Apple

The apple is a fruit used in small amounts in some dog and cat foods and treats, supplying fibre including pectin (a soluble fibre), along with water and micronutrients, and its nutritional contribution in a complete ration stays secondary because it is present in low proportion. The apple is sometimes given as a low-calorie treat, in pieces and without pips. A safety point matters here: apple pips contain small amounts of cyanogenic compounds, so although the practical risk from a few swallowed pips is low, it is prudent to remove the core and pips before giving apple, while the flesh itself poses no problem for most animals (veterinary literature). The apple's sugar content invites moderation, especially in an animal that is [overweight](/glossary/overweight) or has [diabetes mellitus](/glossary/diabetes-mellitus), and like any fruit the apple is neither necessary nor essential to dog and cat nutrition, which is met through a complete ration (USDA FoodData Central). The marker: the apple is an acceptable fruity treat in small amounts and without pips, whose value lies mainly in palatability and a modest fibre supply, not a central nutritional role. It sits among the supporting plant extras such as [carrot](/glossary/carrot), [blueberry](/glossary/blueberry) and [pumpkin and squash](/glossary/squash-pumpkin) in the [Petipedia glossary](/glossary).

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