Every Smart Dog Owner has had this question in his mind while gulping down lychee or two, “Can dogs eat lychee or not?“.
Sure your mutt is a little crazy and would chow down on almost everything but would lychee really benefit your dog?
The lychee fruit is one of the most sought-after fruits globally. Once you peel off the bright red skin from the fruit, a heavenly little glossy ball of fruit peeks out to greet you.
I know you might be craving juicy lychee yourself, but the vital question remains, “Is lychee safe for dogs to eat?“
Here at Smart Dog Owners, every mutt is unique to us. We recommend that you take a vet’s opinion before introducing anything new to your dog’s diet; this is beneficial in more ways than imaginable, trust me!
Lychee fruit is majorly grown in Asian countries. It’s a fruit loved by millions of people all over the world.
The lychee’s strawberry-red bumpy skin reveals a sweet juicy citreous fruit; it has a very musky aroma that will drive you to eat it more and more.
Can Dogs Eat Lychee?
Lychee is high in fiber, and your doggo will love the taste but giving too much lychee would have him pooping around the clock with an upset stomach. We recommend giving lychee fruit in moderation.
Lychee fruit is a good source of vitamin C for dogs. Dogs need vitamin C because it is an antioxidant. Vitamin C can help improve your dog’s health. Vitamin C in lychee fruit can boost your dog’s immune system. Lychee fruit also provides other nutrients and minerals like vitamin B6 and Potassium.
Can Dogs Eat Litchi (Lychee)?
As we have said before, lychee is primarily grown in Asian countries and probably originated in China. Today’s science knows lychee as Litchi, and it is perfectly safe for dogs to eat in MODERATION.
What is moderation, you might ask? Well, you can give lychee as a treat to your doggo and no more. Twice in a month would be great for your dog!
Lychee comes with a big’ol seed, which might be a choking hazard depending on your dog’s size; you should keep your dog away from the skin and seed of the lychee fruit.
There isn’t enough research on lychee’s skin and seeds to say whether or not they are harmful to your dog, but they don’t provide any benefits either, so it’s best to keep the lychee away from your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Lychee Fruit
Let’s get right down to it, shall we? Can dogs eat the lychee fruit or not? The citreous fruit is a good treat for your dog when precautions are kept in mind.
No skin and no pits (seeds)! If you are in the US of A, the chances are that you might stumble upon canned lychee in your local grocery store.
Canned lychee might not be suitable for your dog. First of all, it will have a ton of preservatives to increase the fruit’s shelf life.
Secondly, added sugar in canned lychee will give an excellent energy booster to the laziest of dogs for a short time.
When you talk long-term about your dog eating canned lychee regularly, well, that is a problem; added industrial products like preservatives and added sugars can cause severe damage to your dog.
For starters, your doggo will be at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, leading to heart disease.
Are Lychees Poisonous To Dogs
Researchers have been testing lychee for a while now, but work is still to be done in this department. What is the quantity at which lychee can prove fatal or damaging to your dog? Nobody knows.
Today, researchers are pretty sure that lychee is beneficial to your dog in small quantities. Three small lychees at a time would be enough for a pup of any size. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of moderation!
How much lychee is bad for my dog? There is not much to go on here. Researchers haven’t found the exact quantity of lychees that can be harmful to your dog but to me, as an experienced DMV, you shouldn’t feed more than six lychees at a time to your dog.
The case is different for unripe lychee. Unripe lychee contains a form of amino acid, Hypoglycin A, that is poisonous to dogs. Unripe lychee looks different from ripe lychee. Unripe lychee is known for causing Jamaican vomiting sickness.
Another problem with feeding unripe lychee to dogs is methylene cyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG). Both MCPG and Hypoglycin A adversely affect your dog’s blood sugar level.
Health Benefits of Lychee
Lychee contains antioxidants such as vitamin C, which strengthens your dog’s immune system. Vitamin C is good for dogs’ health. Whole unripe lychee is not good for dogs’ health as it drastically drops your dog’s blood sugar level.
Vitamin C in lychee fruit can protect your doggo against diseases such as Scurvy. Your mutt needs vitamin C because it helps him fight against canine viral diseases. The 1965 Belfield experiment proved that vitamin C could save your dog’s life.
Michael T. Murray 1996, claimed that vitamin C boosts your dog’s white blood cells. In plain words, vitamin C in lychee fruit is an antiviral and anticancer. Vitamin C in ripe lychee maintains your dog’s collagen health.
