Dogs love to investigate all kinds of food, including human food. While some of our foods are safe for our four-legged friends to eat, others are bad for them and can cause a range of symptoms, from upset stomachs to breathing difficulties and even death.
So, is it safe for dogs to eat cherries? While these sweet fruits do contain some beneficial nutrients, they can be more harmful to your four-legged friend than you’d think. In large quantities, this seemingly harmless fruit can even prove fatal to canines and other animals, so it’s important to be in the know when it comes to what your pooch can and cannot eat.
In this article, we explain why cherries aren’t a good choice for your pup, and what you should do if you do find your dog has helped themselves to them.
Are Cherries Safe for Dogs?
The flesh of cherries isn’t necessarily toxic to dogs, but you should still take extreme caution when offering your pet anything cherry-related. Why? Cherry pits, leaves, and stems all contain cyanide. That’s the case for all types of cherry, including black, bing, and rainer varieties.
Cyanide is highly toxic to canines, other pets, and humans, and can even be fatal if enough of it is consumed. This substance is not found in the fleshy part of the fruit. This means that it’s possible for pups to eat the flesh in small quantities, but this should always be cherries without pits. All leaves and stems should be completely removed too.
There are some potential health benefits of cherries for both humans and animals, which include pain relief, reducing hypertension, and controlling blood sugar. However, a dog would have to eat so many of them to reap the benefits that the risks would far outweigh the benefits of doing this. As with all foods not intended specifically for dogs, you should check with your veterinarian before offering any cherry-flavored food to your beloved pet.
Are There Any Safe Cherries for Dogs?
Many people wonder whether maraschino cherries are safe for dogs because they don’t have cherry pits or stems. While maraschino cherries are unlikely to poison your pup, they have far too much added sugar to be considered a worthwhile treat.
The same goes for cherry-flavored foods. While they are safe, they’re not necessarily good for dogs. These foods tend to have lots of sugar, chemicals, and artificial flavorings among their ingredients. Even those with natural flavorings from real fruits are often loaded with sugar.
