Is Papaya Good for Dogs? (We Find Out)

  • By: Andrew
  • Time to read: 6 min.

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If you’re slicing up a ripe, juicy papaya, you may be wondering if you can share this tasty fruit with your dog. This sweet and delicious tropical treat is a healthy snack for humans and, when prepared properly and consumed in moderation, it can be good for your dog as well.

Papaya is good for dogs. It’s a nutritious treat for your dog, packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. When sliced and served without the skin or seeds, dogs can safely enjoy a few bites of this delicious fruit from time to time.

In the rest of this article, we will take a closer look at the nutritional properties of papaya. We will see how eating papaya on occasion is good for both you and your dog. We will also see how to prepare this fruit for your pet to consume safely. 

Health Benefits of Papaya

This tropical fruit is not only tasty, but it is healthy for humans and K9s alike. When ripe, the inside is like a melon, with delicious pale orange flesh for eating. This fruit is packed with vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, C, E, K, calcium, folate, and potassium. 

These essential vitamins and minerals help keep the physical body healthy and functioning optimally. In both dogs and humans, these compounds contribute to many aspects of our overall health. Vitamin A, for example, helps keep our skin and soft tissues healthy while contributing to strong teeth and bones. Vitamins E and K work together to help us have healthy blood flowing through our bodies. 

When it comes to digestion, papaya is a great source of fiber and healthy enzymes to improve gut health. These components of the fruit will help keep the digestive system working smoothly, breaking down food and passing on waste. Papaya and similar fruits can help ward off constipation and other digestive issues. 

Having a colorful diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps the bodies of dogs and humans alike operate at maximum capacity. A healthy body means a robust immune system able to heal quickly and protect from external threats. It also means the ability to regenerate new, healthy cells the body needs.

Whether you need healthy skin cells, bone cells, or blood cells, a well-nourished body is better prepared to provide these to you than a body lacking foundational nutrients. 

How To Prepare Papaya for Your Dog

Now that we know that papaya is a healthy choice for you and your dog, let’s see how to prepare it and feed it to your pet safely. The way you would prepare papaya for yourself will likely be similar to how you will prepare it for your dog. Let’s take a look at how to take a whole papaya and make it into a safe snack for your furry friend. 

Remove the Skin

Let’s start with the skin. You are likely removing the skin when eating papaya for yourself, and you should do the same when feeding it to your dog.

Like many fruits, the skin can be extremely hard to digest, and there is no reason to introduce this to your dog’s digestive tract. Your dog may not be able to break it down properly, leading to dangerous internal blockages. To be safe, always remove the skin before feeding papaya to your dog.

Scrape off the Seeds

Next, you may be wondering about the seeds. You are likely scraping away the papaya seeds and disposing of them when you are eating papaya yourself. You should do the same for your dog. There is no reason to be snacking on the seeds, as they will not digest easily and contain small amounts of the poison cyanide. 

While eating a few seeds should not be enough to cause a problem for you or your dog, it is safer to simply not consume them at all. When you slice your papaya open, scrape away the seeds with a spoon. The seeds will easily be scraped away from ripe papaya flesh and can then be disposed of. 

Cut the Flesh Into Bite-Sized Pieces

Now that you have removed the skin and seeds of the papaya, you should be left with just the tasty flesh inside. Cut the flesh into small, bite-sized pieces for your dog. Even though papaya is soft, you still want to avoid giving large pieces that could pose a choking threat for an enthusiastic pup.

Now that you have small pieces prepared, it’s time for your dog to enjoy. Remember, treats like papaya should be a small supplement to your dog’s regular diet. There is no reason to feed your dog an excess of papaya, and eating too much of any exotic food could cause digestive problems. Just a few bites can be fun for both you and your dog without causing any stomach aches later on. 

Papaya Feeding Tips

Remember to be cautious the first time you are feeding any new food to your dog. Just like with humans, your pet can have an allergic reaction to any food. When it comes to new foods, start with a small amount and watch for any adverse reactions. If your dog seemed to enjoy the fruit without any side effects, you can increase the amount the next time you bring a papaya home.

Papaya should not be a replacement for your dog’s main diet. It is important to feed your dog an approved diet to ensure all his nutritional needs are met. Papaya can simply be a small, fun, occasional snack.

When Not To Feed Papaya to Your Dog

Remember that fruits are a high source of natural sugar. Fruits are not a necessary part of your dog’s diet, and the amount of natural sugar and fiber that they contain can be overwhelming for your dog. 

If your dog is diabetic, it is not a good idea to be feeding him fruits due to this high natural sugar content. This new surge of sugar in the system can be dangerous for your diabetic dog. It is best to stick to the feeding plan you have made with your veterinarian and only feed your dog the foods and treats approved by your K9 medical professional.  

Dangerous Fruits To Avoid

Just because papaya is a safe and healthy snack for your dog doesn’t mean that every fruit is safe to feed. There are a few common fruits that are actually quite poisonous for your dog. These fruits should be avoided at all costs. Ingesting these foods can be dangerous for your dog and if you suspect that your dog has eaten any of them, seek veterinary care immediately.

  • Grapes and raisins are common household snacks that are quite dangerous for dogs. Eating these sweet fruits can cause serious damage to your dog’s kidney. Make sure everyone in your household knows to keep these snacks away from your pets.
  • Seeds and cores from many fruits can be dangerous for your dog. For example, when you finish an apple, the remaining core with the seeds inside is not a suitable snack for your dog. These seeds contain a small amount of cyanide which is toxic, and the core is hard to digest. Avoid any fruit cores or pits when it comes to treating your dog.
  • Unripe tomatoes can pose a danger to your dog due to the toxin they contain called tomatine. If you are buying your tomatoes from the store, you are likely only bringing ripe tomatoes into your home. However, if you are growing your own at home, make sure your dog cannot snack on the unripe ones still on the vine.
  • Avocados should be avoided as a snack for your dog. These have been known to cause breathing problems to some K9s.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to the excitement of bringing home an exotic fruit, papaya is one that you can safely share with your dog. Prepare it just like you would prepare it for yourself, removing the skin and seeds and slicing it into small pieces. As you and your dog enjoy this snack together, you can both benefit from the nutritional value contained in this sweet snack. 

Sources

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