Can Dogs Eat Guava?

Not a lot of people know what guava is, they could not tell you if it was a fruit or a Vegetable. Guava is actually a fruit, which is usually grown in tropical places. It was originally found in southern Mexico, but it is not known where it originated from. Something that you will care to know is that it is nutritious and yummy. Can dogs eat guava though?

Can Dogs Eat Guava?

Simply put, yes, dogs can eat guava. Guava is quite high in nutrition, minerals, and vitamins that are beneficial for you. As with any type of human food, especially fruit, you should only be feeding them guava as a treat and not on a regular basis.

Let us not forget that guava is a type of fruit. This fruit will usually contain sugar and high amount of carbohydrates.

Below we will be talking about all the nutritional value you will find in guava and things that can harm your dog too.

Nutritional Value of Guava

Vitamin c

Surprisingly, guava is loaded in vitamin c, guava has roughly four times the amount an average orange has in it. This is a great source of Vitamin C, especially since everyone needs vitamin c, including dogs.

What makes Vitamin C a great vitamin is that it has antioxidant properties, which help combat harmful molecules like free radicals. This is more important than you think, free radicals play an important role in your dog’s system.

Free radicals are the number one reason for cancer in dogs and humans. Vitamin C does a great job at combating this, so the more vitamin c the better! It is to be noted that vitamin c also boosts the immune system, which is always a good thing.

Vitamin A and K

Guava has moderate amounts of both vitamins, A and K. These are both very important vitamins that help keep a healthy metabolism.

Vitamin A is good for your dog’s eye health, which is great for dogs. Even dogs can suffer from cataracts, so every bit helps.

Vitamin K’s main function is regulating the blood, which helps with blood clots, along with promoting bone health

Fiber

Guava contains quite a bit of fiber in it. Dogs do not usually need to have a high fiber diet; it can just be good for dogs that struggle with digestive issues or anal gland problems.

Potassium

Potassium is needed for teeth and bone health; it is recommended that puppies have a high level of potassium in their diet as it can affect and stunt their growth.

Potassium’s most famous fruit would be bananas. However guava does not have as much as bananas do but still have a food normal amount of potassium in them.

Magnesium

Surprisingly you will see that magnesium is a natural relaxant that helps a lot of dogs that have arthritis and muscle problems. Magnesium is known to help with sore joints and muscles.

Sodium

Now even though there are not high amounts of sodium in guava, it still needs to be mentioned. That dogs do need sodium in their diet, and they will get the correct amount they need in daily dog food. So any added amount that is high in sodium is not wise.

High amounts of sodium are not good for any type of dog. It will cause them to have high blood pressure and heart problems, or in serious cases salt poisoning. The older your dog is the more you need to keep an eye on them. Senior dogs can suffer badly with salt poisoning.

Eating too much salt can make your dog seriously thirsty. That means a lot of trips to the fire hydrant and it could  lead to sodium ion poisoning. Symptoms of too much salt include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, high temperature, and seizures. It may even cause death.

Read the original article – Pet.WebMD.com

Check out the table below from the USDA FoodData Database, showing all the different nutrients you will find in guava. We hope the table below can help you understand the nutrients, benefits, and side effects mentioned in this article. Sometimes it is easier seeing it all in a table.

100g Serving of Guava

Is Guava Good for Dogs to Eat?

Guava is probably one of the most nutritious fruits you can find in the world, it has so many different benefits for dogs. One of the amazing things about Guava is that it has a very high level of Vitamin C, four times the amount of an orange. This is great for dogs that have a weakened immune system.

Another important part that helps your dog out is that it contains a good amount of fiber. Which can be great for your digestive system if they struggle with digestive problems like constipation or diarrhea, this is good for them.

Lastly, we want to talk about how guava can help dogs with there blood sugar levels. This can help dogs that have diabetes or weight issues. Please note if your dog has diabetes or weight issues you should be talking to your veterinarian about the best approach.

What is Bad About Guava Fruit?

Now we have talked about all the good stuff that you can find in guava. We thought you should know about the things that are not too great for your dog.

Now just like a lot of fruits, they contain a high amount of carbohydrates, this is for both humans and dogs. Dogs must not have too many carbohydrates, too many can cause health issues later on in your dog’s life.

Now do not get us wrong, there are two different types of carbohydrates, there are healthy and unhealthy carbs. You will find that unhealthy carbs will be usually found in processed or mass processed food, along with such things as grains.

Healthy carbs will usually be found in vegetables, even though some fruits are healthy for dogs. They will usually contain a higher amount of carbs than vegetables, vegetables have a lower carb amount then fruit.

Now even though the fruit is all-natural and grown from a plant or ground, the carbs that actually come from the fruit are the sugar. So, for this reason, you should only feed your dog small portions on a rare, treat basis. Feeding your dog something high in sugar can cause them to gain weight and be obese.

How to Feed Your Dog Guava Fruit?

If you want to feed your dog guava fruit you will need to make sure you peel the skin. Then cut the fruit into small portions, along with removing any seeds.

This will help your dog eating the fruit, along with avoiding choking or cyanide poison which we will mention below.

As with anything, when feeding your dog anything new, you need to make sure you feed them small portions, as every dog reacts differently when fed something new.

Along with this, you need to make sure that they are only fed guava on a rare basis, as a treat.

Just because it is healthy for a dog to eat, it does not mean it can be replaced in their diet. Human food is meant for humans, not dogs. Dog food is designed to feed a dog everything they need to be healthy and fit.

Can Dogs Eat Guava Seeds?

You should be careful when you feed your dog guava fruit. Yyou should try and make sure that any seeds in the fruit have been removed. By not feeding your dog a whole guava fruit, but by cutting it up you are making sure that it does not become a choking hazard. Making sure to remove the seeds as well.

The seeds may be healthy for humans, but the seeds actually contain cyanide, just like when you feed your dog an apple, you should make sure you do not feed them the core. The seeds are toxic in high quantities.

Now if you have fed your dog a whole guava, there should not be anything you need to worry about, as mentioned above they can only get cyanide poisoning from a high quantity of guava seeds.

If you are worried that your dog has eaten a high amount of seeds, some symptoms of cyanide poisoning can include:

• Itchy skin
• Heavy breathing
• Dizziness
• Along with other health irregularity

Although if you are truly worried that your dog is suffering from cyanide poising you need to contact your local veterinarian straight away. Other options can be your local emergency clinic or ringing the ASPCA for advice on their phone number (888) 426-4435. Although there will be a $60 charge, which is definitely worth it if you are worried about your little furry friend.

Can Dogs eat Guava Paste?

Many peoples like to have guava paste on there cheese platter or crackers, but it is not advised to give it your dog. Guava paste is not toxic, but it contains a high amount of sugar, which is not good for dogs.

Summary

Overall, yes dogs can eat guava fruit, as long as you only feed it them on a treat basis. You should never replace your dogs, dog food with any human food. The best practice when giving your dog guava is to remove all seeds and chop the guava up into small pieces.

Guava is one of the better treats out there to give your dog, check out other human foods you can feed your dog as a treat as well.