Can dogs eat Kiwano melon?

Overview

Also known as the Horned melon, Jelly melon, or Spiked melon, store-bought Kiwano melon is not known to be toxic to animals. However, some varieties have a bitter taste; these melons might be toxic to dogs. In addition, the Kiwano melon has many seeds that are a choking hazard; and it is almost impossible to deseed the fruit.

Benefits

Kiwano melon contains essential vitamins and minerals that promote good health, including vitamin C, vitamin B, zinc, lutein, and folic acid. It also has high fiber content, which is beneficial to dogs’ digestive systems.
Kiwano is rich in antioxidants that help protect against cell damage.
Kiwano melon is not high in sugar. It has a low glycemic index, which means it will not cause a spike in blood sugar in diabetic dogs.

Risks

Some varieties of kiwano melons have a bitter taste, which can be toxic to dogs and other mammals.
Kiwano melons have many seeds, and it is very challenging to deseed the fruit.
The rind and seeds of kiwano melons are not known to be toxic to dogs; however, they can be a choking hazard.
Kiwano melon tastes similar to cantaloupe when ripe. Although some dogs love to eat cantaloupe, they may not like the bitter taste of kiwano.

Servings

Most store-bought kiwano melons are not known to be toxic to dogs; however, considering all the potential risks, it is better to be on the safe side and not feed horned melon to your dog.