Can Dogs Eat Dried Mango? A Vet’s Opinion
Dried mango is no different than regular mango nutritionally. Dried mangos are just mangos that have been dehydrated to remove their water content for a number of reasons. Dried mangoes have a longer shelf life; due to the lack of moisture, they are not spoilt easily, but can you feed Dried Mango to your dog?
While there is nothing majorly wrong with dried mangoes, and dogs can eat them as well, however, there are some nutritional facts that you should know before feeding your dog dried mangoes. Dried mangoes are not recommended over pulpy mangoes due to the fact that these mangoes are high in fiber and sugar content, which isn’t suitable for your dog. If you have the option to choose between pulpy mangoes and dried mangoes, we will recommend you go for pulpy ones.
Let’s dive in:
Benefits Of Dried Mango For Dogs
There are some benefits to feeding dried mangoes to your dog. The nutritional value of dried mangoes allows them to be beneficial fruit for dogs. Dried mangoes contain many vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, beta-carotene, and potassium. However, the amount of these might differ in dried mangoes. Vitamin C is a helpful antioxidant source that supports the immune system and also helps in collagen production. Vitamin A is essential for good eyesight and skin. Vitamin E is responsible for helping prevent body cells from damage from oxidation. Moreover, potassium is important for nerve function and helps strengthen muscle function as well. Beta-carotene works alongside Vitamin A and also has some antioxidant properties. As you just read, dried mangoes are a rich source of antioxidants. They also contain flavonoids, phenols, and carotenoids. This help combats free radicals in the body, which are responsible for cell damage and causing inflammation. Antioxidants are vital for the correct functioning of the immune system.
Dried mangoes are an excellent source of dietary fiber, which is essential for bowel movements in dogs. Regulation of bowel movements is essential for dogs, and hence their diet must be fibrous. These fibrous foods help prevent issues like diarrhea and constipation among dogs. Dried mangoes are helpful in diet control as well since they give a sense of satiety to dogs. Dog training is a vital part of owning a dog. Training dogs can be challenging; hence, it is recommended to use snacks and treat to entice them to follow and obey commands. These treats are usually high in sugar content and are processed. Hence, you can only give your dog a lot of treats with a negative impact. However, dried mangoes offer the perfect solution, as these mangoes offer plenty of sweetness and can work as treats you can use. Since they aren’t processed and pack a ton of nutritional benefits, they are way better than other processed treats.
How To Safely Give Dried Mango To Dogs
As we discussed before, you can use dried mangoes as a source of treats to train your dogs. However, since dried mango seeds are large enough to get stuck in your dog’s throat and cause choking, we recommend you cut them into small bite-sized pieces for your dog to swallow. Use this method whenever giving your dogs dried mangoes as training or occasional treats.
Another popular method to use when giving dried mangoes to your dog is to mix dried mango pieces with other fruits. Some of the fruits which are also safe for your dog’s consumption are blueberries, apples, and bananas. This way, you could create a cocktail of nutritional fruits for your dog, which they could enjoy. There are many methods to follow which allow you to use dried fruits to make dog treats and food. Dried fruit can be cut and used in many different treats and food recipes, which would allow you to be more creative with what your dog eats and not bore your dog with the same old treats. It is excellent to stimulate your dog, even through food. However, ensure that you use ingredients that are safe for dogs. Artificial sweeteners like xylitol and chocolate should be avoided for dogs at any cost since they are toxic for them. Another common method to help your dog get familiarised with dried mangoes is to chop them into small pieces and sprinkle them on top of your dog’s regular meals. This will help with variety and will also help your dog to develop different tastes. However, make sure that you do not give him excess dried mangoes since they contain sugar, and they could be a lot of dietary problems as well.
Will Dried Mango Make A Dog Sick?
There are a ton of issues that are associated with dried mangoes. There are many different issues, namely, allergic reactions. Dogs can also develop or be born with allergies to dried mangoes. Allergic reactions come with a lot of symptoms called itching, swelling, hives, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The drying process should be closely monitored. This is because the drying process could change the proteins in the mangoes, which might increase the effect of allergies on dogs. As we talked about before, dried mangoes are treated with sulfite during the drying process to increase their shelf life and again when adding preservatives to them. Dogs could be allergic to sulfite. This sulfite sensitivity can lead to many adverse reactions like gastrointestinal upset, itchiness, or other more severe symptoms. This could lead to the death of your dog as well.
Apart from this, dried mangoes are notorious for being the top food item, which can cause choking among dogs. Since most owners do not cut up dried mangoes before giving them to their dogs, the large seed can quickly become stuck in the dog’s throat. The fibrous and hairy seeds can very quickly get stuck in the throat of the dog, and after that, medical care becomes the dog’s only hope. Moreover, the rugged texture of the mango seed means that even if it passes down from the esophagus, it could get stuck in the intestinal tract, which can cause even more significant issues. Obstructive issues like these could lead to complex surgery. Moreover, dried mangoes are relatively high in sugar content compared to their fresh counterparts. These high-sugar food items can cause a lot of unnecessary and unmonitored calories, which can lead to obesity in your dog. This nutritional imbalance could also cause diabetes among dogs as well. Obesity is a nightmare for dogs since it could affect their joints and lead to arthritis complications. It is always recommended to measure and feed your dog with the appropriate number of calories.
Vet’s Summary
We recommend you not feed dried mangoes to your dog, however nutritious they are, even though dried mangoes are a great source of minerals and nutrients even though they contain a lot of antioxidants. The benefits are much less as compared to the adverse effects. For owners who are determined to give dried mangoes to their dogs and can ensure that they can control the calories, we will recommend you chop the mangoes into pieces and follow proper precautions when feeding your dog. However, the due to the dangers of allergic reactions, sulfite poisoning, obstructive issues, and excessive sugar intake, we will recommend you stay away from dried mangoes. However, we will encourage you to add probiotics to your dog’s daily diet. Probiotics are live microorganisms that can provide several health benefits to dogs. They help maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut, which can improve digestion, boost the immune system, and reduce inflammation. Probiotics can be particularly beneficial for dogs with digestive issues or those who have been on antibiotics, which can disrupt the natural balance of gut bacteria. Adding probiotics to your dog’s diet can be done through supplements or by feeding foods that contain probiotics, such as yogurt or kefir.
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