With summer in full swing, backyard cherry trees and farmers market bins overflow with these sweet, juicy red treats. When enjoying their ripe cherry bounty, many pet parents wonder – can dogs eat cherries too?
The answer is yes: dogs can eat cherries in moderation. Cherries offer canine health perks from vitamins to antioxidants. Yet they also pose serious choking hazards and contain compounds toxic in excess.
Read on to learn how to safely allow your dog to join in the sweet cherry fun.
Are Cherries Good For Dogs?
First, let’s review why cherries make a healthy occasional snack for canine companions:
Cherry Nutrition Benefits
- Packed with disease-fighting antioxidants
- Great source of Vitamin C and fiber
- Provides anthocyanins: anti-inflammatory compounds
- Low calorie treat option
So just like with humans, a few cherries here and there provides valuable nutrition for dogs too. Yet allowing too many could create problems.
Can Dogs Eat Cherry Pits and Stems?
Two parts require immediate removal before even considering feeding Fido any bowlful of cherries – the pits and stems.
Cherry Pits
Cherry pits contain cyanide, which is toxic. A large amount of cherry pit ingestion can be fatal. But even a single swallowed pit poses significant choking and intestinal obstruction risks.
Cherry Stems
Those dry, woody stems hardly look appetizing to begin with. Yet cherry stems can easily puncture or get lodged in throats.
So rule number one: properly pit and stem your cherries before adding any to a doggie dish. No ifs, ands or buts on this one!
Can Dogs Have Maraschino Cherries?
Atop ice cream sundaes and sweet Shirley Temple cocktails, no cherry variety looks more iconic albeit artificial than the maraschino kind.
While you may be tempted to share these neon red orbs, maraschino cherries are preserved in a sweet syrup laced with potentially toxic sulfites. So maraschino cherries should never be fed as treats. Stick strictly to fresh raw cherries.
How Many Cherries Can Dogs Eat?
Remember that whole “moderation” thing? Tip-toeing into new human foods applies extra to a sugar and acid bomb like cherries.
Follow this conservative cherry feeding guideline:
- Small dogs: 1 cherry, gradually increasing to 3 cherries max
- Medium dogs: 2-3 cherries, working up to 5 max
- Large dogs: 3-4 cherries, increasing to 7 max
Spread portions out over a week, not all at once! Always monitor for reactions with new foods.
Can Dogs Have Dried Cherries?
Dried cherries avoid the choking hazard posed by fresh cherries with pits and stems. But that concentrated sweetness and acidity isn’t doing your dog any favors either.
A few dried cherries may be an option once or twice a month. But opt for fresh for more regular treats. And ALWAYS avoid cherries sweetened with toxic xylitol at all costs. Carob or yogurt-coated dried cherries also tend to contain ingredients dogs shouldn’t consume.
Can Dogs Eat Cherry Tomatoes?
Bite-sized cherry tomatoes can also be safely fed to dogs in the same judicious quantities recommended for fresh cherries.
These mini tomatoes offer many of the same beneficial vitamins and antioxidants. Just be sure to chop this small round fruit into pieces to avoid chances of choking before mixing into your dog’s meal bowl.
Are Cherries Bad For Dogs?
Why list this fruit as an “occasional treat” instead of granting dogs free cherry feast access? Two words: sugar and acidity.
Excessively feeding your dog sugary and acidic fruits like cherries can lead to obesity and dental issues. Diabetic dogs should avoid fruit sugars altogether.
Additionally, those pesky pits pose serious intestinal and choking hazards. Just one requires emergency surgery, so safety first.
The Verdict: Can Dogs Have Cherries?
To recap, are fresh cherries ok for canines? Here is the cherry on top with our final word:
⛔ No pits, stems or maraschino kinds!
✅ Yes for fresh, raw cherries in strict moderation! Cherries offer bountiful nutrition from Vitamin C to antioxidants when properly prepared.
Follow the recommended amounts listed above. And consider mixing berries like blueberries into your dog’s diet more regularly for similar benefits without excess sugar.
Common Cherry Questions
Still have questions before letting your pooch indulge in this sweet and tart summer treat? See below:
Q: How do I know if my dog ate a cherry pit?
A: Signs of blockage or intestinal damage may include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and lethargy. Seek emergency vet care immediately if ingestion is suspected.
Q: Are canned cherries ok for dogs?
A: Generally no – the sugary syrup and potential preservatives make even canned cherry pie filling risky. Only feed fresh raw cherries.
Q: Can dogs have dried cherries?
A: Infrequently and only brands confirmed free of toxic xylitol. Fed occasionally, sulfites may cause only temporary diarrhea. But fresh cherries remain safer.
Now go let your dog join in cherry snacking fun the safe way! Just remember, fruits equal occasional treats. Moderation matters.
