It can be hard to resist those puppy eyes when your dog asks you to toss blackberries. If you have questions about “can dogs eat blackberries,” you are at the right place. Here, we will explore everything you need to know about it!
Here Is Your Answer to — Can Dogs Eat Blackberries?
Yes, dogs can eat blackberries safely if fed in moderation.
But before you toss them a bunch of blackberries, as a responsible pet owner, you should know the risks it can pose to your pooch’s health. But don’t worry! In this article, you will find some super fun and delicious recipes that will do wonders for your dog’s health and taste buds!
Benefits of Serving Your Dog Blackberries
If you plan to add blackberries to your dog’s diet, knowing the benefits it can bring to your dog apart from its juicy flavor is essential. Adding anything without any nutritional value may not harm your dog but is useless to your dog’s health. Several human food items offer better nutritional content than blackberries.
These sweet-tart-y flavored fruit treats are highly palatable and offer a wide variety of vitamins like Vitamin E, C, and K and minerals like potassium and magnesium. Blackberries also have a fibrous content that is great for the digestive health of your pooch.
And the list of goodness doesn’t end here! It also has carbohydrates that boost energy, and blackberries are low in calories, so they do not add much weight to your dog.
Risks of Dogs Eating Blackberries
What is the one thing that comes without any risks? Dog cuddles!!
The rest? Well, everything has some risks attached to it. Especially when it comes to food your dog eats, it is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that their dog eats even the safest food items in moderation and per the body’s needs.
It must have been clearly stated that blackberries are safe for dogs and add to their nutritional value. However, overfeeding them or inappropriately feeding them can cause harm to your pooch.
So before you toss them another piece of blackberry, go through the risks involved:
1. Choking hazards
Even though the tiny seeds of blackberries are not considered toxic, they can become a choking hazard for toy-sized dogs. Suppose your dog is an eager eater who has a habit of hyperactively swallowing food. In that case, you should take some precautions while feeding them blackberries, such as— Removing seeds, mashing the berries, or providing them in small amounts (cutting them in halves).
2. Diabetes
Serving blackberries in small amounts will most likely not trigger diabetes. Still, if your dog already has diabetes and often experiences fluctuation in blood sugar levels, it is recommended to avoid blackberries. This fruit has natural sugar that can lead to weight gain and more problems attached to diabetes.
Moreover, if you still want to introduce this fruit to your canine companion, you can only mix it with unsweetened yogurt in small amounts.
Note: Consult your veterinarian before introducing any new fruit or food item to your diabetic dog.
3. Gastrointestinal issues
Again, small amounts may not contribute to big problems like gastrointestinal obstruction. But, if a dog consumes in awfully massive quantities without properly chewing, it can lead to diarrhea, runny stool, slight fever, or vomiting. If your dog suffers from symptoms after eating any food, seek veterinary attention immediately.
4. Allergic reactions
Last but not least, ALWAYS start feeding your dog in small amounts and gradually increase the dosage. You never know if your dog is allergic to blackberries, so to check that, you can either consult your veterinarian (which is the best way), or you can try giving them minimal amounts of blackberries.
You can also check for any signs of allergic reactions like rashes, itching, burning sensation, fever, vomiting or any unusual symptom (article). If there are any, you should take them to a vet. If not, you can gradually increase the dosage and repeat the same process.
How About Blackberry Jam? Is It Safe For Dogs?
Commercial blackberry jams available in markets often consist of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and even addictives that are a BIG NO for dogs. Especially if your dog has diabetes, sugary content is no less than a deadly poison you should avoid serving at all costs!
Additionally, sugary blackberry jams can lead to various risks, like obesity, dental problems, and gastrointestinal issues. Blackberries alone have a sweet, pungent taste that should be enough to give your pooch’s sweet tooth pleasure. Adding more sugar and artificial flavor will only harm their health. Hence, commercially available jams and jellies with tons of preservatives should not be served to dogs.
But—
If you still want to give your dog blackberries to your dog in extra fun and exciting ways, you can check out these recipes mentioned below!
Safe and Fun Ways to Give Your Dog Blackberries
1. Homemade jams (Without sugar)
You can make them at home if you want to serve your dog blackberry jams instead of buying them from a regular store!
All you need is blackberries (duh), water, and chia seeds. You can pick and wash out the best batch of blackberries without any molds and put them on a boil. Add chia seeds and stir the mixture once it has reduced and is all juicy in a saucepan.
The key here is to not incorporate sugar in it. As sugar usually helps thicken the mixture, chia seeds will be a great substitute as they make blackberry jam gooey and thick. You can go creative and even add blueberries for extra punch and flavor. Rest, you can cool the prepared jam and serve it to your dog with bread or as a treat.
2. Let them lick it off!
Note: Consult your veterinarian before serving any small amount of sweet fruits or treats to a diabetic dog, as every dog has different sugar levels and needs medical assistance from time to time.
If your dog has diabetes and you cannot give them a handful of blackberries, you can take a minimal amount of homemade blackberry jam and top it on their dental chews or toys. This way, they can get a little flavor of it without having to consume sugar.
3. Add kibbles to it
Instead of giving your dog a whole pack of blackberries, you can mix a few pieces in their kibbles or dog food. This way, their regular nutritional meals will not be substituted for fruits with low nutritional value. You can puree, add, or toss some berries on the top to add a sweet and sour flavor to their everyday meal.
Ensure not to feed excessively, as blackberries cannot provide the nutrition and health benefits as a substitute for primary sources like meat, kibbles, veggies, etc.
Final Thoughts
Can dogs eat blackberries?
To conclude this, we can say that YES! DOGS CAN EAT BLACKBERRIES, keeping in mind the moderate quantity. No fruit, including blackberries, should substitute the meals and main sources of nutrition.
Lastly, as these are not considered toxic, they do not pose any deadly dangers to your dog but can be a nightmare if overfed without considering the risks involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
The dosage of blackberries to dogs varies significantly on their size, age, and breed. A small toy dog should not have over 2-3 blackberries a day; that too in small bites as if consumed together can cause choking hazards. Adult dog breeds of medium to large size can have a handful of blackberries unless they have diabetes. If your dog has diabetes, it would be best to avoid blackberries or any berries.
Yes, until and unless your dog has diabetes, they can eat blackberries and blackberries. In fact, you can freeze the berries together and offer them a piece of each as a reward. Dogs love sweet and tarty flavors. As both berries are not toxic to dogs, it is safe to serve in moderation, as excessive food can adversely affect digestive health.
As blackberries are not toxic to dogs, they are not deadly. However, if your dog consumes mass amounts of blackberries, it can suffer from gastrointestinal problems, diarrhea, runny stool, etc. You should immediately seek veterinary attention if your dog shows these signs or allergic reactions to blackberries. These symptoms can cause discomfort to dogs, and you can also expect a slight fever.
It will be hard to state that blackberries are good or improve kidney diseases in dogs due to the need for more proof in scientific research. If your dog has kidney disease, it is essential to be cautious of any new food item you may introduce. Generally, blackberries are considered safe in moderation; they may not be the best choice for a dog with kidney problems. You should consult your veterinarian for further information.
Yes! Dogs can safely eat wild blackberries as they are not toxic but should be consumed in moderation. In addition, you can thoroughly wash them to remove debris, dirt, or chemicals and ensure they are free from harmful pesticides. If you take proper measures, you can safely share wild berries with your pooch.
