Can bananas be given to dogs and how to do it?

Bananas have long been a tasty food for people. Love these fruits, with rare exceptions, and our favorite pets - dogs. Possessing a wide spectrum of vitamins, banana, rich in amino acids and minerals, is not only pleasant to the taste, but also extremely useful. Often, these exotic fruits are used as a favorite treat to reward our pets for adhering to instructions.

It is possible to give bananas to dogs, moreover, it is useful, subject to moderation and some feeding rules.

Banana contains a wide spectrum of vitamins, including vitamins C and B6, which help to increase immunity. The fruit is rich in potassium and manganese, which have a beneficial effect on the animal's body, stabilizing blood pressure. The high fiber content in bananas ensures efficient functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The complex carbohydrates, amino acids and sugars contained in bananas give strength and endurance to animals, effectively maintaining good muscle tone.

The presence of enzymes and antioxidants contributes to the beauty and health of the coat. In addition, bananas can be used as rewards (if your dog loves bananas) due to their great taste.

Bananas are extremely beneficial for dogs suffering from diarrhea, when electrolytes and, in particular, potassium are intensively removed from the body. The deficiency of these substances in the body may well compensate for the use of bananas. They also contain pectin, which normalizes the process of defecation, eliminating various disorders in the intestines.

To keep the dog feeling good and healthy, you need to follow simple rules when feeding her with bananas.

• Animals should consult a veterinarian before consuming a banana for the first time. It is important to start feeding in small portions so that the dog's body gets used to the new product. At the same time, it is important to closely monitor the condition of the dog, monitoring possible signs of allergy. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that fruits contain a significant amount of sugars, with intensive use of which animals quickly gain weight.
• Unripe fruits do not harm the dog, and half of such a fruit once every 2-3 days is a perfectly acceptable option. It is forbidden to feed the pet with overripe fruits, such products, with a high degree of probability, lead to an upset of the animal's gastrointestinal tract due to a sharp change in the level of acidity.
• Proper feeding of bananas to your dog involves eating them twice a week, and the serving size directly depends on the size of the animal. For medium-sized dogs, the permissible norm is half a banana, for large individuals - 1-2 copies, for small ones - 1-2 pieces.
• Dogs are fed with raw bananas, cut into pieces, or in the form of mashed potatoes, after mixing with curd mass. This healthy dish will enrich your animal's body with essential minerals.
• The peel from bananas must be removed - it is not as pleasant in taste as the fruit itself. In addition, it contains a lot of fiber, and its excess has a bad effect on the functioning of the digestive tract of dogs. The peel is poorly accepted by the stomach and can provoke intestinal obstruction in the dog. In addition, many fruits are often processed with special chemical compositions for long-term storage. The ingestion of such substances into the stomach of the animal is highly undesirable.
• The amount of banana treat depends on the breed of dog as well. For example, a large mastiff can use several pieces without harm to himself. For a medium-sized Dalmatian, half of the fruit may be enough, but one or two pieces will be enough for dwarf breeds.
• Pregnant animals are allowed to give this food product within the acceptable limits. For lactating bitches, the fruit can be useful as a means of helping to stabilize the level of immunity in the postpartum period.
• For sedentary pets, a banana diet will be excessive, as it will affect the weight gain.
• Bananas are usually given to puppies from the age of 1.5 months, while being combined with the intake of vegetables and fruits. If initially a small pet refuses food that is unusual for him, does not eat it, then he should be taught to this - the benefits brought by bananas are beyond doubt. The puppy should be kept active and toned.

Overfeeding your dog with bananas leads to frequent constipation and although the product itself is not toxic, but in large quantities it is digested and absorbed poorly.

Individual intolerance to bananas can be expressed in dogs by signs of hyperexcitation or lethargy, food poisoning and intermittent vomiting. If a combination of such signs is found, the dog should rinse the stomach with manganese or soda-saline solution (one teaspoon per 200 mg of warm water). Then you need to provide the dog with a drink, apply activated charcoal and, without postponing, seek help from a veterinarian.

If the dog begins to suffer from atypical constipation or diarrhea, flatulence, this means that the product is not suitable for your pet or the intake of exotic fruits has been overestimated. Then they should be removed from the animal's menu.

Leaking eyes, the formation of a rash on the body (blisters and pimples), flaky skin, falling hair are possible signs of an allergic disease. An effective treatment regimen for allergic manifestations can only be determined by a veterinarian.

If the dog does not like bananas, the deficiency of useful components can be compensated for by apples - a hypoallergenic product with a wide range of tastes, within which you can choose the most pleasant and suitable for the pet. Melon, which should be given to the animal in small quantities, can also be a substitute for bananas.

Your pet may also like pears for their pleasant pulp. It is permissible to give dogs the fruits of blueberries and gooseberries, ripened without chemistry, in a natural way.

For information on what fruits can be given to dogs, see the next video.