Can dogs eat avocado
Can Dogs Eat Avocado?
Avocados can be as a nutritious and delicious snack for humans, but can dogs eat avocado? The answer is yes and no. Avocados contain persin, a fungicidal toxin that can cause serious health problems even death in many animals. Dogs may be more more resistant to persin than other animals, but that doesnt mean you should feed them to your dog or that avocados are safe for them to consume.
Can Dogs Have Avocado?
Persin is present in avocado fruit, pits, leaves, and the actual plant. All of these parts are potentially poisonous to your dog.Exactly what amount of persin is lethal isnt known. In large amounts, it can cause vomiting in dogs, doggy diarrhea, and myocardial damage (in humans, this is another name for a heart attack).
Avocado fleshs high fat content can lead to gastrointestinal upset and pancreatitis in dogs if they eat too much. Because the avocado is calorie-dense, consuming one can also lead to weight gain. Another concern is the stone at the center of the fruit, which may cause a dog to choke.
Keeping Avocado Away From Dogs
If you frequently bring avocados into your home, make sure to educate the other members of your household about the dangers of feeding these and other human foods to pets. You may even want to print out a list of fruits and vegetables dogs can and cant have to keep on your fridge. If your dog tends to get into the trash, invest in a dog-proof garbage can, so that your dog cant rummage around when you arent looking.
Its also worth finding some dog treats that your pet might enjoy instead of avocado. You can also bring avocado into your home by choosing a dog bed shaped like an avocado. Take advantage of avocado oils moisturizing properties by trying dog shampoos that contain avocado oil or a dog-friendly detangler with avocado oil and omega-3s.
Can Dogs Eat Avocado? Here's Everything You Need to Know
Here's a breakdown of everything you need to know about safely feeding your dog avocado.
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Pro tip: The right pet insurance policy can be a lifesaver in case of food poisoning. When faced with costly vet bills, pet parents who have insurance are better equipped to make decisions based on what is best for their dog rather than how it will impact their bank account.
Is avocado safe for dogs?
One of the reasons why avocados are popular is because they are rich in nutrients with known health benefits in humans. These benefits have been extrapolated to dogs. The list of nutrients found in avocados includes:
- Vitamins C, B6, B3, E, and A, which are good for skin and coat health, stronger bones, eyesight, and digestive health, among other things.
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are responsible for a shiny and healthy coat.
- Niacin, folate, antioxidants, and potassium, which might help fight various diseases, including some types of cancer.
- Avocados also contain good fat, which may help lower cholesterol, but only if given in small amounts.
So, the bottom line is that avocado offers great nutritional value, and when certain parts of the fruit are given in small amounts, it won't harm your dog. In fact, avocados are often found on the ingredient list in certain brands of dog food. However, this doesn't mean that the fruit comes completely risk-free.
(Image source: DogTime)
When is avocado bad for dogs?
The flesh is the safest part for your dog, but it is not risk-free. Pet parents should avoid giving large amounts of avocado flesh and never feed other parts of the fruit as they can cause toxicity or pose other health risks due to their high-fat content and the size of the pit. Always consult your veterinarian before you give your pet avocados or other human foods.
High-fat content
One of the main nutritional benefits of avocados is that they contain healthy fats. However, too much fat can be dangerous for your furry pal. Dogs who consume large amounts of fat are at risk of developing pancreatitis, which can sometimes result in the need for hospitalization. Also, some dogs have medical conditions that require low-fat diets, while others might develop GI upset, diarrhea, or vomiting if they eat too much avocado.
Risk of allergies
As with other human foods, theres a chance that your furry pal will be allergic to avocados. If you notice signs like sneezing, coughing, hives, diarrhea, gas, or itchy rashes, stop feeding your pet tomatoes and contact your veterinarian. In rare cases, an allergic reaction might lead to anaphylaxis.), a potentially life-threatening condition. Signs such as swelling, hives, and difficulty breathing can be signs of a severe allergic reaction and should prompt you to seek emergency veterinary care.
