What to do if your dog eats crab apples

If you have a crab apple tree at home, you might wonder if the fallen apples are okay for your dog to eat. Crab apples are high in vitamins and fiber but can contain toxins. Thus, most Crab apples are safe for dogs to consume in moderation and in certain parts.

Crabapples and dogs can go together so long as they eat the fruit. However, you will discover The crab apples’ leaves, seeds, stalks, and core can be poisonous to dogs.

In our guide, you can learn more about are crab apples bad for dogs at certain times and how to stop dog from eating crab apples if they are scattered around your yard.

By the end, you’ll have enough information to know the effects and side effects of dogs eating fallen fruits from the toxic crab apple tree without you knowing. (Read Can Dogs Have Mint)

Are Crab Apples Poisonous to Dogs?

Crabapple trees grow many fruits that often fall on the ground. As dogs like to grab these and chew them as they fall from the apple tree in large numbers, you may wonder if they are poisonous to dogs.

Whole crab apples are toxic and poisonous to dogs, yet it doesn’t mean every part of the apple is unsafe for the dogs to eat.

In most cases, just the seeds of crab apples are poisonous. They contain a substance called amygdalin, which, when digested, turns into cyanide, which can cause poisoning if your dog consumes too many when they fall from the apple trees.

The toxins in the seeds can cause diarrhea and vomiting, and small dogs are more prone to suffer from the fruit’s side effects. Thus, if your dogs are keen to eat the whole apples, you need to stop your dog snacking on something that could make them ill.

Although the toxin content is lower than in the crab apple seeds, amygdalin is still present in stems and leaves, so crabapple trees can make your dog ill apart from the fruit flesh.

Why are crab apples toxic?

Amygdalin, a toxin produced by crab apple trees, is a cyanogenic glycoside, which produces cyanide when metabolized. It’s also found in the seeds of apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears, and other fruits.

When a dog eats crab apples, it triggers the amygdalin in the dog’s body to emit cyanide, leading to cyanide poisoning. (Find Weed And Feed Safe For Dogs)

After your dog has consumed the crab apple amygdalin, it will be metabolized into cyanide, a poison that can cause digestive upset, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as cardiovascular issues like low blood oxygen levels, pulmonary congestion, respiratory failure, coma, and even death.

Signs of Crab Apple Poisoning

• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea or loose stools
• Lack of appetite
• Tremors or shaking
• Seizures or coma
• Brick red mucous membranes
• Difficulty breathing
• Dilated pupils

Should your dogs eat crab apples and show any of these symptoms, contact a licensed veterinarian, or you can contact the Animal Poison Control Center.

Should your dog be poisoned by a crab apple, the quicker your dog receives medical attention, the less chance of lasting adverse effects.

Potential long-term effects include eating too many crab apples; dogs can suffer:

• Liver and kidney damage
• Thyroid problems
• Heart disease
• Digestive upset

Can Dogs Eat Regular Apples?

While crab apples make pets sick if they eat all of them, you may wonder about regular apples.

Many canine nutritionist can advise dogs eat apples regularly for a healthy change to their diet. If a dog eats a regular apple, they get many health benefits such as dietary fiber and vitamins.

However, you can find that, like with crab apples, small animals and other pets can end up with an upset stomach if the dog eats the entire apple.

The apple cores of regular apples can be as harmful to your puppy as crab apples. Feeding small portions of apple cores and seeds to dogs won’t do them too much harm, as the cyanide levels are low and quickly metabolized.

What to do with too many apples eaten?

It doesn’t matter if your dog has eaten too many regular apples or a crab apple too many from the floor of your yard. Call your local vet, and they will instruct what to do. One of the first things they can advise is to induce vomiting in your pet to try and reduce the number of apple seeds in your pet’s stomach.

Other advice could be to feed dogs milk, bread, or small amounts of white rice, as such foods slow the digestion of the apple seeds.

Because your dog takes the seeds with the rest of the fruit, they are the most severe issue. To become harmful, though, your dog must chew them first. If your dog ate them whole, the amygdalin would most likely pass through his system without being released.

It would help to monitor your pet to make sure they aren’t eating the seeds.

When your dog eats too much, cyanide builds up in his body, which can lead to a variety of health problems. So, unless you split crab apples apart, make sure they don’t eat them. Then, only a tiny portion of the fruit’s flesh should be offered.

Experts nevertheless advise that you contact your local veterinarian if your dog eats a lot of crab apples. Experts also advise against allowing your dogs to eat leaves and stems, even playing.

How to Stop Dogs Eating Crab Apples

You can find many a dog eats crab apples from around the yard, yet many dogs don’t like the bitter taste of the apples.

However, if your pet has a taste for the fruit, it is challenging to get them to stop eating them in large quantities if they fall from the tree.

Even if they have plenty of dog food, they can take a liking to chew on an apple or other crunchy fruit. (Read Are Succulents Poisonous To Dogs)

If the crab apple tree is close to where your dog walks, you’ll want to pick up the fallen fruit frequently. Then, although it is inconvenient, your pet will not eat the apples behind your back.