Unlike carrots, litchi does not contain vitamin A. Health benefits of lychee for dogs include prevention of dehydration as it contains potassium. Potassium is an essential element in a dog’s diet. Potassium should be a part of a dog’s diet because it is a primary electrolyte for dogs.
A small quantity of fresh lychee can provide your dog with a very small quantity of dietary fiber. Lychee contains a high amount of carbohydrates than dietary fiber for dogs. Lychee does not contain a high amount of vitamins for dogs except vitamin C.
Lychee provides a small number of B vitamins to your dog. B vitamins in lychee are good for your dog’s health. B vitamins in lychee include vitamin B6.
As a tropical fruit, lychee can be good for your dog’s health. There is still a need for research to investigate the health benefits of this exotic fruit for dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Unripe Lychee?
No. It is not a good idea to feed unripe lychee to your dog. Unripe lychee is bad for dog health. Unripe lychee should not be a part of dog food. Unripe lychee can create a lot of trouble for your dog.
It is important that you are able to differentiate between ripe lychee and unripe lychee. Unripe lychee has a different color than ripe lychee. Unlike unripe lychee, ripe lychee can have a pinkish or red color.
Unripe lychee is a source of methylene cyclopropylglycine (MCPG). MCPG can cause hypoglycemia or encephalopathy in dogs.
Hypoglycemia indicates low blood sugar levels in dogs. Unripe lychee has a high amount of Hypoglycin A, which is toxic to dogs.
You should immediately consult your nearest vet if your dog accidentally eats unripe lychee. Unripe lychee is toxic to dogs and can cause an unexpected drop in your dog’s blood sugar level. An immediate visit to the nearest vet can save your dog from a lot of trouble.
Can Dogs Eat Lychee Nuts
The Lychee nut is the soft, translucent white fruit of the lychee when you peel off the skin. This little ball of joy can become troublesome if your start feeding your dog in large quantities abruptly.
With all-new foods that you try out on your dog, start with small quantities.
Keenly observe your dog for a few days before going all-in with the lychee nut as a nice treat if you find any irregularities in your doggo’s behavior like mood swings, laziness, or grumpy.
If you find any problems in your dog’s eating habits or if he’s pooping a little too much, you need to get in touch with your vet and lay off the lychee nut for a while.
Can Dogs Eat Lychee Pits
Are lychee seeds dangerous to dogs? Can dogs eat lychee seeds or pits?
Lychee pits or lychee seeds are definitely a big NO for the doggo. Seeds can be poisonous to dogs, but more importantly, dogs can swallow the seeds whole, leading to a big choking disaster.
Saponin in lychee seed is dangerous for your dog. Like pomelo seed, lychee seed can hurt your dog. Talk about your unannounced visit to the veterinary hospital! Seeds of the lychee fruit can have a very negative impact on the digestive system of your doggo.
If the seeds break apart inside your dog, they can damage the inner lining of the intestines. Feeding Lychee seed to your dog is a bad idea because it can cause intestinal blockage in dogs.
Mostly Asked Question : Can Dogs Eat Plums?
Can Dogs Eat Lychee Jelly
Lychee jelly is a trendy homemade dessert in Asian households. It is made chiefly from coconut powder, lychee, and agar powder. This little dessert is a must-have for young and adults alike.
Dogs can have a tiny amount of lychee jelly made at home under your supervision.
The jelly you find in the kid’s aisle is not the typical homemade version and is loaded with excess sugars and preservatives. Keep it out of your dog’s reach!
It is okay as a one-time deal to give your dog lychee jelly. There is no need to panic if your doggo accidentally ate one. Low in nutrients and high in sugar diets are not recommended for dogs.
Final Thoughts
Can my dog eat lychee? Well, as a rare treat, YES! Your dog can have lychee.
Lychee’s enticing aroma and mouthwatering taste are just too much for us humans to resist, but when it comes to your dog, it is recommended that you feed your dog only a small amount of the heavenly fruit.
Although beneficial for humans, lychee can be proven to be a nuisance for dogs because of its high fiber, and high sugar consistency.
Better play it safe; keep the lychee fruit away from your dog. if your doggo likes it and persists on eating it, start in small quantities at first and gradually increase the amount your dog can handle.
Contact a vet immediately if you find any disturbed eating behavior or your dog falls ill after eating the lychee. I hope this article is a big help to all our Smart Dog Owners.