Avocado toxicity
Persin is a toxin present in the avocado pits, leaves, skin, and the actual plant, so all these parts are potentially toxic to pets. Small amounts of this toxin are also present in the fruits flesh. Exactly what amount of persin is lethal is not yet known but in large amounts, it can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and myocardial (heart muscle) damage.
The good news is, while this toxin can be lethal to birds, goats, cattle, and horses, dogs are more resistant to persin. Your dog would have to ingest a large number of avocados to experience toxic effects. Still, its better to stay on the safe side and keep your dog away from the avocado plant, as the concentrations of the toxin are higher in the stem, pits, bark, and leaves.
Avocado pit
When it comes to avocados, the greatest danger for canines is the avocado pit. The avocado pit (or avocado seed) contains persin, but even more importantly, it presents a choking hazard and potential for GI obstruction. While choking is rare in pets, it is a life-threatening emergency if the pit becomes lodged in the airway or esophagus.
Even if the golf ball-sized pit gets to the stomach without incident, it can lodge in the GI tract and cause an intestinal blockage, which requires emergency surgery to treat.
Pro tip: If your pet ingests an avocado pit, contact your vet right away. It is also a good idea to stay on the safe side with a pet insurance plan, which can cover unexpected costs. In the event something does happen, you can take comfort in knowing your dog is protected.
Can dogs eat avocado oil?
Avocado oil contains omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, which help reduce inflammation in the body. Because the pit, skin, stem, and leaves of avocado arent safe for dogs, avocado oil is a risk-free way to reap the benefits of this fruit. Avocado oil does not contain persin and is considered non-toxic to dogs.
However, just like the avocado fruit, avocado oil contains high levels of fat, so you should only feed it to your dog in small quantities and consult your veterinarian before administering it.
(Image source: Pet WebMD)
Can dogs eat guacamole?
As mentioned earlier, the avocado fruit itself is safe for your canine companion to eat in small quantities, but when it comes to guacamole, you should be more careful. While this avocado dip is delicious, it contains several ingredients that can be harmful to canines, including garlic, onions, and salt.
These foods can cause many problems, ranging from an upset stomach to serious poisoning. Garlic and onions are especially dangerous for dogs and if consumed in larger quantities, they can cause kidney failure and organ damage.
Safer fruit and vegetable alternatives
While avocados have the potential to offer some health benefits, the same benefits can be obtained from other foods that contain lower levels of fat.
If youre looking to supplement your dogs diet with healthy vegetable treats, you can choose from a wide variety of options, including:
Cabbage, brussel sprouts, and broccoli can also be fed to dogs, but only in small quantities as they can irritate their stomachs and cause gas.
When it comes to fruits, pet parents should be more careful. Most fruits contain high levels of natural sugar, which is why they should only be fed occasionally and in moderate amounts. The list of dog-safe fruits includes:
Be sure to remove the skin and seeds from all fruits before offering them to your four-legged family member.
Can Dogs Eat Avocado Safely?
If youre the kind of person who puts guac on everything, youre probably wondering if you can share some with your pup. So, can dogs eat avocado?
Its kind of complicated. All parts of the avocado the stem, the peel, the pit and even the flesh contain a fungicidal toxin called persin. The flesh of the avocado (aka the edible part) contains less persin than the other parts of the fruit, so you shouldnt panic if your pup has a small slice or two.
While tiny amounts of avocado flesh are technically OK, youd still have to be really careful about it.
We spoke with Dr. Linda Simon, a veterinary surgeon and a consultant for FiveBarks, and Dr. Michelle Burch, a veterinarian from Safe Hounds Pet Insurance, to find out about the benefits and risks of avocado for dogs.
