Can Dogs Eat Cherries? No, They Are Unsafe
While the fleshy part of cherries might seem harmless, the main dangers are:
- Cyanide Poisoning: Cherry pits, stems, and leaves contain cyanide, which is toxic to dogs. Even small amounts can cause dilated pupils, breathing difficulties, red gums, and shock.
- Choking Hazards and Intestinal Blockage: Pits and stems can get lodged in a dog’s throat or digestive system, especially for smaller dogs.
Symptoms of Cyanide Poisoning
If your dog has eaten cherries, watch for these signs:
- Dilated pupils
- Bright red gums
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomiting
- Shock
Important Considerations
- Type of Cherry Doesn’t Matter: All cherry varieties contain some cyanide. Maraschino cherries are extra dangerous due to high sugar content.
- Pits Are the Main Danger: Even pitted cherries contain small amounts of cyanide. It’s best to avoid them entirely.
- Immediate Vet Attention: If you suspect your dog ate cherries, contact your vet or a pet poison helpline immediately. Do not attempt home remedies.
Safe Alternatives
Offer your dog these dog-friendly fruits instead:
- Apples (without seeds)
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Watermelon (seedless)
Key Takeaways
- Cherries are not safe for dogs due to the risk of cyanide poisoning and choking hazards.
- If your dog accidentally consumes cherries, seek urgent veterinary care.
- There are plenty of healthy fruit options that are safe for dogs to enjoy!
Do dogs like the taste of cherries?
As per the research done, a piece of information has been obtained that dogs are fond of the taste of this cherry fruit. The crunchiness and the sweet taste of the canine attract most dog owners towards it.
Now, the fact to notice here is cherries are rich in natural sugars, and the level of sugar can be different for multiple cherries.
This high content of sugar may lead to improper functioning of the dog’s digestive tract, decreased appetite, and even high blood pressure levels, which can be very difficult for the dog owners to handle if it gets worse.
Thus, discussing with the vet is highly suggested to dog owners to keep the consumption of these cherries safe for their furry friends.
Why cherries are harmful to the canine?
The pet parent needs to know why the consumption of these fresh cherries is considered to be harmful to the canine.
As it will help the owner to get an idea regarding why whole cherries can be troublesome for the canine and why this needs to be strictly skipped from the dog’s diet. Below mentioned are the factors which support this point of view.
Cyanide – The most significant reason why dogs are restricted from eating fresh cherries is the presence of cyanide in the cherry pit and cherry tree.
This increases the risk of cyanide poisoning, which can make the dog sick and can be a major reason for upset stomach, intestinal obstruction, and decreased fecal production. Larger quantities of cyanide present in the cherry pit can be potentially lethal. Thus the consumption of cherries is prohibited for the canines.
The high content of sugar – The other most significant factor which has turned this whole delicious cherry into a toxic food ingredient for the canine is the presence of too much sugar in it.
This too much sugar in the fresh cherries can lead to upset stomach, and in some severe cases, the pet parent might also have to go for a pet poison helpline to reduce its level of toxicity.
Can dogs eat cherries ?
No, the consumption of cherries is not suggested for the canine. As mentioned above, the choking hazard and the other issues caused by it, like an interruption in the gastrointestinal tract, difficulty breathing, and stomach distress, can lead to emergency medical visits.
Thus the consumption of it is strictly avoided for the canines; it is also suggested that dog owners to go for visiting the vet first without following any home remedies for curing the pet as this kind of disease can be only handled with proper medicines at a time.
Whereas in some extreme conditions, pet owners can also go induce vomiting for instant relief.
Can dogs eat cherry pits?
No, the consumption of cherry pits is not at all suggested for the canines. This is mainly because the cherry pits, after getting into the digestive tract of the canine, can lead to choking hazards and intestinal blockage.
Sometimes an intestinal blockage can also cause the death of the canine if consumed in large amounts. Thus the consumption of cherry pits has been prohibited for the canines.
