Many human foods are dangerous for dogs, so it makes sense that you’d want to ensure that mulberries are safe for dogs before sharing! But, can dogs eat mulberries or not? Here’s what you need to know.
Mulberries are considered safe for your dog to eat. They aren’t as high in sugar as other fruit and don’t contain any dangerous chemicals that can harm your dog outright. You’ll want to limit your dog to small portions, especially at first, and stop your dog from eating them if they have any negative reactions, such as stomach upset.
What happens when dogs eat mulberries?
Your dog can eat mulberries as safely as they would eat most other foods. They are safe for dogs compared to a lot of human food. If your dog eats mulberries, the most likely thing that you’re going to notice is your dog’s stomach upset. They can get a bit of mild stomach upset because the berries are so rich (we’ll get to that in a bit).
Are dogs allergic to mulberries?
Dogs aren’t naturally allergic to mulberries since they are simply berries, but sometimes dog allergies are as “uncommon” as human ones! It is absolutely possible that your dog can be allergic to mulberries. This is part of why you should only give your dog one berry at a time since allergies are more serious if your dog eats more of the problem food.
If you’re concerned about your dog’s allergies, you can ask your vet for an allergy test for your dog!
Are mulberries toxic to dogs?
No, mulberries are not toxic to dogs. They are good healthy food for your dog to have as long as you carefully feed them to your dog in the right portions for the best nutritional benefit.
Can mulberries make dogs sick?
If your dog is not allergic to mulberries, they should not make your dog sick! However, dogs with sensitive stomachs may find themselves sick after mulberries. The other risk of sickness will be from the berry’s health itself. If berries are sprayed with pesticides, they can make your dog sick.
Lastly, poor-quality berries are going to be the most likely to make your dog sick. For example, if the berries are rotting.
How many mulberries are too many for dogs?
Dogs should have no more than 4 mulberries per day. This number should be smaller if your dog is small or they have a very sensitive stomach. At that point, your dog will have the maximum health potential of the berries but won’t have the side effects.
Can dogs eat unripe mulberries?
Yes, dogs can’t eat unripe berries, but they’re not recommended for dogs since they will be richer than ripe berries. This extra richness can increase the risk of stomach upset since your dog’s stomach will have to work to break down the berry itself.
Unripened mulberries can sometimes create hallucinations in dogs (and humans, actually). While there isn’t much understood about how much it takes to cause the hallucinations or why they occur, the warning is enough to make most people steer clear! We recommend that you do so, too. If you’re curious, you can always ask your vet for more information!
Can dogs eat white mulberries?
Yes, white mulberries are safe for your dog to eat. They can eat red and white mulberries, the only difference being the color. They have the same health benefits, and both types of berries are safe for your dog.
Can dogs eat dried mulberries?
Dogs can technically eat dried mulberries but shouldn’t eat them instead of traditional mulberries. Dried berries go through processing. This removes a lot of the nutrition from the berry (which is in its juice), and the dried berries are higher in calories and sugar as a result. There are no health benefits for your dog, or, more accurately, the risks of dried mulberries to dogs are higher than the potential health benefits of the traditional benefits.
Can dogs eat mulberry leaves?
Dogs can safely eat mulberry leaves and won’t cause any health risks. However, leaves can sometimes upset your dog’s stomach because they are extra content for your dog to digest. This richness can sometimes cause indigestion and diarrhea, depending on how many leaves your dog ate and how large your dog is!
Benefits of mulberries for dogs
One of the best things about mulberries is that they are so nutritious for your dog and will be great for your dog’s general health. Mulberries are high in iron and Vitamin C, which are both great for your dog’s immunity. These berries are also high in Vitamin K, which will help support your dog’s heart and blood circulation, which helps support cardiac health. This also supports them in maintaining lower blood pressure.
Mulberries will also improve neurological health, which is excellent for dogs going into their senior years. It’s also good for a dog’s cognitive health throughout their life in general.
All these things will help your dog enjoy a healthier and longer life so that you can do everything in your power to help it feel at its best!
Dangers of mulberries for dogs
There are a few dangers when it comes to your dog’s snack of mulberries. As we’ve mentioned, the main concern you’ll find is stomach upset. Humans themselves often find that mulberries can upset their stomachs, and dogs have sensitive stomachs compared to humans. So, diarrhea and indigestion, in general, will be the biggest danger. This is from the high dietary fiber content.
If your dog eats unripened mulberries, they also can suffer from hallucinations, as mentioned. This is rare, of course, but hallucinations can be disorienting for dogs because they don’t understand what’s happening.
As always, with your dog’s health, keep an eye out for symptoms of a health problem. Common signs that your dog needs vet attention include:
- Severe diarrhea and vomiting
- Lack of appetite
- Disorientation
- Lethargy
- Shaking or seizing
- Signs of pain or distress
These could be indicators of an allergy, poisoning from pesticide contamination, and more. If you notice these, bring your dog to the vet and bring in the berries, too, in case they ask for information!
The last risk is fur staining. If your dog has light fur and eats mulberries, they could have stubborn purple stains around their mouth that might need a groomer’s attention!
How to serve mulberries to dogs
When you’re looking at serving mulberries to your dog, you will want to always serve them fresh and ripe rather than dried and/or unripened. Avoid adding any kind of additional sweeteners or products to the berries that you give them.
The other thing is not to give mulberries to your dog too often, as they are still not a recommended food for your dog in place of their own vet-approved diet. Your dog can have them as a special treat in very small servings, but nothing more than that!
All in all
Dogs can safely eat up berries in small servings as a special treat. They are high in fiber, iron, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C, which offer health benefits to your dog in moderation. Be careful to feed them ripe, fresh berries and to feed them the right amount of berries for their safety!
Mulberries are safe for dogs to eat in small servings as a rare treat. They have some risks if eaten too often, however, so knowing how to feed them safely to your dog will maximize the health benefits and minimize the risks.
Know someone who would love sharing berries with their dog? Share this with them!
