Many dog owners like to offer fruits to their dogs, such as apples, bananas, and pineapple slices, but what about rare or unique fruits? Can dogs eat them? One such fruit is longan.
In general, if you are not confirm about the safety of any food for canines, you should never offer it to your dog, even if it is safe for human consumption. Logans can be consumed by dogs, but it is not an ideal fruit to feed to canines as it can give them digestive upset due to the presence of saponins.
What Is Longan?
The longan tree is a muggy fruit tree that originated in Southeast Asia and eventually spread into various parts of the globe over time.
Similar to the lychee, a common fruit, it is a member of the soapberry genus. In general, this berry with white flesh is consumed either raw, dried, as well as syrup-coated in a sealed container.
Its flavor is well-known for being smoky and rich. A single serving almost meets one’s usual vitamin C needs, as it is abundant in vitamin C. Longan has an inadequate fiber amount as well as a fairly substantial amount of carbohydrates.
Can Dogs Eat Longan?
Longan berries contain saponins that may irritate the gastrointestinal tract of dogs, resulting in vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort.
Longans are a rich source of high-quality dietary fiber. Nevertheless, it is essential to get rid of both the seed and the shell before offering longan to your dog if you choose to do so, because those contain the majority of saponins, which are poisonous to dogs.
Since longans have a substantial amount of sugary content, you possibly should avoid giving these to a diabetic dog who is on insulin.
You should consult a veterinarian right away if your dog consumes a whole longan fruit, husk & seed. Longan berries should be kept away from the grasp of your dog because eating indigestible pieces of them may result in severe stomach problems.
Benefits Of Longan For Dogs?
A few benefits of offering longan fruits to dogs are mentioned below.
Enhanced Immunity
As this fruit is abundant in antioxidants and vitamin C, these can help boost the immune system of your pooch.
Healthier skin
Longan is high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and a few other nutrients that promote skin wellness as well as iron metabolism.
Treatment for anemia
Longan has 15 times the amount of iron compared to vegetables such as spinach, and approximately twenty times that of grapes. This quantity of iron improves the production of red blood cells and minimizes the risk of anemia.
Enhanced cardiac health
Longan promotes optimum circulation of blood and blood synthesis and provides various additional benefits, including improved coronary wellness and anxiety relief. It might help avoid heart disorders, including cardiac collapse and hemorrhage in dogs.
Remember, longans are not part of a dog’s natural diet and also contain compounds that can harm their health. So remember risk to risk-to-reward ratio of feeding longas to dogs is not good, so you must avoid it.
Potential Disadvantages Of Feeding Longan To Dogs?
The following are some of the risks associated with offering longans to dogs:
Choking
It isn’t advisable to offer longan to dogs due to its seed & husk. Both the husk and seed might accidentally be swallowed by the dog whenever it attempts to eat this berry, and might get caught in its throat, resulting in choking. This is a major concern in puppies and brachycephalic dogs.
Intestinal obstruction and constipation
In the unlikely event that he escapes choking, then the seed or shell could clog his intestines, leading to obstruction and constipation.
Saponins toxicity
Saponins present in logan can irritate the gastrointestinal tract of dogs, leading to vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain.
Hypoglycin A
Longans contain a substance known as hypoglycin A that may prove harmful to dogs. The dogs that consume hypoglycin A in abundance might throw up, have low glucose levels, become ataxic, or depressed.
Risky for diabetic dogs
If your dog is diabetic, longan is not something you should be feeding to your pooch. Longans are sweet fruits that are rich in sugar, so they can increase the blood sugar levels of your dog.
How Often Can You Feed Longan To Dogs?
Even though longan is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, dogs are creatures of habit, so making changes in their diet might have negative effects.
Dogs can safely consume longan in moderation; one-quarter cup of newly harvested longan, for instance, must be served for every ten kilograms of body mass.
To make sure the dog is not experiencing undesirable responses, it is usually advisable to start feeding this berry gradually and in moderate doses under your supervision.
It’s perfectly alright to give an adult dog modest quantities of longans as a savory snack once a day. If you happen to have a new puppy, then avoid giving it longans unless it’s at least a year old.
Preparation
To protect the dog’s health, make sure you offer them longans in the right fashion. Take the following measures:
- Choose fresh longan fruits: Longans that are drained or processed should not be used because they include a lot of chemicals and pesticides that are not good for dogs. For dogs, organic longans are the best choice.
- Properly wash the fruit: Wash the longans underneath warm running water to get rid of any debris, pests, or dust.
- Eliminate the pit and peel: It is necessary that you take out the longan fruit’s pit & peel before giving the fruit to the dog, otherwise they can get toxicity from poisonous saponins found in the peel & pit.
- Cut into little portions: Chop the longan flesh into little, bite-sized chunks that are easy for the dog to break down and consume to reduce the possibility of choking.
Begin gradually while adding longan to the dog’s diet, then observe how they respond. Stop giving the dog longan and seek guidance from your veterinarian if it exhibits any indications of pain or disease.
Best Alternatives Of Longan For Dogs?
There are many fruits that we can use for dogs as healthy alternatives to longans. These are listed below:
Apples
Whenever you are looking for a fruit that is moderate in both carbohydrates and fat for dogs of all ages, an apple would be an excellent option to consider. Ensure you get out the core and seeds, after which chop them up into bits that are suitable for eating and offer to your pooch.
Bananas
When consumed in moderate amounts, this fruit that is high in glucose may serve as a wonderful source of calcium, potassium, fiber, biotin, copper, and several other nutrients for canines.
Cantaloupes
It is an appetizer that is moderate in calories, high in fiber, and refreshing. But because it contains a lot of sugar, you should only give it to dogs occasionally and in moderation.
Cucumbers
If you are inclined to believe it, cucumbers are classified as a type of fruit. Because it is loaded with nutrients, minerals, and water, thus makes an ideal munching option for your dog. Water content in cucumbers improves the hydration status of dogs that don’t drink much water.
Mangoes
Because of the high amount of sugar they contain, mangoes should be consumed in moderation by dogs. Also, make sure that you remove the outer layer and pit of the fruit before offering.
Takeaway
Although dogs can eat longans in moderation, it is best to avoid them despite the benefits because they are not a natural part of their diet.
Ingesting the pit and husk can induce intestinal obstructions and choking in dogs. Puppies and brachycephalic dog breeds are usually the ones that have a high risk of choking due to their narrow throats. If there is an intestinal obstruction, surgery might be the only option to remove the blockage from your dog’s body.
Saponins in longans can cause adverse reactions in a dog’s stomach. Regularly eating high-sugar foods such as longans may lead to obesity as well as health problems for diabetic dogs. Longans also contain hypoglycin A, which can cause nausea, low glucose levels, tremors, and severe distress in dogs.
If you have a healthy adult dog, offering longans once a day as a snack might not have a negative impact on their health.
However, longans are an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamin C & may help dogs’ skin as well as their immune systems, but the hazards frequently overshadow the advantages.
Instead of feeding longans to dogs, you can go for safer and healthier options. Fruits such as apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, cantaloupes, and cucumbers are much better food options for dogs.