Can my dog eat cherries?
Can dogs eat cherries?In moderation
Only a few, without stones or stalks; stones, stalks and leaves are toxic.
Yes, dogs can eat cherries, but only a few and always with the stone removed: the flesh of fresh cherries is safe for dogs in small amounts. Stones, stalks and leaves contain amygdalin, from which hydrogen cyanide forms, and the stones can block the intestine. Berries such as blueberries or strawberries are the simpler choice – they offer much the same with less risk.
How many cherries can your dog eat?
Enter the weight – the amount updates straight away. You can adjust age, activity and neutering below.
How the calculator works
- Daily requirement: Resting energy requirement 70 × 15 kg^0.75 ≈ 534 kcal × factor 1.6 ≈ 855 kcal.
- Treat allowance: at most 10% of that = 86 kcal for all treats combined.
- Calorie limit: 86 kcal ÷ 63 kcal/100 g = 137 g of cherries.
- Guide value for dogs 10–25 kg: 3 × cherry (stone removed) at 7 g each = 21 g (guide value from the source).
- Recommendation: the smaller of the two, rounded down to half portions → 3 × 7 g = 21 g ≈ 13 kcal.
Sources: 10% rule from the WSAVA guide to treats · kcal value: USDA FoodData Central. Daily requirement as in the dog calorie calculator.
Result · 15 kg · Adult
Up to 3
× cherry (stone removed) on a snack day
(≈ 21 g, 13 kcal)
How often: At most two to three times a week, a few cherries with the stones removed – not every day.
Treat allowance 86 kcal (10% of 855 kcal) · 1 cherry (stone removed) ≈ 7 g
Limited by: guide value
Here the guide value for dogs 10–25 kg sets the limit (guide value from the source): at most 3 × cherry (stone removed). In terms of calories, up to 137 g would be possible.
According to PetMD (vet-reviewed): 1–2 cherries for small dogs, 3 for medium-sized and 4–5 for large dogs, each 2 to 3 times a week – stones removed and halved.
This applies if it's the only snack that day – if your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
The app calculates recipes in grams, kcal and portions to suit your dog's weight, age, activity and allergies.Cherries for dogs: amount by weight
| Weight | Maximum per snack day | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | 1 cherry (stone removed)≈ 7 g | ≈ 4 |
| 10 kg | 1 cherry (stone removed)≈ 7 g | ≈ 4 |
| 20 kg | 3 × cherry (stone removed)≈ 21 g | ≈ 13 |
| 30 kg | 4 × cherry (stone removed)≈ 28 g | ≈ 18 |
| 40 kg | 4 × cherry (stone removed)≈ 28 g | ≈ 18 |
- All snacks together no more than 10% of daily calories (WSAVA recommendation). If your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
- Guide value per weight class – small up to 10 kg, medium 10–25 kg, large over 25 kg: According to PetMD (vet-reviewed): 1–2 cherries for small dogs, 3 for medium-sized and 4–5 for large dogs, each 2 to 3 times a week – stones removed and halved.
Emergency note
Swallowed or chewed a cherry stone?
Whether a swallowed cherry stone becomes dangerous depends on your dog's size, the number of stones and whether it bit through them: the amygdalin is only released from the stone when it is chewed. Whole stones are also a foreign body. Call your vet rather than waiting, and don't try to make your dog vomit yourself.
Possible symptoms
- Heavy panting or difficulty breathing
- Strikingly bright red gums
- Dilated pupils
- Drooling
- Vomiting or diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
When to see a vet?
Call your vet as soon as your dog has eaten stones, stalks or leaves, and tell them the amount, your dog's weight and whether it chewed. Difficulty breathing, bright red gums or dilated pupils mean an emergency: go to your vet or an animal hospital straight away.
In an emergency: call your vet or an animal hospital
Outside opening hours, an emergency vet service or an animal hospital can help. Note down the amount, the time and the packaging, and don't try to make your dog vomit yourself. Poison information centres mainly advise on poisoning in people and only help with animals when they have capacity – the first point of contact for your dog is your vet.
What's in it
- Contains antioxidants, vitamin C and fibre.
- A cherry with the stone removed provides only about 4 kcal (around 63 kcal per 100 g).
What to watch out for
- Stones, stalks and leaves contain amygdalin; when the stones are bitten through, hydrogen cyanide can be released.
- Stones and whole cherries can cause choking or block the intestine, especially in small dogs.
- Cherries are high in sugar; they are not suitable for dogs with diabetes or excess weight.
