Can Dogs Eat Persimmons? Yes, the Ripe Flesh Only

Why ripe persimmon flesh is safe

Persimmons are a sweet fall fruit with fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C. Nothing in the ripe flesh is known to be toxic to dogs, and a Nom Nom guide to persimmons describes the fruit itself as safe for dogs to eat in small portions.

The fruit is high in natural sugar and fiber, though, so too much can cause diarrhea, and it adds calories quickly for a small dog. Like most fruit, it is a treat that sits on top of a complete dog food, never a part of the diet a dog relies on.

Seeds, unripe fruit and blockages

Persimmon seeds are flat, hard and slippery. They are not known to contain the cyanide-forming compounds found in peach and plum pits, but dogs swallow them whole, cannot digest them, and they can cause problems in the small intestine. Several seeds together, or a seed plus fibrous skin, are more likely to stop.

Unripe persimmons, especially the astringent Hachiya type, are very high in tannins, which make the mouth pucker and can upset the stomach. In people and horses, large amounts of persimmon have been linked to hard masses in the gut, so avoid letting a dog gorge on fallen fruit. Dried persimmons are concentrated sugar.

How to prepare persimmons for a dog

Choose a fully ripe fruit: Fuyu persimmons should be firm but give slightly, and Hachiya persimmons should be very soft. Wash it, cut off the leafy top, slice it open and remove every seed. Peeling the skin makes it easier to digest for a dog with a sensitive stomach.

Dice the flesh into cubes sized for your dog, about blueberry size for a 10 lb dog and grape size for a 40 lb dog, or mash a soft Hachiya. Throw the seeds, skin and top into a lidded trash can your dog cannot reach.

If you like to share small snacks, a lick mat or a treat ball makes a little go further and slows a fast eater down.

How much persimmon by dog weight

Tufts University's Petfoodology team recommends keeping all treats under 10% of daily calories, noting a 10 lb dog needs about 300 calories a day and a 75 lb dog about 1,400. A medium persimmon is roughly 120 calories, so portions stay small.

As a guide for healthy adult dogs: under 20 lb, one or two small cubes; 20–50 lb, a few cubes or a thin slice; over 50 lb, up to a quarter of a persimmon. Once or twice a week is plenty, and dogs that are diabetic, overweight or on a prescription diet should only have it with the vet's agreement.

Puppies and backyard persimmon trees

Puppies can taste a small piece of soft, ripe, seedless persimmon once they are on solid food, but there is no need to offer more. They are the most likely to swallow seeds and skin whole, so cut theirs smaller than you think is necessary.

If you have a persimmon tree, as many homes in the South and California do, pick up fallen fruit through the fall. Dogs left in the yard can eat a lot of windfall fruit, seeds and all, and overripe fruit on the ground can ferment or grow mold.

Signs of trouble, and when to call a vet

Eating too much ripe flesh usually means soft stool or diarrhea within a few hours to a day, which settles once the fruit stops. Call your vet if it lasts more than 24 hours, if there is blood, or if your dog seems unwell or stops eating.

After a dog eats seeds or a pile of fallen fruit, watch over one to three days for repeated vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, belly pain, drooling or straining without passing stool. The ASPCA describes how a swallowed food item can lodge in a dog's intestines and need surgery, so those signs mean a vet visit that day.

Other fall fruits and safer swaps

Cored apple slices and plain canned pumpkin are easy fall treats with less sugar to worry about. Pears are fine without the core and seeds. Grapes and raisins are never safe for dogs, and peach, plum and cherry pits carry a poisoning risk persimmon seeds do not, so treat any stone fruit with care.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.