Find out whether your dog can eat grapefruit pulp and whether there are any side effects to watch out for that indicate that your pup may be sick.
Dogs can eat grapefruit, but they generally should not eat the pulp or peel because these parts of the fruit contain compounds that may be harmful to them in certain quantities. If you’re wondering, “Can dogs eat grapefruit?” we’ll walk you through some things to consider when deciding if it’s okay for Fido to feast on this healthy, delicious summer snack!
Grapefruits carry high levels of Vitamin C and fiber. They also taste great with peanut butter! Grapefruits are good for dogs, but the amount of grapefruit that they can eat safely is limited.
People often love to feed their pets all kinds of human foods like bread, tacos, and even pizza crusts, but these foods may not be ideal for your dog’s health. Grapefruits are healthy for people but can cause serious health problems in dogs. While this citrus fruit has many benefits, feeding your dog the pulp or peel is dangerous so it should be completely off-limits.
A large quantity of grapefruit could result in acute renal failure for Fido. The drug Intermezzo (a sleep aid) contains grapefruit juice which could prove life-threatening if combined with other drugs or supplements that contain certain ingredients.
For dogs, the main concern is not the grapefruit itself but a chemical compound called psoralens. In humans, these compounds are used to treat certain skin conditions and are believed to have anti-inflammatory effects.
In people who suffer from lupus or other autoimmune disorders, psoralens can find their way into a drug known as methoxsalen which is used to treat the condition. Grapefruit containing psoralens could interfere with methoxsalen which means that this fruit should be kept away from dogs taking drugs such as Furosemide (Lasix), Diltiazem (Cardizem), Amiodarone (Cordarone), or certain antidepressants such as Prozac Zoloft.
It’s also important to note that grapefruit can interfere with some statin medications. This interaction can cause serious side effects, including muscle pain and heart damage.
If you find your furry friend crunching on a grapefruit you should consult your veterinarian before allowing him or her to eat any more of this fruit (or even discontinuing the use of any prescriptions). While feeding grapefruit to dogs is generally not recommended, some pet owners may feed their pets small quantities on occasion without noticing any problems. There are many other ways that dogs obtain psoralens which could include certain plants, shampoos, or even grass which Fido maybe snack on after potty time!
While the jury’s still out as to whether it’s okay for your dog to have a little grapefruit from time to time, it’s best not to allow your pet to eat grapefruit at all.
If you’re curious as to whether or not grapes are safe for dogs, check out our article on can dogs eat grapes. In general, it is never a good idea to feed your dog any sort of food that you would eat because their digestive systems simply cannot handle the ingredients found in human foods. This is why we recommend feeding them high-quality dog food!