When the dog swallows the cherry pit, there’s a chance of it getting stuck in the throat of the canine; in such cases applying some downward force over it, like making the canine drink water or some rice in large quantities, can work best in such cases.
Can dogs eat maraschino cherries?
No, the consumption of maraschino cherries is not at all suggested for the canines. This is mainly because maraschino cherries are sweetened even more than fresh cherries with tons of sugar, which can harshly affect the dog’s digestive system. Along with this, it can also cause troublesome issues related to cyanide toxicity.
Thus pet owners are suggested to avoid feeding these pit-free cherries to prevent cyanide toxicity and to avoid stomach upset caused by its consumption.
How many cherry pits will hurt a dog?
As per the research done on the swallowing capacity and the digestive system of the dog, it can be said that around one to two cherry pits will not harm your canine, as the cherry pits are quite smaller in size.
But, in case the dog eats more than three to four cherry pits, then it can lead to bright red gums and obstruction in the throat. Thus the consumption of cherry pits needs to be strictly avoided.
But in case the consumption is, in the case of a small dog, then the consumption of around one or two cherry pits can be extremely lethal, and the owner might have to induce vomiting to relieve the canine.
Can dogs eat unprocessed cherries?
Yes, the consumption of unprocessed cherries is safe for the canine, but only till when it is prepared with extreme caution. The cherry pits need to be strictly removed, and all the other factors, like choosing the fresh ones and according to the canine’s preference of taste, are very necessary.
Unprocessed cherries, if prepared with extreme caution then, will not cause any kind of health issues like an interruption with the gastrointestinal tract, difficulty breathing, and many issues in many dogs.
What type of cherries is safe to feed to the canine?
There are multiple colored cherries available in the market black, maraschino, red, and even blue cherries.
All these types of cherries are not safe for consumption by the canine; this is mainly because, irrespective of the colors, the large quantities of cyanide present in them are equal in all types of cherries.
So, almost all types of cherries can lead to health hazards in many dogs, like intestinal blockages, difficulty breathing, dilated pupils, and many other issues.
Thus, almost all types of cherries are not suggested for consumption by the canine, it will also help to avoid stomach upset and many issues, thus it’s preferred more.
Can dogs eat cherries without pits?
Cherries without pits are quite a safer option for the canine, but the fact to notice here is the presence of the toxic compound, which is mainly the cyanogenic glycosides are present in a very few amount in the pits. So, its removal also doesn’t make the cherries safe for the canine.
So, based on this, we can say that cherries without cherry pit can be given to the canine, but only in rare conditions when its craving can’t get controlled properly but in moderation.
What are the symptoms of detecting cyanide poisoning in dogs?
Dog owners need to know about the symptoms they can notice in the canine’s body to detect cyanide poisoning once the dog eats cherries.
This will eventually help the dog owner in knowing if the dog is affected by cyanide poisoning or not and will also help the pet parents take the necessary precautions at the time.
The symptoms the owner can notice before cyanide poisoning in the canines are drooling, watery eyes, vomiting, and many others.
It is suggested that dog owners take their pets directly to the vet once they detect such symptoms, as if they remain untreated, they can lead to worse conditions which can turn fatal for their health.
Within how many hours will the dog start showing cyanide poisoning symptoms?
Usually, on the canines, the symptoms of toxicity of a certain compound start affecting the dog within one to two hours of the toxin consumption.
But in some cases, the timing may also differ and can increase up to 2 to 3 hours. It depends on how fast the toxic compound gets absorbed in the body of the canine.
The owner might have to wait for quite a long time to detect the symptoms, but in certain emergencies, they can also go for inducing vomiting to prevent the dog from extreme conditions.
Can dogs eat cherry cake?
No, the consumption of cherry cake can be extremely toxic for the canine. Thus it is not at all suggested. The reason behind this can be mainly a large amount of added sugars in it, which is added to enhance the taste of the cake.
But the consumption of this added sugar and other human-friendly additives like artificial sweetening agents can be fatal for the digestive system of the canine and can also cause an abrupt increase in the blood sugar level and high blood pressure. Thus it needs to be avoided.
