Can Dogs Drink Apple Juice?

In this research you will know the answer to the query “Can Dogs Drink Apple Juice?“.

You should try coming up with creative ways to keep your dog hydrated if he isnot drinking enough water or isnot drinking at all. You remember you have a bottle of Apple Juice in your cupboard which may seem like a healthy choice for your dog. You may want to read this research before you offer your dog some of that Apple Juice. If you’re wondering “Can my dog drink Apple Juice?” Heres a quick answer. 

Can dogs drink Apple Juice? Store-bought apple juice should not be given to dogs since it may contain tons of sugar artificial colors flavors preservatives sweeteners and chemical additives that can upset your dogs stomach cause diarrhea and lead to other health issues. Additionally the apple juice you buy at the store usually contains fruit juice concentrates which is not good for dogs. Apple juice can be occasionally offered to your dog if it is homemade fresh.

We’ll explore everything you need to know about Apple Juice and dogs in this article. We will explain in detail why store-bought apple juice is bad for dogs and how it can negatively impact their health. You’ll also learn how you can naturally add apple juice to your dogs’ diet if they love the taste of apples.

Can dogs have Apple Juice?

Store-bought apple juice should not be given to dogs since most contain fruit juice concentrate chemical additives added sugars or sweeteners and artificial preservatives that can upset their stomachs and cause diarrhea. 

Take a look at how most manufacturers make Apple Juice to better understand why dogs should not drink store-bought Apple Juice. You will also learn why most store-bought apple juice contains artificial flavors and colors in the next section. Theres a good reason for this. 

What’s in Apple Juice?

A majority of Apple Juice manufacturers make Apple Juice using the maceration and pressing process. Apples are broken down using this process and their juice is extracted. After the apple juice has been treated to remove its pectin and starch it is then bottled. 

The Apple Juice is then blended with tons of water and other artificial flavors colors and sweeteners. The artificial flavors and colors are added to the Apple Juice to try to match the natural and natural apple juice flavor and color that consumers expect. Thus no one will doubt the authenticity of the Apple Juice they are about to consume. 

In general Apple Juice sold in stores contains more than 80% water and very little real apple juice. 

However instead of the natural Apple Juice you were expecting many of the popular brands at the store add artificial ingredients such as cane sugar high fructose corn syrup sodium fruit byproducts and juice concentrates to the mix of Apple Juice. 

By pressing the apple to a pulp juice from the concentrate is produced which results in a sticky thick substance. In order to remove the starch the manufacturers will evaporate the water content and this will dilute the natural flavor of the apple juice.   

The process of adding all the unnatural and unnecessary ingredients to Apple Juice is why a lot of store-bought Apple Juice is unhealthy for dogs. If you look at any of the Apple Juice brands found at your local store you’ll notice that they’re high in sugar carbohydrates and calories. 

In fact some manufacturers may add extra flavors and vitamins to their Apple Juice to make it more appealing and to make it a more enjoyable drink for consumers. 

Now lets look at one of the most popular apple juice brands you’ll find at your local grocery store and learn why it is unhealthy for dogs.

Is Apple Juice bad for dogs?

Many store-bought apple juice brands are harmful to dogs. In order to understand why lets take a closer look at the ingredients in one of the most popular Apple Juice brands you can find in your local supermarket.

Tropicana Apple Juice is easily accessible at your local grocery store or supermarket and if you think they’re healthy for your dog just because they’re labeled as natural or 100% juice think again. 

So is Apple Juice safe for dogs?

Apple Juice is not suitable for dogs because of its ingredients and nutritional profile. 

Tropicana Apple Juice contains the following ingredients. 

Tropicana Apple Juice ingredients

• A 100% Apple Juice concentrate (filtered water and focused Apple Juice).
• Natural flavors.
• Ascorbic acid and malic acid.

This product contains concentrates from Germany Austria Italy Hungary Argentina Chile Turkey Brazil China and the United States. 

Nutritional Profile of Tropicana Apple Juice (10 fl oz or 295 ml)

Name Unit	Amount
Calories cal	140
Sugar g	31
Sodium mg	25
Total Carbohydrate g	34
Potassium mg	310
Protein g	1

In this well-known Apple Juice brand we can see from the ingredients list that the juice isnot freshly squeezed from apples.

Apple Juice concentrate isn’t healthy for dogs

The Juice is made from concentrated apple juice which means the natural flavor of the apple juice was diluted and then other natural flavors were added to it. 

There is no indication of what natural flavors these are in the ingredients. The Apple Juice concentrates are from different countries around the world and not just from the United States. Maybe you are confused or concerned about this. In essence the Apple Juice in your hand is not natural nor locally sourced as it is derived from Apple Juice concentrate. 

In addition vitamin C was added to the apple juice to enhance the drinking experience. Vitamin C is derived from both malic acid and ascorbic acid. 

The liver of our canine friends naturally produces vitamin C or ascorbic acid so they do not require vitamin C from their owners. 

Ascorbic acid and malic acid in Apple Juice can cause intestinal distress in dogs

It is important to note that some dogs may experience intestinal distress if they receive excessive amounts of ascorbic acid.

Ascorbic acid can irritate the intestines when taken in large doses. If you know your dog has a drug allergy or hypersensitivity do not give him ascorbic acid-containing food or drinks. 

When dogs consume excessive amounts of ascorbic acid they may experience the following symptoms: 

• Diarrhea.
• Anemia.
• Calculi formation in the kidneys.

