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Can Dogs Eat Plums? Are Plums Bad For Dogs?

Can Dogs Eat Plums? Are Plums Bad For Dogs?

With the abundance of nutrients, plums make an excellent fruit snack for humans, and they can be eaten both cooked and raw. 

However, no fruit is perfect, and plums are no exception. They come loaded with high amounts of sugar. In such large quantities, sugar is not even good for us. 

Nevertheless, it remains one of the favorite summer fruits to munch on, as we always prefer to enjoy the sweet taste of this stone fruit. 

As you eat one plum after the other, you probably ask yourself – Can dogs eat plums? Should I share this sweet fruit with my best friend?

And as you are probably aware, some fruits and veggies, while they are delicious and a regular part of our human diet, can be health hazards for our beloved canines. 

Don’t worry! We’re here to settle the matter for you, so make sure to read along!

Can Dogs Eat Plums?

We would love to keep things short and simple, but the answer to this question is: Maybe. The crucial thing about plums is that they contain a stone inside them, which is a major health hazard for your dog. 

If you want to feed your dog plums, you have to make sure that you take the stone out. We will save you a trip to the vet and explain what’s so bad about the stone.

Plum pits contain a high and dangerous concentration of cyanide. Cyanide is intensely toxic, and if the pit is crushed and swallowed by your dog, it can release these toxins and cause several problems.

Firstly, swallowing the stone pit can cause your canine friend to choke on it. Additionally, it can damage the respiratory tract, too!

The second, even more dangerous, is the effect that cyanide can have on your puppy. Aside from many gastrointestinal problems, plum pits can cause severe ones that manifest as seizures and tremors. 

With that cleared up, let’s move on to the “yes” part of the matter. 

Dogs can eat plums once the stones are taken out, and they have many benefits, among which are the following: 

How Many Plums Can A Dog Eat?

Let’s examine the nutritional value per 100g and determine the optimal amount of plum consumption for your doggo. 

Energy46 calories
Protein0.7g
Total Fat0.3g
Carbs11g
Sugar9.9g
Fiber1.4g
Vitamin C15%
Vitamin A6%
Iron1%
Magnesium1%
Vitamin K5%
Potassium3%

When it comes to your best friend, the key to plum consumption is to feed them a moderate amount and always in a controlled environment.

Plums are a very potent source of nutrition, and they are very low in fat. Their innate sweetness makes them an ideal treat or snack for your puppy. 

Another great thing about plums is that they offer a substantial amount of hydration, especially in summer, as they are made mostly from water (think: cucumbers)! 

After a long day of basking in the sun, your puppy will be in dire need of hydration. Plums can be an ideal source of it. 

While they are an excellent treat, plums shouldn’t be included in your pet’s everyday diet. As you can see, the reasoning behind this is firmly rooted in the fact that plums are full of sugar. 

Instead, you can make up a fun and controlled plum day – something like a special treat day, when the temperatures are high, and your puppy is exceedingly good. 

A good way to introduce plums as treats to your dog is to start cooking and combining them with home-cooked meat. Or you can simply give your dog half a plum, cut in pieces

The recommended plum intake is one plum, on your pup’s treat day.

Safety Precautions Before Feeding Your Dog Plums

To ensure that you avoid the safety hazards that plums pose, follow these simple steps to take the necessary safety precautions before you feed your puppy plums.

Above all, it is recommended that your puppy never lay their paws on plums that contain pits. 

This means putting the plums once you have them in your home safely and out of reach area.

Secondly, before feeding plums to your best friend, it is of utmost importance that you take the pit out and immediately throw it away. As we mentioned earlier, pits contain cyanide, and they can be very dangerous for dogs.

Other than pits containing cyanide, they are big and can be tough to swallow. Your puppy could try to eat it and choke on it!

Suppose your puppy somehow manages to swallow it. In that case, the pit can damage and scar the esophagus and the respiratory tract and severely upset your fluffy friend’s gastrointestinal tract. 

Ensure that your pup is protected from all of those safety hazards before putting plums in their vicinity.

To put it succinctly, plums themselves do not pose that much of a risk for your puppy – pits do.

But the most important thing about plums is distributing them in controlled and measured portions, for their high sugar concentration.

With all the safety precautions taken, make sure that you find a fun way for your pup to enjoy plums. It can be a special treat, a daily portion of sugar that they can consume with meat. 

Your fluffy best friend can eat them either raw or cooked – so there won’t be much trouble preparing plums for them.

Benefits Of Plums For Dogs

There are many benefits of plums and their incorporation into your dog’s diet. 

Let’s take a look at the most important advantages that they can have:

1. A Potent Vitamin C Source

As we all know, Vitamin C is very important when it comes to our immune systems. 

The same goes for your dog: Vitamin C is essential for them, as it is for us. 

Plums are a great Vitamin C source, and they stimulate the multiplication of white blood cells. This means that Vitamin C boosts the immune system of your dog! 

A healthy puppy is a happy puppy. So, plum consumption can be really good if you are looking to improve your dog’s health, especially if it’s recently been sick or to the vet!

2. Plums Lower The Risk Of Diabetes In Dogs

After eating a plum, your dog will feel satiated and won’t be hungry for quite some time. 

Wondering why?

Because plums contain a very high dose of fiber, which levels your dog’s blood sugar and promotes insulin sensitivity. 

Nowadays, canine diabetes is very common, which means that glucose isn’t properly broken down and used in your dog’s system.

Fiber can help slow down its absorption and help normalize glucose and insulin levels in your puppy’s body.

If your doggo loves to eat, plums will be a good solution to make them feel satiated and happy for a longer period of time. 

3. Plums Promote Bone Health And Quality

Besides Vitamin C, plums proved an excellent source of Vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential when it comes to the health of your four-legged friend. 

When it comes to bone health and bone quality, you probably think that calcium is what your pup needs. While that is true, calcium needs a bit of help, too. 

Vitamin K assists calcium in this process of strengthening bones and promoting better bone quality. 

4. Good For Digestion

Every dog owner knows just how many digestion problems dogs can have. Plums and dried plums (prunes) are rich in fiber, and they can aid your best friend when they feel constipated.

Prunes are especially good for this, and they are even more effective than fresh plums. 

However, overconsumption can have a side effect, which is diarrhea. 

But then again, overdoing anything will have a negative effect. As we mentioned before, moderation is key!

To Summarize

Plums are very sweet and very nutritious, and they are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. 

They are also mostly made up of water, and they can prove to be a great source of hydration on a hot summer day. 

What you need to take into account when you want to share a plum with your pup is that you just need to be extra careful.

This means that you will need to take the pit out (like with peaches), and your best friend can enjoy an occasional plum or two without any problems. 

You can also make it a special treat occasion, which will make your puppy appreciate plums even more. 

Thus, you can train your dog to be on its best behavior while it enjoys tasty snacks! 

Learn More: What Can Dogs Eat? A Comprehensive List Of Dog-safe Foods