Bananas are amongst the most nutritious fruits. They feature many elements that perform various functions, from ensuring good eyesight to nurturing beneficial bacteria in our digestive tracts.
But do bananas offer dogs the same advantages? And can Maltese eat bananas?
Maltese can eat bananas as they are excellent sources of nutrients for their development and well-being. You can give your Maltese around three small banana slices every day. These fruits won’t make your pet sick unless taken excessively or while rotten.
Can Maltese Eat Bananas?
Bananas are lovely treats to give your dog, given their rich potassium, vitamin, fiber, and copper content. How do the elements in bananas benefit your Maltese?
Biotin: Excellent for your Maltese nervous system, eyesight, and more. Potassium is vital in electrical charge transmission through your dog’s heart and nervous system.
Copper: An essential element for Maltese puppies as it aids in the formation of collagen and connective tissue, bone development, and nerve protection. Additionally, copper aids in iron absorption and is, therefore, crucial in red blood cell development.
Vitamin C: An excellent antioxidant and hence helps enhance your Maltese’s immune system. Antioxidants lower free radical numbers in the body, reducing the risk of specific ailments like diabetes and cancer.
Fiber: Gets converted to fatty acids crucial in inhibiting the overabundance of harmful bacteria in a dog’s body. Fiber also aids in healing the colon in case of injury. It lowers your pet’s risk of colon cancer and also minimizes constipation when taken in moderation.
Magnesium: Bananas will help your Maltese have stronger bones with their rich supply of magnesium. Also, the nutrient is essential in energy transfer to enable your Maltese to engage in both voluntary and non-voluntary activities like the heartbeat.
Bananas have minimal cholesterol amounts. As a result, they reduce the risk of your Maltese getting hyperlipidemia, which may lower their lifespan and result in obesity.
Moreover, bananas are low-calorie. Too much calorie intake may result in an interrupted glucose level in your Maltese, which may cause diabetes. So, having a lower calorie content may help keep your Maltese healthy and living for a more extended period.
How Much Banana Can I Give My Maltese?
Bananas are a treat and not something you should give your Maltese as their main meal. And when dealing with dog treats, you should stick to the 10% rule.
But should you use bananas as your sole treat? Unless it is the only thing you have at the time, it is best to switch things. This way, your Maltese won’t get bored, and you won’t risk giving too many bananas to them.
Large dogs can eat around half a banana a day. Considering their smaller sizes, Maltese will eat a smaller share than that. Serving your Maltese with two or three small slices of banana is okay. Such a share ensures you keep the nutrient quantity provided in check to avoid risking your pet’s health.
Can My Maltese Eat Banana Peels?
Banana peels are non-toxic and won’t sicken your Maltese based on their composition. However, it is best not to offer these peels to your pet. Firstly, peels consist of tough fibers making them challenging to digest. A banana peel’s exterior may also induce nausea.
Banana peels may block your canine’s digestive tract, given their difficulty in digesting. While intestinal blockages are rare, they lead to much anguish. You may need induced vomiting or surgery to relieve your Maltese.
Maltese pups tend to gulp their food rather than swallow it. So, when offering them slices, be sure to dampen the peels out of reach. But in case your dog eats banana peels and you notice them struggling to go, call your vet.
Can My Maltese Eat Banana Bread?
Small banana bread quantities are unlikely to harm your Maltese. However, some dogs have sensitivities and allergies to wheat. Therefore, confirm with your vet that your dog can take wheat and grains without issues.
Banana bread has additional sugar aside from the high sugar content in bananas. Hence, they may be a riskier threat than plain bananas when it comes to obesity and diabetes potential.
Some banana bread has raisins and elements that are fatal to dogs.
Given its low nutritional value, it is best to skip banana bread treats. Nonetheless, it’s alright to give some banana bread to your Maltese, provided you know the ingredients.
Can Bananas Make My Maltese Sick?
