Can Dogs Eat Tangerines Safely?

If you’re peeling a tangerine for an afternoon snack, you may be wondering if you can toss your pup a slice or two.

We reached out to Dr. Sara Ochoa, a veterinary consultant with DogLab, to find the answer to the question: Can dogs eat tangerines?

Tangerines, similar to their larger counterparts, oranges, are healthy for your dog to enjoy in moderation.

While your dog will probably love how sweet they are, all that natural sugar is why you should avoid giving tangerines to your pup every day.

But they make a great occasional treat (especially in hot weather) since they’re super hydrating.

“Tangerines are a great source of vitamin C, potassium and other needed vitamins and nutrients,” Dr. Ochoa told The Dodo. Some of these other nutrients include vitamin A, B complex vitamins and fiber.

Since tangerines are rich in natural sugar, too much of them can cause your dog to have gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting or diarrhea.

You should also peel a tangerine before giving it to your pup (and make sure to remove the seeds while you’re at it so they aren’t a choking hazard).

“The peel can cause GI obstruction if your dog eats [it],” Dr. Ochoa said.

Because of the high sugar, your dog shouldn’t have tangerines all the time, but they’re perfectly safe and healthy to have every now and then.

“You should only feed this once or twice a week at most,” Dr. Ochoa said.

If your dog loves tangerines, here are some other healthy snacks she can try:

While tangerines shouldn’t be a daily treat, letting your dog enjoy a slice or two occasionally is perfectly OK.