Seeing the way my golden retriever Fitch gets excited when he hears me say “Who wants a banana?” has always made me feel that he isn’t a dog rather a minion disguised as a dog! And I loved seeing him get all excited and I never hesitated to spoil him by giving him a bite of whatever food I ate. Until one day I thought whether I should really be feeding him human food and eventually end up doing a lot of research. So it goes like, there are many human foods that are perfectly safe for dogs to eat and some other that can cause severe long term health issues.
So, can Golden Retrievers eat Bananas? Yes, Banana is one such human food that is safe for Golden Retrievers to eat. Bananas are rich in potassium, vitamin, biotin, fiber, and copper which makes it a great low-calorie treat for your golden retriever.
Though bananas are safe for dogs, it shouldn’t be fed in excess owing to the high sugar content in it. Also, bananas should account for only less than 10% of the total calorie consumption which means that bananas shouldn’t be a part of their main diet. Rather it should only be given as a treat once in a while.
In this article, we have compiled a list of information that you should be aware of as a dog owner before deeding them bananas!
Are bananas safe for dogs?
Though it may seem as if every food item which is safe for our consumption can be fed to dogs too, it isn’t the case. The digestive system of a dog and their nutrition requirement is way too different than ours. This means that there are chances for food that may be safe for our consumption to cause long-term health complications in dogs.
Banana is rich in potassium, vitamin B6 and Vitamin-C which are highly beneficial for dogs. Owing to its nutritional value most of the veterinarians recommend giving bananas to dogs once in a while as a treat, especially to pups who are more than 3 months old.
The high manganese content in Banana can help a pup’s bone to grow by facilitating calcium and vitamin absorption. That being said, bananas shouldn’t be included in their regular diet owing to the high sugar content in them. Rather you need to include them only as a treat once in 2 weeks.
Banana is one such fruit that can safely be fed to dogs and become beneficial if given in a limited quantity. Ideally speaking any quantity of banana that contributes to less than 10% of the calorie requirement of a dog can be considered safe.
Are there any risks in feeding bananas to dogs?
As said in the earlier section, bananas are only safe for dogs if given in limited quantities and not as a staple diet. For instance, if bananas are fed regularly as a staple diet, the high sugar content in the fruit can cause obesity, diabetes, and even gastrointestinal issues.
Another risk involved in feeding bananas to golden retrievers is the chances of constipation. Contrary to the fact that the fibers in bananas can relieve constipation in humans, it works opposite in the case of a dog.
This can especially be seen if your golden retriever has had many bananas in one go. Whereas in some cases, some golden retrievers are found to have difficulty in digesting bananas. If you feel that your retriever is having a problem digesting bananas, refrain from feeding them.
Similarly, some retrievers are found to be allergic to bananas. This is why it is advised to start feeding them small pieces of bananas in the beginning and look for any symptoms of an allergic reaction. If they start showing any reactions like coughing, gasping, swelling or other symptoms don’t hesitate to contact your vet.
How many bananas can a golden retriever eat?
When it comes to feeding bananas to golden retrievers is that bananas should contribute to only less than 10% of its calorie intake.
Similarly, bananas should not be a part of a golden retriever’s regular diet, rather it should only be considered as a treat. Feeding bananas in excess can cause serious health issues to dogs in general.
For instance, excess of potassium (a condition termed as Hyperkalaemia) can lead to severe cardiac diseases and in the worst case a cardiac arrest.
As per expert dog breeders and vets, the best way to go about feeding bananas to dogs is to feed them small pieces of bananas once in 2 or 3 weeks.
Can I feed banana to golden retriever pups?
No as with any newborn pups, they should only have their mother’s milk and nothing else. Their digestive system will be very sensitive and you shouldn’t just introduce new food items randomly. Rather you need slowly introduce them to the different flavors and tastes.
Similarly, if you plan on feeding bananas to your pups, start with feeding them small pieces one a week. Make sure that you cut the bananas down into small pieces so as to avoid the risk of choking. Once you start feeding them bananas lookout for any symptoms of allergy or digestive issues. If they show any, get them to a vet ASAP!
Can I feed banana chips to my golden retriever?
It is not advised to feed banana chips to your golden retrievers or dogs in general. Unlike the fresh banana that can be beneficial to your dog, these fried banana chips can cause health issues in dogs. Banana chips are made out of unripe bananas that are first coated with sugar or honey and then deep-fried.
Though honey and sugar in low quantities are safe to be consumed by dogs, the high levels in deep-fried chips can cause diabetes or heart diseases.
Apart from the high sugar and honey content fried, fried-bananas are also known for the excessive fat content in them. For better clarity let us see the fat content in a fresh banana and fried banana.
While a couple of average-sized bananas have a fat content of only less than 1%, a single banana chip can have almost around 8 to 10% fat. This can prove to be fatal especially if your dog is obese.
These are the reasons why we suggest every dog owner refrain from feeding fried chips to their dogs.
Can golden retrievers eat banana peel?
No, they shouldn’t eat the banana peel. Though banana peel is found to be rich in Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 they shouldn’t be fed to dogs because of the high fiber content in the peels.
These fibers cannot be digested by a dog’s stomach and can cause gastrointestinal problems in them. Apart from these, these hard peels may not be easy for your dog to swallow and there are risks of choking too.
That being said, you don’t have to worry if your dog ended up eating a banana peel. After all, we know how dogs can be at times! In most cases, vomiting or diarrhea may be the common symptoms and these will subside within 2 or 3 days.
Also Read:
Can Golden Retrievers Eat Strawberries?
Can Golden Retrievers Eat Bread?