reading.

Add in the dinner bowl

If you’re thinking of adding raspberries to your dog’s diet, the best way to provide a moderate quantity of raspberry is to throw a few of them in your dog’s bowl for dinner time. Make sure you keep a tab of how much raspberries you are giving your dog so that you don’t overdo or give him higher quantities than he can easily digest. Providing a few raspberries in your dog’s dinner bowl is the best way to ensure that your dog is getting enough antioxidants in diet.

Smoothie

You can always make your dog some amazing smoothies with a few raspberries. You can also throw in some other berries like cranberries, blueberries, or strawberries as well. If you are thinking of making a smoothie, use the berries along with nonfat Greek yogurt. You can freeze this mixture in the deep freezer and turn it into ice cream or just give it to your dog as a smoothie. Dealer’s choice.

Frozen or fresh

You can also make some fantastic treats for your dogs by using raspberries. Put some raspberries in the ice cube tray, fill it with yogurt and freeze them. This can make us a fantastic snack for the warm summer months. Alternatively, you can give your dog some fresh raspberries if it is winter where you are.

Canned

If you’re thinking of giving your dog canned raspberries, then the answer is NO. Canned products contain preservatives that are harmful to your pup. Furthermore, some canned products also have added sugar. Added sugar is a strict no-no when it comes to your dog. These added sugars can cause upset stomach or other worse conditions. Furthermore, many times they can products also contain preservatives or xylitol. Therefore, keep your dogs away from canned products at all costs.

If you’re offering your dog some raspberries from your salad, make sure that the salad seasoning that you have used is not aversive to your dog’s health.

Can dogs eat raspberries: the verdict

The answer to can dogs eat raspberries is yes, dogs can eat raspberries. However, you must make sure that your dog is offered raspberries in moderate quantities. Since raspberries, today are sweeter than their ancestors and can cause diabetes in your dog. As long as you are feeding your dog raspberries in small quantities and occasionally, there should not be any problem. If your dog is a puppy or a small breed one, you can mash the raspberries (or any other fruit) before you offer it to him.

Go for the calorie rule

Remember the calorie rule, which says 90 by 10. According to this rule, 90% of the daily calories that you provide your dog should come from balanced and healthy dog food. This is especially important if your dog is overweight or diabetic. Good vegetables and fruits can make up the remaining 10% of the calories of your dog. In case you are not sure how many calories you are providing your dog, the best person to consult would be the veterinarian.

If you have any queries about this blog post or any others in The Happy Puppers, feel free to reach out to me on Twitch. I do co-working sessions there every day from 11:00 AM to 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time. If you wish to address your query on any other social media channels, I will be happy to help. To stay updated with all the latest information on dog care; please subscribe to the happy Puppers. Your subscription will allow me to notify you the moment the next blog post is released. If you prefer video content, please subscribe to The Happy Puppers YouTube channel, Shruti and Delta. Remember to ring the notification bell.

See you in my next blog post
Dr. Shruti

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