Can dogs eat lime? This is actually quite a strange question. I doubt many owners out there would seriously think that their dog would enjoy eating a lime. The bitter taste is unlikely to appeal to a canine’s palette.
However on the off chance that your dog has eaten a lime and you are here to see if there could be any ill effects, I hate to be the source of bad news but you might have a problem.
Lime (citrus aurantifolia) make the ASPCA (American Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals) toxic food for animals list, and are particularly toxic to dogs. The toxic components are the psoralen compounds and the aromatic oils that reside in both the fruit, skin and the leaves of the lime and the tree.
If you have a lime tree in the garden and you also have a dog, you will need to take steps to ensure your pet cannot get close to the tree and come to some harm.
Dogs Cannot Eat Lime – It is Toxic to Them
Symptoms of lime toxicity in Dogs
If your dog eats a tiny amount of lime, he will normally be o.k. The signs to watch out for are initial vomiting, diarrhoea and overall lack of energy and stamina. Sensitivity to light can also occur. In general your dog will seem under the weather and will not bounce around with energy at the sign of the leash.
However, if your dog has consumed a large amount of lime, you should take them to the vet immediately and before any signs of toxicity if you can. The vet will be able to administer treatment so that your dog can repel the lime they have consumed, thus diminishing the effects of the toxicity before it is able to take hold and make its way through the body.
See how and when to induce vomiting via this Pet Video Library clip
Can Dogs Eat Lime – Any Benefits?
The only benefit is that lime contains high levels of vitamin C. However, with the toxic elements being as pervasive as they are, and the fact all parts of the lime can potentially be harmful to your dog, any benefit completely out weighs the hazards. In short, your dog cannot eat lime.
Goddamn it – keep the dog away from the lime tree
Bottom Line
I think we all know the answer to this, the last sentence above states conclusively. However, while dogs should not eat limes, some of you may have seen the videos on YouTube of owners feeding their dogs this toxic fruit. They do this to see the impact the bitter taste has on their pets.
Before researching for this article and realizing that lime is toxic to pets, I thought the clips were quite amusing. I now think that it would be in bad taste to add any here. I have seen no disclaimers saying ‘no animals were harmed during the filming of this’ and in the knowledge that such fruits are potentially harmful to dogs makes these videos rather nasty indeed.
If you have ever thought about feeding your dog a little lime for a laugh – I would advise that you don’t.