Can Golden Retrievers Eat Orange?

Are you crazy about eating citrus fruits, especially oranges? Do you think you should give oranges to your Golden Retriever too? Are they safe for your puppies? Can dogs eat oranges? If you have similar confusions in your mind, you’re at the right place to find these answers.

According to most veterinarians, oranges are always good for your pal in small quantities. So which means, Yes! You can happily treat your "Charlie" or "Bailey," your lovely dogs, the yummy oranges without any worries. Oranges are full of vitamin C, which is extremely helpful for strengthening your dog's immune system. 

Let's talk about feeding orange to your Golden Retriever and dig in deeper to find all the answers to questions popping in your head.

Benefits of Giving Orange to Your Pup

Oranges are packed with lots of antioxidants and nutrients. They are rich in Vitamin C, beta-carotene, fiber, iron, and potassium while low in sodium, making them a healthy snack for your furry friend.

There are multiple advantages of oranges for your Golden Retriever. From boosting immunity to rejuvenating skin, preventing hair loss, improving sperm quality, lowering cholesterol, and improving brain function, they do wonders. This simply means making your dog eat oranges is just not a treat to his tongue but health, too.

Is Vitamin C in Orange suitable for your Golden Retriever?

Vitamin C is beneficial in improving the immune system and maintaining a healthy balance of nutrients in all the animals and of course, for dogs also.

Oranges are best known as Vitamin C "Power House," and dogs also produce it naturally in their body. Well, if your Golden Retriever already produces lots of this vitamin, "Why should you feed oranges to your dog?" When your dog is anxious, stressed, or involved in extreme physical activities, it'll be difficult for its liver to produce the required amount of vitamin C. 

Besides this, when your fur baby turns into an older furry pal, he can suffer from liver damage or other liver diseases. Under such conditions, you really need to treat your dog with natural foods rich in vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. So you don’t have to worry about it accumulating in your homie’s body. Whenever there is any excessive Vitamin C in your dog’s body, it’ll simply urinate out.

Some health experts also say that if your dog has ingested any oxidative toxin like glycol or propylene, munching an orange will be very beneficial for your paw pal as it eradicates the toxicity of that chemical substance very quickly.

Which Types of Oranges are good for Golden Retrievers?

There are different types of oranges, and finding out which one will be best for your pooch is good to know beforehand. Usually, seedless varieties like, “Navel oranges” are best to use in order to save your pup from eating seeds. Mandarins are also a good option. 

Avoid using the oranges at the very start and end of the season. As they are not ripe completely or are over- citrus. While at the end of the season, they are artificially preserved using harmful chemicals. Thus, if you want to ensure its health, it is important to ensure the fruit's quality first.

Are Orange peels safe to eat for Golden Retrievers?

Golden Retrievers must not be treated with orange peels as they can upset the gastrointestinal tract of your pup. Not only are they hard to digest, but the bitterness of the peels, the acidity, and the oils in them can also cause other health issues.

Orange peels, sometimes can also cause obstruction or choking hazards for your dog, especially in cases you don't keep oranges out of the dog's reach.

According to a senior nutritionist, a dog should not eat more than two slices of orange a day. This can also be 10% of the total calories intake of your dog per day. Never make your dog over-eat oranges as prevention is better than cure, or otherwise, your Golden Retriever might not take it.

How to prepare orange for Golden Retriever?

When you want to introduce an orange to your dog, consult your veterinarian first. Once he Okays, start with minimal amounts. Try to feed a single section in the start to see the reaction of your dog and the side effects like vomiting or diarrhea. 

In case the dog doesn't experience any side effects, continue it, but you must avoid over-feeding, of course.

Oranges are best for your pup if you give them in moderation. Whenever you plan to prepare oranges for your dog, follow these simple steps carefully not to let them become damaging for your dog.

• Remove the leaves and stem. 
• Peel the orange.
• Clean the white strips of skin from the orange and split the fruit open.
• Separate the slices of orange, keep two of them. What about the other slices? Well, treating yourself with good foods is always an option, right?
• Open those two slices and gently press them to remove out the seeds.
• Cut the slices into small pieces and serve them to your dog or freeze them as a summer snack.

Which orange recipe is best for Golden Retrievers?

Thinking of treating your dog with the most delicious orange recipes? Not bad! 

The best recipe is to use orange in the fruit salad of your dog. Don’t like it? Well, I have few other options, too. Some scrumptious recipes include orange squash, orange ice-cream, frozen summer delight, and orange cake, etc.

Can I use preserved orange for my Dog?

You can use stored fruit for your whelp when there is no season of oranges. Orange slices can be better preserved in your freezer in plastic bags having small vets. But beware and check in advance if the fruit is rotten inside before feeding it to your pal.

But mostly, nutritionists suggest using fresh fruits rather than off-season fruits. Fresh fruits are more natural and healthy to eat. Stored fruits are also discouraged because of the fact they are most of the time preserved chemically. So, always go for fresher oranges!

What About Orange Juice or Artificial Flavors?

It is not recommended to give orange juice to your fur homie. It is because orange juice is very concentrated and contains high amounts of sugar and citric acid. So, it can be unsafe for diabetic dogs, or it can also lead to gastrointestinal issues.

Moreover, giving artificial and flavored food to your dog is never a wise decision as it is unnatural and sometimes full of harmful chemicals. Other than the dog enjoying his treat, there are also a few health benefits too.

Some of the dangerous chemicals include food dyes, carrageenan, ethoxyquin, BHT, and sorbitol. As long-term side-effects, they can lead to allergic reactions, intestinal inflammation, kidney and liver damage, and in some cases, cancer. Believe me, you would definitely not want your dog to go in there!

How can orange be bad for Golden Retrievers?

Orange can be unsafe for your pup if you serve them in large amounts. High levels of sugar in oranges can cause issues for diabetic or overweight dogs. Citric Acid and oils can cause other digestion problems. While orange stems and peels can cause choking hazards to your dog.

Orange Toxicity in Dogs 

If not appropriately prepared, oranges can cause toxicity in the body of your Golden Retriever. The fleshy and juicy part of oranges is the only safe portion for them. Never treat your pup with orange leaves, stem, peel, seeds, white skin, or oil. Otherwise, they can cause acidity or choking hazards.

If you notice the symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, drooling, or appetite loss, these can be the warnings of orange toxicity.

Treating Orange Toxicity

Once you start noticing the symptoms, contact your veterinarian and ask him to give a medical examination to your Golden Retriever in order to know the severity of the disease and its causes before recommending the best treatment.

Note: It is always recommended to contact your veterinarian immediately after you notice the symptoms in order to avoid any severe issues.

Other Citrus Fruits

Well, that varies with the conditions of your dog. But fruits like tangerines, clementine, and grapefruits are suitable for your pooch if given in limited amounts. 

While fruits like limes and lemons are not safe, they contain high amounts of acids and can cause gastrointestinal issues.

Clementine and Tangerines

Mandarins are a type of orange that is slightly different from a regular orange, and they are flat on both ends. Clementine and tangerines are their hybrids. They are high in sugar so, you should avoid giving them to your dog if he is diabetic. Normally, it is recommended to provide a whole fruit to a bigger canine and half of the fruit to a smaller canine.

Final Thought

Be it orange or any other fruit, it is always a good option to treat your pet with different flavors. Fruits are always a healthier choice for them than any other artificial flavored ones in the market.

Now that your questions have been answered about feeding oranges to your Golden Retriever, are you ready to enjoy your next “Orange Party” with your fur baby?

Try them out and find which orange recipe was your pooch’s favorite and how he likes to be treated with them. Good luck with an Orangy Season this year!