Avocado benefits for dogs
According to Dr. Burch, there are some health benefits of avocados for dogs, since the fruit is a source of nutrients like:
- Potassium: good for muscle function, nerve function and fluid balance
- Vitamin B6: maintains and supports a healthy immune system
- Vitamin C: reduces inflammation
- Vitamin E: supports immune health, skin health and vision
While there are some health benefits of avocados for dogs, there are other sources of these nutrients that are safer alternatives, since they dont contain any persin at all.
For example, spinach is packed with vitamin E and potassium. Wheat germ and sunflower seeds are good sources of vitamin B6. Vitamin C is something your dog can actually produce himself, so he typically wont need anything supplemental in his diet for that.
Can dogs eat avocado in certain quantities? How much is too much?
Its hard to say exactly how much avocado is too much, since we dont exactly know how much persin is toxic to dogs. The exact amount of persin that causes dogs' adverse effects is currently unknown but appears to affect dogs less commonly than birds and ruminants [aka animals like goats and sheep], Dr. Burch told The Dodo.
If you really want to give your dog some avocado every now and then, keep that amount super small. A small amount of this fruit is not toxic to your pet, and there is no concern if they eat a few slices, Dr. Simon told The Dodo.
Signs of persin toxicity in dogs
While persin is found in all parts of the avocado, the highest concentrations are found in the leaves, skin and pit, according to Dr. Burch. (But your dog could still develop persin toxicity if he eats too much of the flesh, too.)
If your dog does ingest a poisonous amount of persin, signs of toxicity include:
- Gastrointestinal irritation
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Respiratory issues
- Heart damage (this is super rare)
Even though persin toxicity is rarer in dogs than it is in animals like birds, goats and horses, you should still give your vet a call if your pup gets into your guacamole.
Dangers of avocado for dogs
In addition to the presence of persin, there are a few other reasons why avocados bad for dogs.
The pit is a major hazard
The avocado pit does have higher amounts of persin than the fruits flesh, but the most dangerous thing about avocado pits is that they can cause a serious blockage if your dog swallows one.
Avocado pits are so smooth that they might be easier to swallow by accident than youd think.
The size and shape make it the perfect candidate for causing an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract, Dr. Simon said.
Signs of a gastrointestinal obstruction include:
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Bloating
- Reduced appetite
- Fever
If you notice your dog swallow an avocado pit, bring him to the vet ASAP because that could be a surgical emergency.
Its linked to pancreatitis
If your dog has a history of pancreatitis, the high amount of fat in avocados can actually cause flare-ups.
This is more of a problem in those prone to pancreatitis, who have experienced it before, Dr. Simon said. Ideally, these dogs need to be kept on a low-fat diet.
Can dogs have avocado oil?
While avocado flesh can be OK in small quantities, you should avoid letting your dog have avocado oil.
It also contains persin, but the main concern is actually that avocado oil is high in fat.
This can lead to stomach upset; vomiting, diarrhea and potentially dehydration, Dr. Simon said. In susceptible dogs, there is also a risk of pancreatitis when we feed high-fat oils.
If youre looking for a healthy oil to give your dog, Dr. Burch recommends fish oil instead like salmon oil.
Avocado oil is also lower in the essential fatty acid omega-3 than fish oil, Dr. Burch said. Dogs do not metabolize and benefit from vegetarian sources of fatty acids compared to fish oil.
Can dogs eat guacamole?
When it comes to guacamole, thats one dip you definitely shouldnt let your dog eat. Not even because of the persin content or high levels of fat in the avocado the seasonings and veggies that go into guacamole are often toxic to dogs.
A lot of guacamole recipes will call for diced onions or garlic powder, and both of those ingredients are poisonous for your pup.
These ingredients are toxic to dogs, especially onions and garlic, causing damage to red blood cells, Dr. Burch said.
So while an occasional slice of avocado shouldnt be harmful for your dog, youre definitely going to want to store them somewhere your pup can get into. That way, you wont have to worry about him accidentally swallowing the pit when you arent looking, or eating so much of the fruit (and skin) that he develops persin toxicity.