1. If you teach your dog the “leave it” command, you’ll be able to halt them if they come across a fallen crab apple. It may take some time to master this command, but it will be worthwhile.
2. Begin by showing your dog a treat and encircling it with your hand. Next, the dog should try to pry your hand open.
3. When your dog has stopped attempting to grab the treat, praise him and give him the treat. This strategy teaches the dog that the reward comes from letting the treat alone.
4. Tell your dog to “take it” when they do well. You can then hold the treat in your open palm once they’ve mastered that step.
5. Tell your dog to “leave it” and then give it to them once they’ve ignored it.

You can tell your dog to “leave it” when they go after the crab apples fallen from the tree once they’ve mastered the command. This command should allow you ample time to remove and discard the fruit.

Once you have trained them, you can cut up regular apples and give the flesh to your dog as a healthy treat.

Benefits of crab apples for dogs

Apples are foods high in vitamins A and C and minerals like calcium and phosphorus. The fruit is also high in dietary fiber, which is helpful when dealing with a constipated puppy. Apples can also make your pet’s breath smelling fresh by removing food residue from their teeth. (Read Is Sedum Poisonous To Dogs)

Stopping dogs from eating the toxic stems and leaves or the fallen fruit if they fall from the tree is the key to stopping your puppy from suffering respiratory congestion or a decreased heart rate, and you panicking you need the vet.

Dogs have been known to eat just about anything you put in front of them, but there are some fruits and vegetables that may be toxic to them, so it’s important to know what they can safely eat and what will harm them.

One common fruit your dog might try to get into is the crab apple tree, but can dogs eat crab apples? Are there any health risks involved?

Keep reading to find out more.

The simple answer is yes, dogs can eat crab apples. In fact, crab apples are quite similar to apples and make a healthy treat for your dog; they contain vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and lots of fiber. While some people consider crab apples to be poisonous, they aren’t dangerous when consumed in small amounts by your dog. As long as you don’t feed them too much and you remove all seeds and stems from crab apples before giving them to your dog, there’s nothing to worry about.

What Part of the Crab Apple Should Be Avoided?

Ok, so your dog can safely eat crab apples and benefit from all the health benefits that come with them, but you need to take special care when preparing crab apples for your furry friend.

As mentioned earlier, you need to remove certain parts from a crab apple before giving it to your pup. They are:

Seeds

The seeds of a crab apple contain a toxin called cyanide that is toxic to dogs. Usually, the seeds will just pass through your dog’s digestive system without causing harm because they need to be chewed for the cyanide to be released.

It is still, however, important that you remove the seeds before giving the crab apple to your furry friend because frequent digestion of these seeds can lead to the accumulation of cyanide within your dog’s digestive system. This is very dangerous.

Core

The core of a crab apple is dangerous to your furry friend because he might choke on it. Rather serve your pup this delicious fruit in slices.

Stem

As with the seeds, the stem of a crab apple contains traces of cyanide. This needs to be removed before giving this fruit as a treat to your furry friend.

What Happens If My Dog Has Eaten Crab Apples?

We’ve established that the flesh of a crab apple is not dangerous for dogs to eat, however, if your dog has consumed a few of these with the stem and seeds included, then there are a few things you should be aware of, and a few things you should do.

Firstly, you should contact your vet immediately. He will be able to advise you on the next steps and he will more than likely advise you to bring your furry friend in.

There are a few things you can look out for to establish whether or not your dog has been poisoned from eating the crab apples:

• Excessive Panting
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Red Lips or Red Tongue
• Dilated Pupils

If you see that your pup is displaying any of these signs, call the vet immediately if you haven’t done so already.

What Are Crab Apples Good For?

A crab apple is a small, tart variety of apples. Small and round, these pome fruits range in color from pale yellow to red and have a flesh that’s crisp yet mealy in texture.

If properly prepared, a crab apple can have various health benefits for your dog. And, your dog might like eating a crab apple provided that he is not put off by the sour or bitter taste.

Due to its fiber content, a crab apple can help your pup if he has an upset stomach. Just don’t feed him too much, otherwise, his tummy will get more upset.

Crab apples will also keep your furry friend’s teeth clean by removing residue off his teeth, and it will also keep his breath smelling fresh.

Conclusion

Yes, dogs can eat crab apples, but you should keep in mind that the fruit, like any other food, may pose a risk to your dog if not prepared correctly or if eaten in large quantities.

Your furry friend can safely eat the flesh of a crab apple, but you should avoid feeding him any of the seeds, the stem, or the core. These parts of a crab apple contain a toxin called cyanide which is very dangerous to dogs if ingested, and the core is a dangerous choking hazard,

I recommend that you simply slice the crab apple into tiny slices and give that to your furry friend. That way, you eliminate the chance of him accidentally eating any of the toxic bits.