Can dog eat banana? Yes, dogs can eat bananas in moderation. Because of a banana’s high sugar content, it’s necessary to limit the amount of banana your dog eats.
Bananas are high in nutrients that dogs need to stay healthy. So, bananas can be more valuable to a dog’s health than some other dog treats.
We all want our dogs to stay healthy, so it’s a good idea to look at quality research to know which foods are healthy for them to eat. But it’s also essential to know the correct quantity to feed our dog because a dog’s body does not process some foods the same way that human bodies do.
To understand more about how a dog’s body responds to bananas, we’ve included a lot of information for you:
- Fruits your dog can and cannot eat
- Health benefits of bananas for dogs
- How to feed your dog bananas
- Bananas as a remedy for your dog’s upset stomach
- Banana-based recipes for dogs
- The safety of banana-related foods
Fruit and Dogs
When my dog begs me with her little puppy dog eyes while I’m eating fruit, it’s tempting to give in and give my dog a bite. After all, scientists think that the evolution of those puppy dog eyes made humans want to feed them and domesticate them.
Fruits can be a great source of vitamins and nutrients for dogs. However, eating the wrong fruits can be dangerous and even deadly. According to the American Kennel Association, bananas are among the list of fruits that dogs can eat. However, eating too many bananas can cause stomach problems.
Fruits with high sugar contents should be given as an occasional treat rather than as part of their regular diet. Also, be sure to remove any seeds or pits first because many contain cyanide and can be choking hazards.
Fruits Dogs Can Eat
Below is a list of fruits that are safe for dogs.
- Apples: Vitamins A and C
- Bananas: Vitamins B6 and C along with potassium, biotin, copper, fiber, magnesium
- Blueberries: Antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber
- Cantaloupe: Water, fiber
- Cranberries: too many can cause an upset stomach
- Cucumbers: Vitamins K, C, and B1 along with potassium, magnesium, biotin, copper
- Mango: Vitamins A, B6, C, and E along with potassium, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene
- Oranges: Vitamin C, potassium, fiber
- Peaches: Vitamin A, fiber
- Pears: Vitamins C and K and fiber
- Pineapple: Vitamins, fiber, bromelain
- Raspberries: Vitamin C, manganese, fiber, anti-inflammatory properties
- Strawberries: Vitamin C and a teeth-whitening enzyme
- Watermelon: Vitamins A, B6, and C along with potassium
Fruits Dogs Cannot Eat
You should avoid giving any of the following foods to your dog:
- Avocado: causes vomiting and diarrhea
- Cherries: causes cyanide poisoning
- Grapes: can cause sudden kidney failure
- Tomatoes: solanine in the green parts will make dogs sick
Breaking Down the Health Benefits of Bananas for Dogs
Some veterinarians recommend bananas as a healthy alternative to fatty and salty treats for dogs. However, since it is a fruit high in sugar, it’s a treat that you should give your dog in moderation.
Let’s look at how nutrients can benefit your dog and some benefits of bananas for dogs.
Vitamin B6
- Regulates their hormones
- Generates glucose
- Synthesizes niacin
- Activates genes
- Promotes immune system function
- Encourages healthy red blood cells
- Promotes nervous system function
Vitamin C
- Is an antioxidant
- Scavenges for harmful free radicals
- Reduces inflammation
- Reduces cognitive aging
Potassium
- Is an electrolyte
- Assists the function of electrical charges in the heart, nerves, and muscles
- Boosts metabolism
- Promotes bone health
- Boosts cognitive function
Biotin (Vitamin B7)
- Helps maintain healthy skin and coat
Copper
- Assists in the formation of bones, connective tissue, and myelin
- Helps the body absorb iron for red blood cell function
Beware that some dog breeds are susceptible to a liver disease related to the inability to metabolize copper properly.
Magnesium
- Promotes healthy bone growth
- Helps the body absorb vitamins
- Assists with body protein production
Fiber
According to the AKC, giving your dog foods with fiber or a high-fiber dog food can help with the following:
- Maintaining regular bowel movements for dogs with gastrointestinal issues
- Keeping a healthy weight
- Improving Diabetes Mellitus
How to Feed Your Dog Banana
When I first learned how good bananas could be for my dog, I was ready to go crazy giving my dog bananas every day. However, I soon discovered that bananas are only good for dogs in moderation.
How Much Banana Can I Give My Dog?
How much banana can my dog eat? You can give a small dog about ¼ of a banana a day. If you have a medium or large dog, it can eat up to ½ of a banana each day. However, you will want to check with your veterinarian before giving a puppy bananas.
Can I Give My Dog Banana Every Day?
No. You should not give dogs bananas every day because of the high sugar content. Instead, reserve them for every-now-and-then treats.
