Can dogs eat pineapple?
It’s an interesting question, and one that people aren’t generally thinking about as a first choice in dog treats. Pineapple is packed with antioxidant and a range of vitamins. Interestingly, a pineapple is made up of a bunch of berries that have become fused together.
Pineapples are fine for dogs to eat, in moderation. Like any treats that you feed your dogs they should be included as a small addition to a healthy diet. If your dog has not had pineapple before, it is a good idea to start with a small amount and see how they get on with it. Dogs, especially young dogs, can be sensitive to new foods and pineapple will be different to anything they have tried before.
Check your dog is not sensitive to pineapple first.
Look for signs of diarrhoea and discomfort to be confident that your dog can handle it OK. It’s important that only the core and the skin of the pineapple are not given to the dog. Only the fleshy fruit should be eaten. Pineapple from tins is not recommended as this is often packed in a syrupy liquid which is high in sugar. This can result in your dog developing tooth problems, and also lead to diarrhoea which could wrongly indicate a reaction to the pineapple.
It’s easy to feed pineapple to dogs, just simply chop it into small chunks and away you go! The chunks can also be frozen which will be appreciated in the summer and will last a lot longer as pineapple can turn pretty quickly!
Why give pineapple to dogs?
Aside from the vitamins and antioxidants, pineapple contains an important enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain helps to break down two products called kinin and fibrin. Both are usually found at sites of inflammation.
As with any new type of supplement, it is a good idea to always consult your vet first to ensure there are no concerns about interactions with existing supplements and medications
Joint-Able is a multi-active supplement for dogs which contains Bromelain. In addition it also contains glucosamine, chondroitin, turmeric, MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane) and green lipped mussel. It is available as a chewable chicken flavoured tablet dog treat that your dog will love to eat. You can find more details about Joint-Able here.