Like many other foods, letting your dog eat too many bananas increases the risk of health complications.
Although ripe bananas are easy to digest, too much of them can result in constipation. Too much banana may make your Maltese experience belly upsets. If your canine secretly feasts on bananas with you unawares, watch how they poop to ensure they aren’t straining.
Excessive banana intake may increase potassium levels in your pet’s body, especially if they are experiencing certain conditions like kidney problems and diabetes. This situation is called hyperkalemia and may lead to heart issues and, in rare cases, cardiac arrest.
Signs of excess potassium are loss of consciousness, fatigue, and concentration loss.
While sugar levels in bananas vary based on ripeness, you’ll most likely give your furry friend ripe bananas. And that means a high sugar level. So, if you let your dog eat bananas excessively, you are putting them at risk of diabetes and obesity.
Can Bananas Give Dogs Diarrhea?
Did you know bananas may help dogs experiencing diarrhea?
You might have come across the BRAT diet, an alternative when you don’t want to starve your dog during diarrhea. The BRAT diet comprises four foods:
- Banana
- Rice
- Applesauce
- Toast
Although a popular recommendation in the past, fewer specialists are endorsing it nowadays. The limited diet may not provide adequate nutrients vital in helping your Maltese recover.
That said, bananas are still good for your dog during diarrhea. They contain pectin, a fiber that absorbs water which may help reduce the prevalence of diarrhea.
The presence of potassium is also crucial in electrolyte and water absorption. Better water absorption means there is less to come out in the stool. So, there isn’t an issue if you toss your Maltese a few banana slices to help harden their excrement.
But what happens when you overfeed your Maltese with bananas? You may wonder how your dog can constipate and have diarrhea simultaneously, thanks to a banana feast.
Bananas majorly contain insoluble fibers tasked with loosening up stool. If your Maltese takes too much banana and water together, they may cause diarrhea.
It’s difficult to point out whether your Maltese with constipation or passes loose stool due to overeating bananas. But now that you know it’s unwise to give your Maltese an entire banana, you shouldn’t worry about either occurrence because of bananas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Maltese Have an Allergic Reaction to Bananas?
Some puppies have allergic reactions when they take bananas. If you let your Maltese have bananas for the first time and notice sneezing, hives, coughing, respiratory issues, and itching, they may be having allergies.
You can stop feeding them bananas and talk to your vet about it. You may need to visit the animal clinic in case of an intense allergic response.
Does Banana Settle a Dog’s Stomach?
Bananas are a gentle treat for your Maltese. They are superb in soothing upset stomachs. If your pooch has one, mash a small quantity of banana and incorporate it into their meal.
Is it the first time giving bananas to your dog? Only give them a small portion and establish their reaction after hours. If they are okay with it, you can give them some bananas any time they get upset or as treats.
Can Bananas Make Dogs Throw Up?
Letting your Maltese take too much banana can result in stomach upsets that may then lead to throwing up and diarrhea. Banana peels fiber may be too much for your dog’s body to digest. So, if your dog eats an unpeeled banana, it may end up vomiting.
Why Are Bananas Bad for Dogs?
Bananas are only bad for dogs if you don’t control how much they consume and how healthy the fruit you are offering them is. Unrestrained banana intake can lead to discomfort in the short term. And if taken in large quantities every day, bananas may cause terminal illnesses in your pet.
Is Peanut Butter and Banana Good for Dogs?
It’s okay to introduce bananas to your pooch by mixing them with peanut butter. Combining peanut butter with bananas allows the two to complement each other and provide an enriched snack. However, only give your dog a small portion of the mixture, as these foods should be taken in limited amounts.
Verdict
Maltese can eat bananas and banana products in moderation. When offering your Maltese banana products like banana bread or chips, ensure you know the ingredients present.
Limiting your banana provision to the minimum lets your pet enjoy many health benefits. But whether cooked or ripen, overeating bananas may be a recipe for disaster.
