Apple

Conditions and restrictions

Choose a ripe, washed apple. Remove the stem, seeds and firm core completely, then cut the flesh into small pieces. Start with a small amount. All treats together should provide less than 10% of daily calories. Ask your veterinarian first if your pet has diabetes, excess weight, digestive disease, a food reaction or a prescribed diet.

Benefits

A small piece of apple flesh can be a treat if your pet enjoys it. A complete diet should already provide the nutrients they need, so there is no need to add apple for vitamins.

Risks

• A large piece can cause choking.
• Too much apple or unfamiliar food can upset the digestive system.
• Extra treats add calories and displace complete food.

Already eaten — what now?

If your pet ate a little seedless flesh and feels well, remove the rest and observe. Call the clinic after a swallowed core, a large amount, chewed seeds or any part of the tree, and give the species, weight, time and possible amount. Choking, breathing difficulty, weakness, poor coordination, seizures, repeated vomiting or severe pain need immediate help. Do not induce vomiting yourself.

Conditions and restrictions

Offer only a little soft boiled or baked flesh with no seeds, core, sugar, sweeteners, fat or spices. Let it cool and mash or cut it into small pieces. This is a treat, not a replacement for complete food. Ask your veterinarian first if your pet has a medical condition or prescribed diet.

Benefits

A small piece of apple flesh can be a treat if your pet enjoys it. A complete diet should already provide the nutrients they need, so there is no need to add apple for vitamins.

Risks

• A large piece can cause choking.
• Too much apple or unfamiliar food can upset the digestive system.
• Extra treats add calories and displace complete food.

Already eaten — what now?

If your pet ate a little seedless flesh and feels well, remove the rest and observe. Call the clinic after a swallowed core, a large amount, chewed seeds or any part of the tree, and give the species, weight, time and possible amount. Choking, breathing difficulty, weakness, poor coordination, seizures, repeated vomiting or severe pain need immediate help. Do not induce vomiting yourself.

Conditions and restrictions

Do not offer these parts and do not let your pet pick up fallen apples together with leaves or twigs.

Benefits

Seeds, the firm core, stem and leaves provide no useful dietary benefit.

Risks

• Chewed or crushed seeds, stems and leaves can release cyanide from cyanogenic glycosides.
• A typical eating apple contains little of these compounds, so severe seed poisoning is uncommon, but risk depends on the amount and whether the seeds were chewed.
• A core can lodge in the throat or obstruct the digestive tract.

Already eaten — what now?

Remove the rest and call the clinic promptly if your pet swallowed a core, chewed many seeds, or ate leaves or twigs. Give your pet’s weight, the time, the amount and whether the seeds were damaged. Leave for urgent care after breathing difficulty, unusually bright red or blue-tinged gums, weakness, poor coordination, seizures or collapse. One accidentally swallowed intact seed does not usually release cyanide, but ask a veterinarian whether observation is enough. Do not induce vomiting yourself.