Apple

Apples contain water and fibre and are low in fat. The edible flesh can be offered in small, thin pieces after the core and seeds are removed. Age or a kidney or joint condition does not by itself make apple an appropriate treat. For a dog with a medical condition or prescribed diet, check suitability with the treating veterinarian. Prep comes down to two steps: lose the core, lose the seeds. The core is fibrous and firm and is a choking and obstruction hazard, especially if you hand a dog a whole apple and let it chew straight through the middle. Apple seeds contain amygdalin, which releases a small amount of cyanide when the seeds are crushed. In practice the risk from a handful of seeds is low, so if your dog got into a core, watch rather than panic. That is not a reason to feed seeds deliberately or to leave a chewed core within reach. The skin can stay on. Wash the apple under running water first to get the wax and surface residue off, and peel it for a dog with worn teeth or a very small mouth. Cut the slices small enough to swallow safely. Keep all treats inside 10% of daily calories. Apples pair sugar with fibre, so an over-generous helping produces diarrhoea. Skip the processed forms entirely: apple juice and sweetened applesauce add sugar with none of the fibre, and apple pie, caramel apples and cinnamon-baked apples add sugar, fat and spice. Nothing in the fall dessert aisle is a dog treat. If your dog swallowed a core or a large chunk and starts choking, or afterwards vomits repeatedly, goes quiet, guards the abdomen or stops passing stool, that points to an obstruction and needs a veterinarian or an emergency clinic immediately. If you are unsure how much was eaten or what else was in the dish, your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 can advise. Do not induce vomiting at home.