Can Dogs Eat Persimmon?… Or Is Persimmon Bad for Dogs?

Persimmon is a deliciously sweet fruit that offers multiple health benefits for people as you’ll see later on in this post. Many of the foods we eat though are not suitable for our canine friends… and some foods are dangerous for dogs. But what about persimmons? Can dogs eat persimmon? Or rather… should they?

The answer is… dogs can eat persimmon but perhaps they shouldn’t, and in this article I’ll explain why.

What is Persimmon?

The persimmon is a sweet fruit originally from Asia. As with other fruits, such as apples, it comes in many different varieties and colours, but they are generally yellow through to orange and red.

Although some varieties are quite large in size (up to 9cm in diameter), the persimmon is actually classed as a berry!

Related Post: Can Dogs Eat Quinoa?

Can Dogs Eat Persimmon? Is Persimmon Bad for Dogs?

As I’ve already referenced, dogs can eat persimmon, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be harmful to them.

The flesh of ripe persimmons poses no risk to dogs at all if they eat it. Indeed persimmons pack a huge nutritional punch and offer many health benefits for dogs.

However, unripe persimmons can react with your dog’s stomach acid and and lead to diospyrobezoars, which can cause gastrointestinal blockages. The same goes for persimmon seeds, which can cause serious digestive problems if dogs eat them.

Persimmon seeds aren’t toxic, but like diospyrobezoars, they can easily cause a blockage.

Persimmon related diospyrobezoars and the seeds themselves can get stuck in a dog’s small intestine, preventing solids or liquids from passing through. Such blockages can decrease blood flow to the affected area, which can in itself cause damage to the intestines.

Furthermore, a gastrointestinal blockage can make dogs dehyrated, which is dangerous enough on its own.

Should your dog eat persimmon seeds, you should take them to a veterinary professional immediately for medical assessment. A vet will examine and monitor your dog and likely use an ultrasound or radiograph to check for ingested persimmon seeds. If a blockage is found, the vet will provide invasive treatment to remove them.

Related Post: Can Dogs Eat Raisins?

What Should You Do If You Think Your Dog Ate Persimmon Seeds?

If you feel your dog may have eaten persimmon seeds but aren’t certain, my advice would still be to take it to a veterinary professional, especially if your dog displays the following symptoms:

• Repetitive Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Loss of Appetite
• Not Drinking / Dehydration
• Weakness
• Stomach Pain
• Bloating
• Whining

These symptoms could also be present if your dog has persimmon related diospyrobezoar.

A gastrointestinal blockage is a serious condition for dogs and can lead to death if it’s not treated quickly.

If you’re going to feed persimmon to your dog, be absolutely certain that you remove the seeds. Never let your dog eat persimmon that is unripe or that hasn’t been de-seeded, and be extra careful if you have a persimmon tree in your garden.

A further thing to remember is that all fruit is high in sugars. Fruity dog treats are one thing, but overfeeding a dog any fruit is another. Canine obesity is a growing problem and it can seriously shorten a dog’s life.

One final note, persimmon also has a laxative effect if overeaten, which may give your dog an upset tummy.

Related Post: Can Dogs Eat Carrots?

How is Persimmon Good For Dogs?

While persimmon seeds are potentially dangerous, dogs can eat the flesh of ripe persimmon. In fact, persimmon is a very healthy fruit, rich in vitamins and minerals.

The following table shows the nutritional benefits in 100g of raw persimmon:

Persimmons are rich in Vitamins C and A, which help to boost the immune system. They also contain potassium to bolster the nervous system, and lycopene that helps keep eye problems at bay and protects against certain cancers.

Furthermore, persimmons contain many other antioxidants and minerals that reduce inflammation and can provide relief to dogs suffering from arthritis.

As I mentioned previously, persimmons are high in sugars (12.53g per 100g). Hence you should only let your dog eat rip persimmon as an occasional treat and never in large amounts.

If you want to give your dog a healthy treat, try this carrot dog treat recipe.

How to Add Persimmon into Your Dog’s Diet

Buy Dog Treat Recipe Books on Amazon

Dogs can eat raw and cooked persimmon as long as it’s ripe, but if you’re going to cook some, don’t add sugar or spices (some spices, such as nutmeg, are dangerous for dogs).

In either case it’s imperative that you use only ripe persimmons and remove all seeds from them.

Your dog will likely enjoy a few slices of raw persimmon as a treat or lap up the pulpy flesh after baking or poaching it.

Summary

In reality, dogs don’t need to be given fruit in their diets, and the health benefits of any one fruit (even a super-fruit like persimmon) is unlikely to change a dog’s health overnight. That’s not to say that a dog will not benefit from eating persimmons at all.

Persimmons are high in fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals and they taste good too!

Dogs can eat persimmon as long as it’s ripe, but they should only really be given it as a treat. Excessive sugary fruit in any dog’s diet is likely to lead to weight problems.

Further Reading

• Can Dogs Eat Pepperoni?
• Can Dogs Eat Salami?

Do you let your dog eat persimmon? Or perhaps you have an experience where your dog ate persimmons and had to visit a veterinary professional as a result? Please leave a comment below to let me know.