Can dogs have oranges?

What dog in his right mind would choose dry, unappetizing and odorless kibble over a steaming doggie dish of boiled rice mixed with chicken and some veggies? Because dogs have lived with humans, dogs have adapted to consuming real foods. People have shared whatever they eat with the pet. It would not be uncommon to see a dog enjoying people food while the family is dining. Since domestication, dogs have adapted to eating commercially manufactured dog food. However, in the wild, dogs would eat anything they can find. Dogs subsist not only on the meat of prey but also on berries and fruits. Dogs are omnivorous. Although dogs love meat they also eat veggies and fruits. Fruits are refreshing but some can have dangerous effects to the health of the dog. Grapes for instance can cause renal failure in dogs. Citrus fruits contain substances that when ingested in large amounts would be toxic to dogs.  Small amounts of citrus fruits would be okay for the dog. Thus it would be okay to give Fido a slice or two of oranges.

Some dogs would eat fruits, some won’t. In the wild, dogs would eat fruit especially when food is scarce. The color, the smell and the taste would be tempting to the dog. Dogs, similar to humans have well developed sense of taste. Dogs have sugar receptors. As fruits are considered to be nature’s candies, fruits would be especially enticing food for the dog.

It is not necessary to include fruits in the dog’s diet as the nutrients the dog can get from fruits can be obtained from other sources. However, fruits would provide not only variety to canine food but also ensure that the pet would have the needed nutrients.

Oranges are good sources of nutrients essential to the health of the dog. The vitamin C content of this fruit is an efficient immune system booster. This is why dog owners generally give oranges to their pets during the cold months to prevent flu, colds and other diseases prevalent during the cold season. Fiber, one of the major components of this fruit promotes healthy bowels. Oranges are natural foods, free of additives and preservatives. Being fat, cholesterol and sodium free, oranges are excellent food choices that lessen the risk of heart diseases. Its anti oxidant content helps in preventing free radicals from damaging the cells and causing cancer. This fruit is proven to have anti inflammatory properties that reduce the severity of the pain suffered by arthritic dogs. The fruit’s polyphenol gallic acid contains anti allergy and antihistamine.

In spite of the healthful benefits, human foods may not always be a healthy food for the pet. Moderation should be the key in feeding the dog real food. Allowing the dog to have a go at a bushel of oranges would result to diarrhea. Dog owners must ensure that the orange given to the pet is seeded and peeled as the citric limonin content of the peel and the seed is toxic to dogs.