Can Dogs Eat Lime Juice? Is Lime Juice Dog-Friendly?

Introduction

Citrus fruits are packed in several nutrients, especially vitamin C, an important antioxidant that can protect humans and animals from oxidative processes like cancer and aging. But can dogs eat lime juice?

Is lime juice safe for dogs? We’re answering this question and more in today’s post, so keep on reading!

Introduction
Is Lime Juice Good for Dogs?
Is Lime Juice Bad for Dogs?
How Much Lime Juice Can My Dog Have?
My Dog Ate Lime Juice. What Should I Do?
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary

Display table of content

Is Lime Juice Good for Dogs?

While we could definitely answer this question in a more complicated manner, the truth is that we can do just as simply — no. Lemon or lime juice is not the best thing that you can feed your dog.

And the reason for that is that they can show a very high number of symptoms after ingesting citrus juice. You probably know by now that these fruits are acidic, so they can’t have any positive effect on your dog’s digestive tract.

But they can cause a wide variety of other problems, which we will all detail in the section below.

We’d say that the only possible benefit from lime juice would be the massive amount of vitamin C it contains. However, safer options do exist, such as apples and carrots, and they are much better for dogs in general.

Is Lime Juice Bad for Dogs?

Yes!

If your dog had a little lime juice, there’s probably nothing you should worry about, but we’re referring to less than 5ml in this case.

However, if they’ve had more than a few licks of lime juice, the best thing that you should do would be to take them to the vet clinic right away.

Toxic substances

Lime juice contains phototoxic compounds that go by the name of psoralens.

These substances might not cause any health issues in people, but they are extremely dangerous for dogs.

The most common likelihood that might happen if your dog has lime juice, especially a large quantity, would be for them to develop liver or kidney failure.

Digestive distress

Psoralens, along with the citric acid, can cause havoc inside your pet’s system, from severe stomach irritations, bloating, and a number of other digestive symptoms to the accumulation of these substances in your dog’s blood, which can be life-threatening.

Skin irritation

Not only is lime juice dangerous for your dog’s internal organs and tissues, but it is just as risky for your dog’s skin.

You might have heard by now that some citrus fruits, extracts, peels, seeds, and even juice, are commonly utilized by people as insect repellents. And while they might prove their worth in this sense, they are dangerous for dogs.

If you make a margarita or any cocktail containing lime juice, make sure you never allow your dog in the kitchen while you are doing so.

If your pet has a scratch on their skin and you accidentally drop lime juice onto the surface, they will experience extreme pain and itchiness at that moment. More importantly, they will try to lick the area to soothe their discomfort, so they will accidentally ingest the lime juice while doing so.

How Much Lime Juice Can My Dog Have?

None!

Lime juice should not be a part of your dog’s diet in any way, shape, or form.

Your dog can get plenty of vitamin C and any other nutrients that lime might contain from their kibble, their canned food, and fresh fruits and vegetables that are safe for this species.

There’s no need for you to give your pet any type of citrus whatsoever, as there are many supplements that can supply them with the same vitamins.

My Dog Ate Lime Juice. What Should I Do?

First of all, do not try to induce vomiting at home unless you have some hydrogen peroxide (3%) available in your pantry.

If your veterinarian hasn’t shown you how to do this before with a safe syringe, do not try to stick things into your pet’s mouth in an attempt to make them vomit.

More often than not, this can result in you causing mouth lesions. Plus, your pet might get upset and withdrawn, or they could try to bite you just to defend themselves.

Take your dog to the animal hospital as soon as possible.

Before the substances that we have mentioned are absorbed into your pup’s blood flow, the specialists at the clinic might induce vomiting safely and might be able to remove most of the lime juice from your dog’s stomach contents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can dogs eat lime yogurt?

No, and for two reasons. Manufacturers often use various parts of the lime fruit when making lime yogurt, so there could be peel, fruit flesh, and seeds added to the recipe, all of which are unsafe for dogs.

On top of that, many dogs are actually lactose-intolerant, so they might experience digestive distress because of the yogurt itself.

Can dogs have cilantro lime rice?

No. While the amount of lime juice that your pet is likely to ingest when eating such food might be lower, cilantro lime rice still isn’t safe enough for dogs

Summary

So, can dogs have lime juice? The answer to this question is a hard no. Smoothies containing lime or lemon are also a no-go, in this case, because they are just as dangerous.

They might be richer in fiber from bananas and other fruit you might add to them, but that doesn’t eliminate the citric acid and the psoralens that we have previously mentioned. For more info on the ideal canine diet, make sure you consult your pet’s vet.