Can Dogs Eat Peaches? Pit and Fruit Facts

Fresh peach flesh offers fiber and some vitamins, along with natural sugar. A few small slices are a fine occasional treat for most dogs. Dogs with diabetes or digestive problems should skip it unless a vet agrees.

Pet Poison Helpline explains that the seeds inside peach pits contain compounds that can release cyanide if the pit is thoroughly chewed, but that dogs usually do not chew thoroughly, so poisoning is unlikely after a pit is swallowed whole. A swallowed pit can still cause a blockage in the digestive tract, which is a particular risk for small-breed dogs. Signs of cyanide poisoning include vomiting, drooling, gasping, collapse and seizures.

Wash the fruit, remove the pit completely, cut the flesh into small pieces and offer a few. Keep whole peaches and discarded pits out of reach.

• Remove the pit.
• Cut into small slices.
• Offer a few pieces.
• Skip the skin if your dog has a sensitive stomach.

Call your vet or a poison helpline. If your dog may have eaten something harmful, call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 straight away. A consultation fee may apply, and it is far cheaper than waiting. Avoid canned peaches in syrup and peach desserts, which contain extra sugar. Extras like this should stay a small part of the day's food. A common vet guideline is that treats and extras make up no more than about 10 percent of daily calories.

Fresh flesh is the best choice. Canned peaches are packed in syrup that is high in sugar, and peach pie, cobbler and ice cream contain sugar, fat and sometimes alcohol or xylitol. Dried peaches are concentrated in sugar and can stick to teeth.

If a dog swallows a pit, watch for repeated vomiting, loss of appetite, a painful or swollen belly, lethargy or lack of stools. A blockage can be an emergency, and small dogs are at greater risk. Call your vet as soon as you suspect a pit was swallowed, even if your dog seems well.

A few thin slices of ripe, pitted peach are enough. You can freeze slices as a summer treat, keeping pieces small for small dogs.

• Fresh, pitted, thin slices.
• Frozen small pieces in summer.
• Skip the pit and any stems or leaves.
• Rinse and dry the fruit first.

A few thin slices of ripe, pitted flesh is a sensible portion for a medium or large dog, and one slice for a small dog. Peaches are soft and juicy, so a big serving can cause loose stools.

Introduce them slowly and observe.

The classic mistake is letting a dog take a whole peach from the counter. The pit is the danger. Another is giving canned peaches in syrup, or peach pie. A third is leaving fruit to rot on the ground in a garden, where dogs may eat it.

If you have a peach tree, pick up fallen fruit and pits.

Puppies and small dogs are at greater risk from a swallowed pit. Seniors with weaker digestion may do better with small amounts. Dogs with diabetes or pancreatitis should avoid it unless their vet agrees.

If your dog has any health condition, ask first.

Peaches, cherries and apricots are stone fruits that contain pits with compounds that can release cyanide if chewed. Pet Poison Helpline lists peach pits, cherry and apricot in its index of foods to be careful with. The flesh of a ripe peach is not the problem, the pit is.

If you share any stone fruit, remove the pit and stems, and cut the flesh small. If you have fruit trees, collect fallen fruit promptly, and keep dogs from chewing branches and leaves. If your dog eats pits, call your vet or a poison helpline.