Yum, yum and more yum. There is nothing better than a ripe cherry, filled with Vitamin C and antioxidants. But can dogs eat maraschino cherries? Yes and no, your dog is ok if they eat one maraschino cherry, but it depends on other types of cherries. To be on the safe side, try and prevent your dog from eating any cherries.
Cherries have cyanide in their pit, which is toxic to dogs, but maraschino cherries have a lot of sugar. Furthermore, cherry pits can be caught in canines’ digestive system.
What Happens If My Dog eats Maraschino Cherries?
How many maraschino cherries did your dog eat? If they ate 1 or 2, they should be ok. But too many maraschino cherries can cause stomach upset for your dog. Maraschino cherries are small sugar bombs for dogs despite their health benefits for humans. There is 2g of sugar in each maraschino cherry.
If your dog regularly eats too many maraschino cherries, it can result in an upset stomach. To be safe, do not let your dog eat maraschino cherries.
What Should I Do if Dy Dog Ate Cherries?
Make sure you know how many maraschino cherries your dog ate. One or two maraschino cherries won’t hurt your dog, but many will.
If your dog ate the pits of regular cherries, there is more reason to worry. Regular cherries have cyanide in their pit. Cyanide concentrations of 0.05g/mL can be fatal to some dogs, within 2 hours or less. Clinical signs of cyanide poisoning:
- Seizures
- Fainting
- Hyperventilation
Immediately contact your veterinarian and Pet Poison Helpline®, at (855)-764-7661, if you suspect your dog ate cherries.
Treatment for Maraschino Cherries
The correct treatment depends on the symptoms. One treatment is to eliminate all maraschino cherries in your dog’s diet.
Treatment for Cyanide Poisoning
There may be an antidote for cyanide poisoning, but it’s not always guaranteed. Your vet may administer supportive care including anti-seizure and anti-vomiting medications, as well as oxygen support.
Prognosis
Your dog should be healthy and happy if you cut maraschino cherries from your dog’s diet. Talk with your vet about the next steps.
The prognosis is much worse for cyanide poisoning, most dogs do not recover. Dogs need immediate vet help when they reach toxic levels of cyanide.
