Can Dogs Eat Plums- Important Toxic Versus Safe Fruits

Can dogs eat plums?

Well…it’s complicated.

Plums are a great fruit choice for the summer season when our mouths crave something sweet yet tangy. Making this fruit the perfect little daytime snack.

And don’t forget the smell of fresh plums- something so earthy yet exotic.

So, for those of us who happen to own dogs, the question, ‘Can dogs eat plums?’ is a rather serious one. Especially, since none of us wants to accidentally poison our canine buddies while trying to offer them a treat we think would be good for them.

Well then…what’s the answer to our predicament?

As I said, it’s complicated.

But don’t worry, we’re going to break down every step for you to understand more clearly.

Can Dogs Eat Plums: Are they Safe?

Yes.

The flesh of plums, which is really the main portion of the fruit, is indeed safe for our dogs to consume. The stems, stalk, and pits, however, are extremely toxic for dogs.

The main reason behind this is the presence of a chemical compound known as amygdalin, which when ingested can convert into cyanide inside a dog’s gut. And cyanide, of course, is poisonous.

So where does this leave our initial question of ‘Can dogs eat plums’?

The answer to this is that dogs can eat plums, however, they should only ever be offered the flesh and any stems, stalks or pits must be removed prior to feeding.

Can dogs eat plums: What If My Dog Eats a Plum Pit?

Plum pits and stones can be very dangerous for dogs.

This is why it is always wise to keep any plums away from your dog before you’ve removed the pits and are certain that the plum is now ready to be served.

But what if your dog sneaks a few plums off the counter shelf before you’ve properly put the groceries away or because of any other, similar reason?

Fortunately, eating one plum won’t affect your dog as badly as say, eating a handful of them all at once.

This is because even though amygdalin may be present in one plum piece, a certain level of it can still be tolerated by the body. However, please bear in mind that the threshold for this tolerance is very low.

At the same time though, if your dog has ingested one plum, the best thing to do is to monitor them closely for a few hours.

If any of the following symptoms develop, then your dog may be experiencing plum poisoning and should be rushed to the vet immediately:

• Redness in the mouth;
• Swelling;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Panting;
• Dilated pupils;
• Seizures;
• Distressful facial expressions;
• Loss of balance;
• Foaming at the mouth.

Please do not wait for the symptoms to progress though since the progression is likely to occur very quickly and over a period of mere hours.

If you are certain that your dog ate a plum, take them to the vet as soon as even a few of the above signs begin to present themselves.

Can dogs eat plums: Nutritional Value of Plums

All this might have sounded like an absolute horror story for any dog owner.

But we stand by our original statement. Things are complicated. And while you shouldn’t offer whole plums to your dog at any cost, the flesh is as safe as it gets.

Besides, if you’ve only just begun looking into the benefits of plums for dogs, why not look at their nutritional value as well, instead of being scared off by a few pits?

Plums, for starters, are a great source of several vitamins and minerals. Just like all fruits are.

But unlike most fruits, plum flesh is not toxic for dogs.

Therefore, feeding these to your dog means that they can benefit from getting a high amount of folate, vitamins A, C, and K. Along with potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, etc.

But what do all these minerals do for your canine friend?

First of all, they improve bone health, in addition to improving the number of antioxidants in the bloodstream.

Plums are also rich in a compound known as sorbitol which acts as a natural laxative, thereby providing pain relief from constipation.

So, all in all, plums are an excellent fruit choice for dogs, provided, of course, that the pits and other amygdalin-containing portions are removed.

Can dogs eat plums: How Often Should I feed My Dog Plums?

When it comes to the question of feeding, your dog should not be fed plums in excess. Instead, all fruits should only be offered to dogs in the form of treats.

This means that a dog should eat no more than two to three plums a day. Especially if they’ve been having the fruit every other day.

Can dogs eat plums: Allergies

This is a tricky thing to know since all dogs are different.

Which in turn makes it difficult to tell beforehand if a dog is going to be allergic to plums or not.

The best way to test for it of course is to offer your dog a small cut-out piece from plum and see if they show any adverse reaction to it.

But if your dog simply does not have a liking for plums then there is still no need to worry because there are a ton of other fruits and veggies you can still offer them.

Can dogs eat plums: Fun Facts About Plums

Alright, so that was all about whether your dog can or cannot eat plums.

But since you’re here, have you ever wondered about plums in general? Why is this fruit so rich in nutrition, where does it come from and what exactly is its history?

Well, we have. This is why here are a few fun facts about plums that we thought we’d share with you today!

• Dried plums are called prunes. And they are far higher in sugar content than a normal plum may be.
• Plums originated in China, in the year 470 BC. In Europe, however, plums are thought to have been discovered nearly two thousand years ago. Today, these are grown all over the world except in Antarctica where the weather conditions are extremely unfavorable.
• Mature plums have a dusty white coating, showing that they are ripe. But while the prominent color of plums may be well…plum, other types of shades such as maroon, red and yellow also exist. And since multiple varieties of plums exist around the world, traditional, plum-colored plums are not the only ripe forms of fruit.