What Happens if Your Dog Eats Too Much Banana?
Don’t give in to the begging. If your dog eats too much banana, it might end up with an upset stomach.
Do bananas give dogs diarrhea? No. It’s actually the opposite problem. Do you remember the BRAT diet that doctors recommend when you’ve had diarrhea? Bananas are part of that menu, and too many bananas for humans or dogs can cause constipation.
Bananas as Stomach Remedies for Dogs
Can dogs eat bananas for an upset stomach? Yes, they can. If your dog is experiencing symptoms of an upset stomach, doctors recommend bland foods. It’s worth a try to see if your dog would accept a little bit of banana when they’re not feeling well.
Can dogs eat bananas when sick? Bananas are gentle on the stomach. They are among the list of foods that are good for dogs when a doctor suggests a bland diet for an upset stomach:
- Banana
- Sweet potatoes
- Rice
- Shredded chicken
- Unsweetened oatmeal
- Pumpkin
- Bone broth
- Baby food
Diarrhea
Since bananas cause constipation in dogs, can I give my dog a banana for diarrhea? While it might be a soothing food for your dog’s stomach, the small amount of banana that your dog can eat will probably not stop diarrhea. However, it is a good part of a bland diet in moderation.
Vomiting
If your dog has not vomited for six hours, PetMD says that you can offer your dog a small meal. They also suggest bland foods, which include bananas.
Banana Recipes for Dogs
When I decided to add more bananas to my dog’s diet, these are a few of the treats I made for her. With human-grade ingredients and the sweetness of bananas, you might find yourself sneaking a little for yourself as well.
Banana Treat Ideas
Here are a few treat ideas that are easy to make for your pup, no exact recipe needed:
- Mashed banana as a food topper
- Mashed banana mixed with or smeared on top of peanut butter (be sure the peanut butter doesn’t contain xylitol)
- Banana slices stuffed into a Kong or other treat-delivery toy
- Banana mixed with plain yogurt and peanut butter, stuffed into a Kong
- Banana mixed with plain yogurt and peanut butter, smeared ON a Kong, and frozen
- Banana peeled, sliced, and frozen
Banana and Peanut Butter Mini Pupcakes
Whether it’s a special celebration like your dog’s birthday or as a special treat, these banana and peanut butter pupcakes will be gobbled up quickly. You can pop leftovers into the freezer for future treats.
Ingredients
- 2 bananas, mashed
- 2 cups water
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (no xylitol)
- 3 cups oat flour or oats processed in a blender in food processor
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- Oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Oil mini muffin tins or mini silicone baking molds.
- Combine 2 mashed bananas, 2 cups of water, 1 beaten egg, and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.
- Add in 3 cups oat flour and 1 tablespoon baking powder.
- Pour mixture into muffin tins.
- Sprinkle pupcakes with extra oats.
- Bake 20 minutes.
- Cool before feeding pupcakes to your pups.
Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats
With only three ingredients, you can get peanut butter banana dog treats into the oven quickly.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups oatmeal flour or uncooked oatmeal, ground in a food processor or blender
- 1 banana
- ½ cup peanut butter (with no xylitol)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Beat 1 banana and ½ a cup of peanut butter in a bowl until smooth.
- Stir in 1 ½ cups oatmeal flour with the peanut butter and banana mixure, reserving 1 tablespoon of oatmeal flour.
- Roll out the dough on top of the reserved oatmeal flour to about ¼ inch in thickness.
- Cut dough out with cookie cutters.
- Bake treats for about 15 minutes on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.
- Cool completely on a rack before giving one to your pooch.
Frozen Peanut Butter and Banana Dog Treats
Don’t feel like baking? No problem. These frozen banana and peanut butter treats are sure to please. If you eat some, too, we won’t tell anyone.
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup plain yogurt
Directions
- Mix 1 banana, ½ cup peanut butter, and ½ cup plain yogurt in the blender.
- Spoon the mixture into ice trays or silicone molds.
- Freeze for at least two hours before serving to your happy doggy.
Can My Dog Eat Other Banana-Related Foods?
Not all banana-related foods are created equally. It’s a bad idea to assume a food is safe just because banana is an ingredient or it comes from a banana plant.
Over-Ripe Bananas
Can dogs eat over-ripe bananas? That’s a good question. Yes, you can give your dog an overripe banana. Even though an over-ripe banana may taste sweeter, studies show that the sugar content in bananas stays the same (23%) when they ripen.
Banana Chips
Can dogs eat banana chips? Yes, dogs can eat banana chips just like regular bananas as long as they don’t have added artificial sweeteners. Even though they’re dried, they have the same health benefits as regular bananas.
How many banana chips can a dog eat? It’s easy to overfeed a dog with banana chips. You can give a medium or large dog five to ten chips. However, a small dog needs no more than three.
