Can dogs have oranges, tangerines or mandarins?

Yes, dogs can have oranges in small amounts. The flesh of oranges, tangerines, mandarins and clementines is not toxic to dogs, and a segment or two with the peel, pith and seeds removed is fine for most healthy dogs. The limits are sugar and acid, which can upset the stomach, so it is an occasional treat and not one for a diabetic dog without the vet's say.

Can dogs eat tangerines, mandarins and clementines?

Yes, on the same terms as oranges. Tangerines, mandarins, clementines and satsumas are small, sweet citrus fruits with the same makeup. Peel them, pull off the stringy white pith, check for seeds, and offer a segment or two.

Lemons, limes and grapefruit are a different matter. They are far more sour, more likely to cause vomiting, and are best not offered at all.

Can dogs eat orange peels?

No, and the same goes for tangerine and mandarin peel. The peel is tough and hard to digest, and it holds the citrus oils that give the fruit its smell. Those oils irritate a dog's mouth and stomach. A dog who eats peel may drool, vomit or have diarrhea, and a large piece, or a whole fruit swallowed with its skin, can block the gut, especially in a small dog.

The pith and seeds should come off too. The pith is bitter and fibrous, and seeds are a small choking hazard. If your dog stole a strip of peel and seems well, watch for vomiting and loss of appetite over the next day or two. If your dog ate a lot of peel or a whole fruit, call your vet for advice.

Are oranges good for dogs?

They are a reasonable treat, not a health food. Orange flesh is mostly water, with natural sugar, some fiber and potassium.

The vitamin C is the part people overrate. Healthy dogs make their own vitamin C in the liver, so they do not need it from fruit, and there is no need to add vitamin C to an older dog's diet unless your vet has advised it for a specific reason. A complete dog food already covers what your dog needs. The senior pet nutrition guide explains what changes with age and what does not.

How to give a dog orange safely

• Peel the fruit fully and remove the white pith and any seeds.
• Start with one small piece and see how your dog's stomach handles it over the next day.
• Keep it to a segment or two, less for a small dog, and not every day.
• Cut segments into smaller pieces for small dogs and for dogs who gulp.
• Offer it plain. No sugar, syrup, chocolate or seasoning.
• Put peel in a bin your dog cannot open.

Many dogs dislike the smell of citrus and will turn away. That is fine. There is no reason to persuade them.

Orange juice, canned fruit and orange-flavored foods

Skip orange juice. It is the sugar and acid of several fruits with the fiber taken out. Canned mandarins in syrup are too sugary, and reduced-sugar or sugar-free versions of any fruit product, candy, gum or jelly may contain xylitol (sometimes listed as birch sugar), which is poisonous to dogs. Chocolate orange products are toxic because of the chocolate. Orange essential oil is highly concentrated and should be kept away from dogs.

Oranges and older dogs

• Diabetes. A diabetic dog's insulin is matched to a consistent diet, and sugary extras can throw blood sugar off. Do not give fruit to a diabetic dog unless your vet has agreed to it. See diabetes in senior dogs.
• Weight. Older dogs tend to burn fewer calories, and fruit sugar still adds up. If your dog is overweight, fit any treat into the weight plan you have agreed with your vet. If the weight has crept up without a clear reason, read why an old dog gains weight.
• A sensitive stomach. Acidic food is more likely to cause vomiting or loose stools in a dog with a touchy gut, and older dogs dehydrate and recover more slowly.
• Prescription diets. Dogs on a prescription diet for kidney disease, bladder stones, pancreatitis or food allergies should not get extras unless the vet has cleared them. For kidney diets in particular, see what to feed a dog with kidney disease.

Not sure whether your dog counts as a senior yet? The pet age calculator gives their life stage by size.

Call the vet today if

Call your vet, an emergency clinic or an animal poison control line now if your dog has eaten oranges or other citrus and any of these apply:

• Your dog ate a whole fruit with the peel on, or a large amount of peel, and is small or elderly
• Vomiting more than once, or diarrhea that continues into the next day
• A painful or swollen belly, straining, or refusing food
• Choking, gagging or trouble breathing
• Your dog is diabetic and ate a lot of fruit or drank juice, or seems unusually thirsty, weak or wobbly
• The food contained xylitol or chocolate, or you are not sure what was in it
• Your dog licked or swallowed citrus essential oil, or is drooling heavily, weak or trembling after contact with it

This article is general educational information, not veterinary advice. Whether oranges or other citrus suit your dog depends on their size, weight, diet and any condition such as diabetes or kidney disease. Ask your veterinarian before adding fruit to the diet of a dog with a health condition, and contact them or an animal poison control service if your dog has eaten peel, a whole fruit or an orange-flavored product and seems unwell.