- Too many can cause vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal pain.
- Cocktail cherries and cherries from a jar or tin contain a lot of sugar and additives.
- Under cherry trees, dogs can easily get at fallen fruit, stones and all.
How to prepare cherries
How to do it
- Use only fresh, ripe cherries and wash them
- Pull off the stalk and remove the stone completely, ideally with a cherry stoner
- Halve or quarter the cherries, especially for small dogs
- Dispose of stones and stalks straight away, out of your dog's reach
Better not
- Whole cherries with the stone still in – never
- Cocktail cherries or cherries from a jar or tin
- Leaving your dog unsupervised under a cherry tree
- Cherries if your dog has diabetes or is overweight
How often?
At most two to three times a week, a few cherries with the stones removed – not every day.
Frequently asked questions about cherries
Can my dog eat cherries with the stone in?
No. The stone contains amygdalin, which can release hydrogen cyanide when it is bitten through, and it can get stuck in the intestine. Only give the flesh, with the stone removed.
My dog has swallowed a cherry stone – is that dangerous?
That depends on your dog's size, the number of stones and whether it chewed them. To be on the safe side, call your vet and watch for difficulty breathing, bright red gums, dilated pupils, vomiting or abdominal pain.
Can my dog eat cherry stalks or leaves?
No. Stalks and leaves also contain amygdalin. If your dog has eaten some, watch it for breathing problems, bright red gums, drooling and vomiting, and call your vet if you notice any of these signs.
Can dogs eat sour cherries?
The same rules apply to sour cherries: the ASPCA lists cherries (Prunus) as toxic to dogs because of the stone, stalk and leaves. If you give the sour flesh at all, give it only with the stone removed and in very small amounts.
Can dogs eat cocktail cherries or cherries from a jar?
No. Cocktail cherries and preserved cherries aren't toxic, but they contain a lot of added sugar and preservatives. If you give cherries at all, make them fresh ones with the stones removed.
Can puppies eat cherries?
Yes, a small piece with the stone removed. Puppies have a more sensitive stomach, though, and the sugar affects them more strongly than adult dogs – so be especially sparing.
Can my dog eat cherries every day?
No. PetMD recommends a few cherries with the stones removed at most two to three times a week, because they are high in sugar and can upset the stomach.
How many cherry stones are toxic to a dog?
There's no fixed number. What matters is your dog's weight, the number of stones and whether it bit through them. Because hydrogen cyanide is dangerous even in small amounts, talk to your vet about every case.
Why do some sources advise against cherries altogether?
Because stones, stalks and leaves are toxic, and it's easy to miss a stone. The AKC counts cherries among the fruits you're better off not giving at all; PetMD considers the flesh safe in small amounts once the stone is out. If you're unsure, choose berries instead.
What should I do if my dog has eaten cherries from the tree?
Assume it has eaten stones and stalks as well. Call your vet and watch for dilated pupils, difficulty breathing and bright red gums – these are emergency signs.
Similar foods
- YesFruitBlueberryFresh or frozen, washed and without sugar, in small amounts.See the answer
- YesFruitStrawberryWashed, without the leaves and stalk, and cut into small pieces.See the answer
- In moderationFruitRaspberryFresh or frozen, without sugar and only a few berries a day.See the answer
- YesFruitBlackberryWashed, without stalks and in small amounts.See the answer
- In moderationFruitPlumOnly the flesh, stone removed, in small pieces; the stone is dangerous.See the answer
- In moderationFruitPeachFresh flesh without the stone, stalk and leaves, in small pieces.See the answer
Sources
- Can Dogs Eat Cherries? Benefits, Risks & Safe Serving Tips – PetMD (vet-reviewed)
- Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Cherry – ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Fruits and Vegetables Dogs Can or Can't Eat – American Kennel Club (AKC)
- Cyanide Poisoning in Animals – Merck Veterinary Manual
- Vergiftung beim Hund: Richtig helfen – aber wie? (Presseinformation 30/2012) – Bundestierärztekammer
- Cherries, sweet, raw (SR Legacy, FDC 171719) – USDA FoodData Central (kcal value)
- Feeding treats to your dog – WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee (10% rule in the calculator)
Reviewed on · DoggoMeal editorial team
This page is no substitute for veterinary advice. Dogs with pre-existing conditions – for example of the kidneys, liver or pancreas, or with diabetes – and dogs with allergies often need their own rules. If your dog has symptoms or you're unsure, ask your vet.
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