There are so many different kinds of fruits out in the world, and it can be challenging to know just how safe each one is for your dog. Many people ask, can dogs eat plums? This delicious fruit made up of over 80% of water is loved by many. So, can you share the delicious plum with your dog?
Find out the answer to this question below and the side effects you can expect if your dog eats the pit of the plum.
Can Dogs Eat Plums?
The answer to this question is yes and no. This is yes because the outside fruit can be eaten, but what makes the answer a no is the toxic pit on the inside of the fruit.
The flesh of the plum will be juicy and full of natural sugar. This amount of sugar can make your dog sick.
It is also filled with a lot of Vitamin C, which is a great mineral that your dog needs. Plums are also made up of mostly water. This can be a really nice treat for your dog on a hot summer day.
It would be best if you watched out for the sharp toxic pit because that is very dangerous for your dog.
If your dog were to crush the pit with its teeth, it would start to release cyanide. This chemical is very toxic to dogs, and it could even lead to death.
If your dog eats part of the pit again, it can be toxic, but it is also sharp, which can damage your dog’s intestines or esophagus as it goes down.
So essentially, you could give your dog a slice or two of the fruit if you prep the fruit properly by taking out the pit. You still don’t want to feed your dog too much as it can make your dog sick from the amount of sugar in it.
What to Do If Your Dog Ate a Plum
First, examine the plum to see how much of the plum was eaten. If you notice that the plum is not cracked and no part of the pit has been eaten, then your dog may be fine. I would still recommend calling your veterinarian just to be on the safe side.
If you notice part of the pit has been eaten or the pit is gone, you will know you have a real emergency on your hands.
Call your veterinarian right away, and hopefully, the vet can tell you what to do. You will need to look out for some symptoms of toxicity from the pit.
Symptoms of Toxicity to Look For
When your dog ingests the plum’s pit, it will lead to the stop of oxygen to the cells. The cells already have oxygen inside them but do not know how to release it, so it makes your dog have respiratory collapse, leading to death if your dog is not treated.
There are some other symptoms that are more common in the first signs of plum toxicity; they are:
- Breathing Difficulty
- Tremors
- Seizures
- The Pupils are Dilated
- Foaming of the Mouth
- Confusion or Dizziness
- Collapse
- In the Worse Cases Death
What Does a Vet do to Treat Plum Poisoning?
One of the greatest things we have in this world are veterinarians that can help us when we do not know what to do with our dogs.
If you have gone to the vet or been told to come in by a veterinarian about this issue, then the vet will give our dog first something to make it sick. This will make your dog sick, where it might throw up a plum seed is swallowed and not chewed up.
The other thing a veterinarian might do is administrate an IV that has sodium nitrate in it. This will combine with the cyanide from the pit and counteract it before it damages the dog’s kidneys.
You may even have to leave your dog overnight at the vet’s office for closer observation. This is usually for one of the worse cases, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Can Plums Kill Dogs?
The worst-case scenario could possibly happen, and that is death. If your dog eats the pit or cracks the pit open, it can lead to cyanide poisoning, which can untimely kill your dog.
If you are fast-acting and noticed your dog eating a plum or have seen any of the above symptoms, you can take your dog to the vet safely, and the veterinarian should be able to help your dog.
Even if the pit was not cracked open, your dog still could have serious complications with an intestinal blockage.
How Many Plums Can Dogs Eat?
While the pit is toxic, your dog can still enjoy the flesh of the plum. The fleshy part does contain a high amount of natural sugar, so too much plum can be a bad thing.
Give your dog one to two slices of plum. That will be more than enough as your dog will get sugar into its diet other ways without the help of plums.
Just remember that moderation is the key, and too much of anything can be a bad thing, even for dogs.
Conclusion
The fleshy part of the plum is fine to give to your dog, but you need to make sure you prep the plum properly. Only give your dog small amounts as there is a lot of sugar inside of it. Remember to never let your dog eat the pit as it contains harmful toxins.
Now you know the answer to can dogs eat plums and understand the danger of the pit inside it. It’s your job to keep your dog safe so make sure you are doing everything possible. Has your dog ever eaten a plum? Let us know your experience down below.