Banana Baby Food
Some of us treat our dogs like our babies. But, can dogs eat banana baby food? Banana baby food is definitely safe for dogs to eat. Just be careful not to feed your dog too much.
A standard banana weighs about four ounces, which is the size of a standard baby food jar. Remember that medium and large dogs should only eat 1/2 a banana at a time. It follows that you shouldn’t feed your dog more than half a jar of baby food at a time. A small dog should only get ¼ of a jar of banana baby food.
Be sure to refrigerate any unused portions of the baby food for future banana doggy treats.
Banana Popsicles
Can dogs eat banana popsicles? That depends on the popsicle. You should never feed a dog an artificially sweetened popsicle because xylitol is toxic to dogs. If you want to give a dog a frozen banana as a popsicle, go ahead. Frozen bananas are fine for dogs.
Red Bananas
Can my dog eat a red banana? Yes, your dog can eat a red banana. Both a red banana and regular banana have 15 grams of sugar. However, a red banana is smaller than a regular banana, meaning that the same amount of red banana has more sugar than a regular banana. Thus, you should give your dog less of a red banana.
You can still feed a medium or large dog half a red banana because red bananas are smaller in size than regular bananas. However, keep your red banana treats for small dogs down to one or two slices.
Banana Peels
Can dogs eat banana peels? While banana peels are not toxic to dogs, they are difficult to digest because they contain so much fiber. Eating a banana peel in pieces or whole can cause vomiting or an intestinal blockage. So, it’s a good idea to always peel a banana before giving it to your dog.
Can dogs eat banana skin? Some dogs will gobble up anything in sight. And if you give your dog table scraps, you might be tempted to put banana peels in your dog’s food dish. Please don’t.
Most dogs don’t stop to chew, so if your dog has accidentally eaten a banana peel, it could die from intestinal blockage. It’s a good idea to call the vet immediately. The vet might try to induce vomiting or suggest emergency surgery.
Banana Leaves
Are banana leaves toxic to dogs? No, banana leaves are not toxic to your dog. If you have a banana plant in your yard or home, you don’t need to worry about keeping it out of reach of your dog.
Chances are, your dog won’t try to eat a big banana leaf anyway unless you’re using it for cooking other food. There is a chance your dog may have an upset stomach and may even vomit up the banana leaf like they do grass. However, there’s no need to run to the vet if your dog chows down on banana leaves.
Banana Bread and Muffins
Can dogs eat banana bread? No, you shouldn’t feed your dog banana bread, especially if it has nuts in it. The added sugar in banana nut bread is not good for your dog. Additionally, not all nuts are equal for dog safety.
If your dog grabs a banana nut muffin off your plate, whether you should worry or not depends on the type of nuts in the muffin and the size of the nut. If a dog swallows any nut whole, it can potentially cause a throat or intestinal blockage. Plus, some nuts can cause problems in dogs.
Safe Nuts for Dogs
These nuts are safe for dogs in small quantities. However, in large quantities, they can cause pancreatic problems:
- Peanuts: peanuts are a good source of protein, and the amino acid arginine helps produce nitric oxide to help with blood circulation and reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease
- Chestnuts: helps avoid constipation and is a good source of vitamins C, B1, B2, along with potassium, iron, and copper.
Dangerous Nuts for Dogs
- Cashews: cashews have a lot of potassium which isn’t healthy for dogs with urinary problems, and raw ones are toxic to dogs
- Walnuts: moldy walnuts with tremorgenic mycotoxins can cause seizures and other neurological issues
- Black walnuts: juglone toxins can cause weakness, paralysis, and death
- Pistachios: Aspergillus mold aflatoxins can ruin a dog’s intestines and the high fat can cause pancreatitis.
- Pecans: moldy pecans with aflatoxins from Aspergillus fungi can cause liver damage, and omega-6 fatty acids can cause inflammation
- Macadamia nuts: even one can cause weak legs, vomiting, shivering, diarrhea, and fever.
- Pine nuts: high-fat levels can hurt your dog’s stomach, cause pancreatitis or urinary tract problems
- Brazil nuts: as the highest fat nut, it can cause digestive issues or pancreatitis
Final Thoughts on Dogs and Bananas
Can a dog eat a banana? Absolutely! Bananas can be a healthy part of a dog’s diet when they eat them occasionally. Small dogs should only eat about ¼ of a banana, while medium and large dogs can eat ½ of a banana every few days.
Bananas are full of Vitamins B6, C, potassium, biotin, copper, magnesium, and fiber, which all provide wonderful health benefits for your dog.
Learning how much banana to give your dog, a few banana recipes, and which banana-related treats are good and which are off-limits can help keep your dog both healthy and happy.
