As an English bulldog owner, you’ve probably been in this situation: you’re enjoying your banana and suddenly you look down and see your little bully, drool running down his face. You look in to his cute little puppy eyes and think, “Sure, you can have a bit of my banana.” After all, what’s better than enjoying your snack with your doggy best friend? But wait a minute: are bananas okay for dogs?
English bulldogs can eat bananas. Bananas are very rich in potassium, biotin, and vitamins B6 and C. Bananas also contain a high concentration of fiber and magnesium, which can help promote bone growth and can relieve some gastrointestinal problems in your bulldog.
Check out this little guy trying a banana for the first time. I think he likes it!
The health benefits of bananas
Healthy heart
When growing up as a kid, you must have been told that eating a banana every day is very good for your overall heart health, thanks to its high concentration of potassium. According to Healthline, a medium-sized banana has a potassium concentration of a whopping 422 milligrams. So if your aging bulldog is suffering from Arrhythmia—a condition caused by irregular heartbeats—you might consider adding bananas to his or her diet.
Brain development
This tasty food is rich in vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine. The B6 nutrient is vital for the overall brain development in your dog. Vitamin B6 also aids in the production of melatonin, which is an essential compound in maintaining a healthy sleep cycle.
Improved digestive system
If you know of any other fruit richer in fiber than bananas, kindly let us know. In fact, this is arguably the most popular benefit derived from eating them. As we know, fiber is essential in maintaining a healthy digestive system, so if your pooch is suffering from gastro issues, then eating fiber-rich foods might help.
Maintain healthy skin and fur
Bananas also contain biotin, sometimes referred to as vitamin B7, which plays a crucial part in maintaining healthy fur and skin. Biotin also helps in maintaining healthy metabolic, cardiovascular, digestive, and nerve functions. In short, if you want your bulldog’s coat to have that bright, healthy shine, then this is a natural option for you.
Boost the immune system
Thanks to vitamin C found in this sweet, fleshy fruit, your dog’s immune system can now effectively combat several illnesses such as kennel cough, cataracts, glaucoma, arthritis, and many more. However, your dog’s body produces vitamin C in abundance, so they don’t necessarily need to eat bananas to get it. But it’s still a good idea to add additional vitamin C to his or her regular diet.
With all the above health benefits, it’s difficult to see why you shouldn’t feed your canine friend bananas. However, this should be in moderation, and as we had mentioned earlier, you should keep an eye on those peels. Although banana peels are not toxic to dogs, they might be hard to digest and result in blockage. Also, you should keep in mind that your bulldog might not get all the health benefits humans get from eating bananas.
Side effects of eating too many bananas
Again, you should feed your pooch in moderation. However, if you suspect that your dog has consumed too many bananas, watch out for the following side effects:
Constipation
Constipation in your dog can be from various reasons, with overeating bananas being one of them. Excess fiber soaks up liquid, and as a result, your dog might experience hard stools if he doesn’t get sufficient water.
Diarrhea
Yes, it’s a bit contradictory to claim that this yellow-skinned fruits can result in constipation and diarrhea at the same time. But since they are rich in insoluble fiber, your bulldog might experience loose stool if he is getting enough water.
Tooth decay
Although tooth decay is a long-term side effect, it’s also worth watching out for it. That aside, a medium-sized banana contains at least 12.2 grams of sugar, according to Healthline, which is slightly high, especially for dogs. So it’s best not to, ahem, go bananas if you will.
How many bananas can your bulldog eat in one sitting?
According to American Kennel Club, you should first consult your veterinarian before putting your four-legged friend on a banana diet, and this is true for all new foods you want to introduce to your dog. But Healthline suggests that the best thing to do is to give them a few slices of this fruit a few times every week. This might be once or twice a week.
When your bulldog is young, you should limit his/her banana intake to about 2 to 3 slices a day. However, as they get older and bigger, you can increase this to about half a banana a day.
How to prepare and feed your English bulldog bananas
According to the AKC, there are several ways you can choose to prepare and feed your dog bananas, apart from simply breaking of pieces of the fruit for them to enjoy. These include:
• Mix it with some peanut butter
• Freeze the whole fruit, peel it, and then slice it for a frozen treat
• Mash it up with your dog’s food
• Stuff it into a Kong, and then freeze
Some foods are healthy and safe for your dog to eat, while others are toxic and can even be deadly. Bananas, just like apples and blueberries, are very healthy fruits for your bulldog, according to petMD. The fruit is not only healthy to your pet but can also become his favorite snack, thanks to its sweet and delicious flavor. But as we have said earlier, moderation plays a vital role here. Another thing that you should never forget is to consult your local veterinarian before introducing your dog to a new diet.
