Is The King of Fruits – Durian, Safe to Consume for Our Furry Four-legged Pets?

Can you smell it? Yes, that pleasantly sweet fragrance (or to some, the overpowering distasteful odour) that could be smelled from afar.

That’s right, you guessed it, we are talking about the King of Fruits – durians! Coincidentally, it is also the durian season, and I am sure durian fans are taking this time to indulge in their beloved fruit!

Having said that, do you know your furry four-legged family members – dogs and cats, would also love to be treated to the King of Fruits? I dare not say all dogs and cats would love durians just like us, not everyone fancies it too, but surely, durians are safe to be consumed by our four-legged pets.

To ensure durians are safe for both dogs and cats, I recently had the opportunity to speak with veterinarian Dr Susanna Santhiram–Hofherr who runs Asia Paws veterinary clinic to get her insights regarding the matter.

“Durians, like any natural and unprocessed edibles are generally safe and much preferred to any industrial-manufactured pet food/treats. The fruit is a treasure trove of minerals such as potassium, iron, magnesium dietary fiber, as well as providing nutrients like vitamin C, folic acid, thiamine B6 and vitamin A. That said, durians would be good as a natural treat that would complement a diet by ingredients that support blood cell building, the immune system, digestion as well as emotional well-being,” Dr Susanna said.

However, she added that durians are also rich in calories due to the high sugar and carbohydrate content.

Dr Susanna said that feeding too much durian or any kind of sweet fruits such as bananas, ripe mangoes etc. in one sitting could spike the sugar levels in both dogs and cats.

The defining factors of how much durian flesh (never feed them with the seed as it contains trace amount of cyanide) is okay for your dogs or cats are:

1. The actual body weight and “Body Condition Score” – how much muscles versus fat are stored in your pet’s body.
2. Your pet’s energy metabolism rate and activity levels.

• Health and functionality of blood sugar converting organs and systems such as the insulin produced by the pancreas, adrenal gland and thyroid gland functionality and well-being.

And as a rule of thumb, she recommends to initially give small amounts – a teaspoon of durian flesh to medium-sized dog and observe how they react to it. Observe if your pet is excessively thirsty after consuming it.

Additionally, check your pet’s stools after digesting the durian treat – check if it is a little moist or very soggy or even unformed and fluid like cirit-birit (diarrhoea). Meanwhile, take notice if there are any skin eruptions as this may be due to “heat” build-up which can affect some pet’s liver detox mechanism.

“In hindsight, be smart and do not let your dog or cat’s tastebuds alone dictate the amount of durian flesh or durian treats be devoured in one sitting. Always start with small amounts and observe how your furbabies react and use what you have learned about their digestion of the durian flesh or treats,” she said.

She added that to provide plenty of fresh water in a bowl (with ice cubes too) or if available, fresh coconut water to encourage your pets to drink and “cool down” after their durian treats.

So, now with the knowledge that durians are safe (with control, of course) for your furry four-legged pets, do you think they would enjoy the King of Fruits?

And if you’re interested to get some durian treats for your pets, do check out Barkery Oven’s Durian Collection.

Both of our Durian Biscuit and Durian Pawffin are made with pure durian flesh with no artificial flavouring to enhance the durian aroma. The treats are also baked with wheat-free flour which makes them suitable for sensitive dogs and cats.

And why did I decide to “spice” things up? It is because I was in the middle of looking for new inspirations when my sister decided to connect me with a friend who owns a private durian farm. And that was my lightbulb moment as I know dogs (and possibly cats) love durians, so why not make durian treats right?

Looking at how durians are seasonal, this would also mean Barkery Oven’s treats are seasonal and are produced in limited quantities. With that in mind, do not be left out and get your dogs and cats their durian treats today!

Barkery Oven’s The Durian Collection includes:

Durian Biscuit – RM30 for 180g

Durian Pawffin – RM18 for 16 pcs

*While stocks last.