Dogs can suffer from diarrhea caused by acidity in general. 

If we take a look at the nutritional profile of Tropicana Apple Juice we see that it contains 140 calories 34 grams of carbohydrate (31 grams of sugar) and 34 grams of fat. 

High sugar content in Apple Juice is harmful to dogs

While the ingredients do not contain sugar or any form of sugar the nutritional profile contains 31 grams of sugar. The high sugar content in such a small bottle of apple juice makes you wonder how it can have so much sugar. Thats because the sugar probably comes from natural flavors. 

Dogs’ blood sugar levels can spike if they consume a lot of sugar such as Apple Juice. In addition sugary drinks and food can cause a whole host of health problems for dogs including: 

• Diabetes.
• Weight gain.
• Canine obesity.
• Metabolic changes.
• Upset stomach. 
• Periodontal diseases such as cavities. 
• In severe cases pancreatitis.

High sodium content in Apple Juice is dangerous to dogs

The sodium content in a 10 fl oz bottle of Tropicana Apple Juice is 25 mg. Although it does not have much sodium for us it does have a lot for our dogs. 

Salt poisoning in dogs can be caused by too much sodium consumption. Here are some signs and symptoms: 

• A swollen tongue and lips.
• Loss of appetite.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Upset stomach. 
• Diarrhea.
• Very thirsty.
• Frequent urination. 
• Difficulty breathing.
• Convulsion.
• Confusion.
• Fever.
• Headache.
• Rapid heartbeat. 
• Weak muscles.
• Loss of coordination.
• Lethargy.
• Seizure.

Therefore before giving any drink or food to their furry family members dog owners should check the ingredients as well as the nutritional profile.

Your supposedly natural Apple Juice contains a lot of sugar and salt. 

Artificial sweeteners such as xylitol in some Apple Juice can be toxic to dogs

In some apple juice brands artificial sweeteners such as xylitol are used in place of actual sugar to make it taste sweeter.

Dogs however are extremely toxic to xylitol. Xylitol poisoning manifests in several ways including: 

• Lethargy.
• Vomiting.
• Jaundice.
• Loss of coordination. 
• Difficulty standing and walking. 
• Collapse.
• Muscle tremors.
• Muscle weakness.
• Seizures (in severe cases). 
• Coma (in severe cases). 
• Death (in severe cases). 

When more ingredients are added to Apple Juice during the manufacturing process the less healthy the Apple Juice is for our dogs.

Is Apple Juice ok for dogs?

Apple Juice should not be given to dogs as we can see. As long as the Apple Juice does not contain toxic ingredients like xylitol your pooch should be fine if it had a few licks of that as well. Also find out how much Apple Juice your dog consumed. 

Please check the ingredients in the apple juice carefully and if it contains any toxic ingredients contact your veterinarian right away. Poisoning with xylitol needs immediate treatment. 

Store-bought Apple Juice is best kept away from your dogs family members in general. 

Is Apple Juice good for dogs?

Dogs should not consume store-bought Apple Juice or many brands of Apple Juice. In your supermarket and grocery stores many apple juices contain high levels of sugar carbs calories and even salt. 

It is even possible that some apple juices contain artificial sweeteners artificial flavors and colors chemical additives and artificial preservatives. This is not something that dogs should consume. 

Healthy and safe alternatives to Apple Juice for dogs

Rather than offering your dog Apple Juice here are some healthy and dog-friendly alternatives. 

Small slices of Apples 

Instead of giving your pets a piece of apple give them actual apples. Apples themselves are delicious and nutritious. Apples contain dietary fiber. It will be easier for your dogs to chew and digest the Apples if you slice them up into small pieces. 

Whenever dogs eat Apple slices the texture of the Apple helps to freshen their breath and clean their teeth. As an added bonus you’ll know that the juice they’re ingesting is from Apple itself. 

Our recommendation is to give your precious pooch a fresh-sliced apple rather than apple juice when they want a crunchy snack. The acidity of Apple Juice (homemade or store-bought) can upset your dogs stomach and fresh fruit juice still contains too much sugar.

Ensure that the Apple seeds and pit are removed. 

Dogs can also eat turnips in moderation since they are nutrient-rich low-calorie delicious and low in calories.

Water is the best way to hydrate your dog

It is true that “simplicity is the key” in this case. Try offering your pooch plain fresh cool water instead of apple juice. Water keeps your pooch hydrated and healthy. 

What Can Dogs Drink Besides Water? is the perfect resource if your dog isnot feeling like drinking water or needs an extra boost of hydration. Learn what else your dogs can drink other than water. 

These are what I offer my dogs whenever they want a crunchy snack. Whenever I get these snacks for them they wag their tails and spin around in circles with excitement. 

So can dogs drink Apple Juice?

We can see from this research that our four-legged friends should not drink apple juice. Our canine friends need nutritious food that is low in calories and sugar if they are to remain safe and healthy. 

Drinking water is the best choice for our dogs when it comes to drinks. Our dogs need water to stay hydrated and healthy which apple juice does not provide. Apple juice on the other hand contains a lot of sugar calories carbohydrates and even salt all of which are not good for our dogs. 

It is best to keep Apple Juice away from our canine friends for these reasons.

If you want to read more about dog food tips read here: Dog Food Tips and Tricks.

Can Dogs Drink Apple Juice? (Watch Video)