If you’re looking for fruits to feed your dog, cranberries could be your option. These are small, healthy, and tasty treats that many dogs love.
But do you have to stick to raw and natural cranberries for dogs? Or do you have the option of feeding your dog dried cranberries?
Everybody knows that raisins, which are just dried grapes, can be very toxic for dogs. And since dried cranberries share a similar texture and flavor profile to raisins, many people wonder if you need to follow the same rule and not give them to your pet.
Luckily, that isn’t the case. And if you’re looking to feed your dog dried cranberries and want to understand if it’s safe, you’ve come to the right place.
Can My Dog Eat Dried Cranberries?
If your dog eats dried cranberries, you don’t have anything to worry about. As noted in this article, cranberries are not toxic for dogs. This includes raw and natural cranberries straight from the farm or craisins and dried cranberries.
With that said, there are still some things to consider before feeding your dog cranberries. Aside from your dog’s allergy history and taste when it comes to cranberries, you also need to look at the cranberry products themselves.
Generally, dried and raw cranberries are completely fine for dogs. However, cranberry jam, jelly, sauce, and other similar products are a huge no-no. These products have a fair amount of additives that could be dangerous for dogs, so it’s best to avoid them.
What Happens If a Dog Eats Dried Cranberries?
Nothing bad will happen to your dog if they eat dried cranberries unless they are allergic. With that said, moderation is still key, even if cranberries are completely safe for your pet.
While cranberries are healthy and flavorful, they have a fair amount of sugar. In small amounts, this shouldn’t harm your dog at all. This is why cranberries are a great mid-day treat for hungry and active dogs.
However, too much sugar can cause obesity, raise the risk of heart disease, and do a whole lot to your pet. So, if you want your dog to live a healthy and happy life, it’s best to stick to natural cranberries with no additives, though dried cranberries should be fine.
However, if your dog eats too many dried cranberries, some problems might arise. These aren’t serious problems, but your dog could develop diarrhea and gastrointestinal upset in the worst case.
Can I Give My Dog Cranberry Juice for UTI?
Yes, cranberry juice is usually used to help fight UTIs in people. However, it can sometimes work for dogs as well.
However, when buying cranberry juice for your dog, you need to ensure that it’s 100% natural. It’s important that the cranberry juice has no added sugar and other ingredients as it might lead to more problems.
What Are the Benefits of Cranberries for Dogs?
Helping with the symptoms of UTI isn’t the only benefit that cranberries offer for dogs. Here’s another set of reasons you may want to consider adding cranberries to your dog’s regular diet.
Stronger Immune System
First things first: cranberries are packed with nutrients. These include essential vitamins like vitamin A, beta carotene, and Vitamin B, which are all crucial for your dog’s health. And if your pet is getting the nutrients they need to survive; then their immune system gets significantly stronger.
No matter what you do, you can’t eliminate the risk of your dog getting sick. However, what you can do is ensure that their body and the immune system is equipped to handle it just in case they do.
Cancer Prevention
Some evidence shows that dogs who have cranberries in their diet are at a lower risk of cancer. This is important as many dogs over the age of 10 are at high risk of cancer. So, if you want your dog to live a longer life, cranberries could help them, especially in their older years.
Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease
Just like with the immune system, all the nutrients and vitamins in cranberries are good for the heart as well. Dogs are active animals, so they need to have strong and fully-functional hearts. Remember, heart disease is a fairly common problem for many dogs.
This is why your dog’s diet is crucial. If you want your dog to live as healthily and happily as possible, we highly recommend giving them food to reduce the risk of heart disease, like cranberries.
Conclusion
So, if you have a bag of dried cranberries at home, you can feed some to your dog with no problem at all. However, keep in mind that moderation is key. There’s a lot of sugar in cranberries, and while this doesn’t make that much of a difference in small amounts, too much sugar can lead to a host of problems in dogs.
While dried and fresh cranberries are found for dogs, avoid products with added sugar and flavorings. This might make the cranberries taste better, but more often than not, these ingredients aren’t good for your dog at all.
