Melon

Melon flesh is on the American Kennel Club's list of fruits dogs can eat. Cantaloupe is described there as nutrient-dense, low in calories, and a good source of water and fiber, which makes a few chilled cubes a reasonable summer treat for most dogs. Three caveats matter. Sugar is the first: AKC calls cantaloupe high in sugar and says it should be shared in moderation, especially with dogs who are overweight or diabetic. The rind is the second, and it is the one that lands dogs in the ER. AKC states plainly that cantaloupe rinds, like watermelon rinds, can cause gastrointestinal upset and become impacted in a dog's digestive tract. Netted cantaloupe rind and the pale firm layer just under it are indigestible, so trim them off and serve only the soft flesh. Seeds are the third: they are harmless in themselves, but AKC advises against feeding them deliberately because they are a choking hazard, so scoop the seed cavity out. Portion it like any treat: keep all treats within 10% of daily calories. One or two one-inch cubes for a small dog, three or four for a large dog, then watch the stool. Too much melon means loose stool from the sugar, water, and fiber, not poisoning. Wash the outside of a whole melon before you cut it, the same as you would for yourself, since cutting drags whatever is on the rind through the flesh. The realistic accident in an American kitchen is not the fruit but the scraps: melon rinds on a cutting board, in an open trash can, or in a compost bucket the dog can nose open, and melon balls at a cookout that a dog inhales whole. If your dog swallows rind and then vomits repeatedly, goes quiet, guards the belly, or stops passing stool, treat it as a possible obstruction and call your veterinarian or an emergency clinic right away. Do not induce vomiting at home and do not reach in to pull anything out.