Dogs love apples and most pet owners would consider them to be a healthy and delicious snack. But, what about crab apples?
Dogs cannot eat crab apples because they contain a toxic amount of cyanide in the seeds, stems, and leaves. The fleshy part of the apple is perfectly safe for dogs and actually has a number of beneficial vitamins and nutrients.
Unfortunately, the risk outweighs the reward here so you’ll want to make sure you’re careful when letting your pup roam around the yard unsupervised.
Can Dogs Eat Crab Apples? Here’s What You Need To Know
Crab apples contain cyanogenic glycoside which produces the toxic chemical more people are familiar with, cyanide.
This chemical is found in many parts of the crab apple including the stems, seeds, and leaves. If your dog consumes these parts of the apple, it’s incredibly toxic and can lead to a host of issues. Some of these issues include:
- Respiratory failure
- Vomiting
- Upset stomach
- Lowered blood oxygen
It’s important that you never allow your dog to eat crab apples even though the flesh is healthy for them.
What to Do If Your Dog Eats Crab Apples?
If you’re taking your dog for a walk or letting them roam around the yard, you might have an apple tree. Many of the apples that fall from naturally occurring apple trees are crab apples. If your pooch finds them laying on the ground, they’re more than likely going to try and eat or at least chew on them to see what they taste like.
You want to prevent this at all costs. If your dog eats more than one or two crab apples, they will likely have enough toxic cyanide in their body to produce negative side effects like upset stomach and difficulty breathing.
Are There Any Benefits of Crab Apples for Dogs?
Crab apples contain a lot of valuable vitamins and nutrients such as vitamins A and C. There are also minerals in the form of phosphorus and calcium. Apples also have a lot of dietary fiber that can help keep your pup on a regular bowel movement schedule.
Signs and Symptoms of Poisoning
The first and most important signs to look for are vomiting and diarrhea. If you believe your dog has consumed a toxic amount of crab apples, you’ll want to look for these signs right away.
From there you can begin to notice other issues such as decreased heart rate, trouble breathing, dilated pupils, and excessive panting.
Final Thoughts
It’s important that we feed our dogs a well balanced diet rich in protein, fruits, and vegetables. Unfortunately, crab apples are too dangerous to even chance with our pups so it’s best we eliminate them completely.
If you have an apple tree, be sure to constantly remove any fallen apples or try and keep your dog away from that area. If you have no choice, you might want to consider chopping the tree down. Good luck!
