Papayas are sweet, juicy and delicious. They are packed with loads of very beneficial nutrients. They contain a huge number of vitamins and minerals. Papaya is very popular and is available in a lot of countries. A huge percentage of the population also consumes it.
Unfortunately, the fact that humans consume papaya doesn’t make it necessarily safe for animals. It is commonplace for a lot of people to be confused about the safety of some fruits when it comes to feeding them to dogs. So, can dogs eat papaya? Is papaya safe for consumption by dogs? Let’s find out below.
Are Papayas Safe for Dogs & Puppies?
Yes, they are. Should you feed papayas to dogs? Yes, if you wish to and if your dog likes it. Papayas are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and healthy fats, so if your dog likes it — feed it to them. If you have not fed your dog with it before, try it out in moderation and observe. Give your dog a tiny portion of it and watch how your dog eats it. However, if your dog likes it, you need to feed your dog with papaya in moderation. Sure, papaya isn’t toxic, and it contains a lot of good nutrients, but resist the urge to feed too much of it to your dog. Too much of it could cause adverse effects.
Are Papayas Beneficial To Dogs?
The vitamins and minerals that papayas contain is an essential nutrient for humans. As such, when humans consume papayas, it provides immense health benefits. But how about dogs? Apart from just feeding papayas to them as a treat, does papaya provide real nutritional benefits to your dog?
Yes! Though not entirely in the same magnitude, papaya provides similar benefits to dogs as they do to humans. Below are some specific health benefits that papayas provide to dogs:
- The vitamin A, C, E and K that papayas have in huge amounts are very useful for enhancing your dog’s immune system. They also help boost your dog’s energy and help to prevent atherosclerosis.
- The potassium, calcium, folate and magnesium that are contained in papayas are beneficial to your dog’s healthy growth.
- The antioxidants it contains also help to boost your dog’s immune system.
- Fiber is a very important nutrient for proper digestion. Papayas contain a considerable amount of fiber that can help a dog’s digestive system better do its work. The fiber will also help your dog feel full when it has eaten a substantial amount of food. This will ensure it doesn’t eat too much and end being obese. Obesity is a problem even for dogs.
- Papayas can also help mitigate heartburns and stomach ache in dogs. It can also help prevent bloating in dogs. If you suspect your dog has minor digestive issues, a small portion of papaya could do the trick. However, you should take your dog to see a veterinary doctor for major digestive issues.
What Could Go Wrong with Papayas?
Just like every other food out there, they are some potential problems that could arise from feeding papayas to your dog. Some of these problems include:
- Allergies — some dogs are allergic to certain fruits, papayas are not an exemption. If your dog is allergic to papayas, this could manifest in the form of skin irritation, vomiting and loose stools. However, the symptoms might be different depending on the dog. This is why it is very important to test whether your dog is allergic to papaya before adding it to your dog’s diet. You can do this by giving them very tiny portions for some days and observing them for abnormalities.
- Seeds — though there’s no definitive proof that papaya seeds are toxic, it better to avoid feeding them to dogs because they can cause several other problems including intestinal blockage.
- Peels — the peels of papaya could come with insecticides or any other toxic chemicals that were applied to prevent diseases while it was still on the farm. It’s better to avoid feeding them to your dogs as it could cause strings of problems.
Serving Your Dog Papayas
Just like every other fruit you choose to feed your dog with, moderation is very important. Feeding your dog too much of papaya could turn the health benefits it could provide to potential problems. Start your dog with small servings of papaya, if it likes it, then settle for around four slices of it per day for average to large-sized dogs. Also, ensure that the papaya you feed to your dog is ripe and soft. Do not feed them with unripe and hard papaya. However, the papaya should not be too ripe.