Can Dogs Eat Bananas?
Yes, dogs can eat bananas. In fact, bananas are a great fruit to give to dogs as a healthy snack. Like all foods, especially human foods, bananas should be given to dogs in moderation because of the amount of sugar in them. For small dogs, a few pieces of bananas once or twice a week is perfect. For large dogs, a healthy dose is half a banana once or twice a week.
Health benefits of bananas for dogs
When given in moderation, bananas are a great source of many vitamins and minerals that can greatly benefit your dog's health. Bananas are low in sodium and cholesterol and contain:
- Potassium - helps strengthen bones and maintain healthy blood pressure levels
- Manganese - also helps keep blood vessels working properly and can have a calming effect in especially hyper dogs
- Vitamin B - helps fight anemia
- Vitamin C - supports the immune system
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Magnesium - promote bone growth, and helps the body absorb protein and vitamins
Additionally, bananas are great for digestion and can provide gastrointestinal relief. However, too much banana can lead to gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, obesity, and even diabetes.
How to give your dog bananas?
- Mash it up and put it over their food
- Slice it up into small pieces and hand feed them
- Mix it with non-flavored yogurt or peanut butter
- Freeze the banana then give them sliced frozen pieces
- Stuff mashed or sliced bananas into a Kong toy and freeze it
Note: never give your dog a banana peel. It's not toxic for them to eat, but it can pose a risk for choking and intestinal blockage, and it can be difficult to digest.
Fun fact: a banana peel can actually be used to soothe bug bites or other itchy skin issues. Rubbing the inside of the banana peel onto inflamed or itchy skin can temporarily soothe your dog.