Can Dogs Eat Guava? Nutrition Facts & Safety Guide

If you recently brought home a bunch of guavas from your local grocery store, you might wonder how to use the tasty fruit before it spoils. Some dogs love to eat fruit as a treat, but how about feeding your pup tropical guava?

Can you feed it to your pup without worrying about it making them ill? We’ll look into all the information you need to know in a moment, but to start with, guava is safe for your dog to eat in moderation. It shouldn’t be something your dog regularly gets each day or even every week. But as an occasional treat, if your dog seems to love the taste of this fruit, it’s totally safe for them to eat guava.

Is Guava Good for Dogs?

Guava contains plenty of beneficial nutrients for humans and dogs! Guava contains plenty of vitamins, especially A, C, and K. In a 100-gram serving, guava contains 228.3 mg of Vitamin C. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and helps boost your dog’s immune system. Guava also contains smaller amounts of vitamins A and K. They can keep your pup’s eyesight, skin, red blood cells, and bones in excellent condition.

Also, 100 grams of guava contains 5.4 grams of fiber. Your dog needs fiber in their diet to help their digestive system function correctly and reduce the chance of them suffering from constipation or diarrhea.

Guava also contains good levels of magnesium and potassium. Magnesium helps your dog’s body absorb other nutrients, but it also helps keep them healthy and relaxed. Potassium is needed to help your pup build strong bones and teeth, but it also keeps their organs in good shape.

What’s Bad About Guava?

So, what’s bad about guava that would stop us from feeding it to our dogs every day? Guava contains quite a large amount of carbohydrates and sugars. Every 100 grams of guava contains 14.32 grams of carbohydrates and 8.92 grams of sugar. Too much sugar in your dog’s diet can lead to obesity, which isn’t good!

Feeding your dog too much guava if they’re not used to it can easily cause an upset stomach, and your dog may vomit or have diarrhea as their gastrointestinal system struggles to digest this new food.

How to Feed Your Dog Guava

It’s best to peel the skin from guava before feeding the soft inside to your dog. Some dogs don’t seem to mind the skin, so try both ways and see which your dog prefers. You can cut it up into small to medium-sized chunks to make it easier for them to eat.

Some dog owners also prefer to remove the seeds, as they can contain a trace amount of cyanide and, if eaten in large quantities, cause diarrhea. Start feeding your dog a very small amount of guava, then watch them over the next 24 hours to see if they have any reactions or adverse effects. If not, you can continue feeding them guava, but we wouldn’t recommend more than 100 grams per week.

If your dog is a particularly small breed, you’ll probably want to feed them a smaller amount. You can try hand-feeding pieces of guava to your dog or sprinkle small chopped pieces over their dinner as a special treat.

Wrapping It Up

Guava is safe for your dog to eat in small amounts. It contains plenty of beneficial vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which can all help your dog feel and look their best.

Guava also contains sugar, so you shouldn't feed your dog too much. It’s best to remove the skins and seeds and feed only a small amount each week. As with any new food, start off feeding a small amount and watch out for signs that your dog is having trouble digesting it. If your dog has cramps, diarrhea, or constipation, don’t feed them any more guava.

See also: 

• Can Dogs Eat Apricots? Nutrition Facts & Safety Guide

• Can Dogs Eat Clams? Are Clams Safe for Dogs? (Vet Answer) 

Featured Image Credit: Anna Kucherova, Shuttertock