Can Dogs Eat Avocados? – Risks & Avocado Dog Food Products

Yes, it is good for your dog as it provides some potential benefits to your pooch when given in a small portion. Even a little amount of avocado will make your dog’s coat shiny and support its skin health as well.

In addition, certain nutrients in this fruit provide a lot of benefits to dogs. Avocados also contain “good fat,” which may help to lower cholesterol in dogs.

Benefits Of Avocado

Avocados are a good source of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, as well as fiber that can aid in your dog’s digestive health and help to fight cancer as well.

Omega fatty acids are also good anti-inflammatories and the antioxidants in it may support the dog’s immune system.

So, avocado is a good fruit to get your dog plenty of healthy nutrients.

Although avocados provide a few health benefits to dogs, it is advisable to avoid feeding them to your dog.

They contain “persin,” a chemical which in large quantities can be poisonous to most animals including dogs. In large amounts, persin can cause vomiting and diarrhea in canines.

Avocados may also cause other side effects in dogs. Let’s look at those potential side effects caused by avocado in dogs.

Potential Side Effects of  Avocado in Dogs

A major potential problem with feeding your dog avocado is the amount of fat in them. Experts say that the high-fat content in avocados can trigger pancreatitis in dogs, which can be severe and even a life-threatening problem in dogs.

Vet experts also indicate that persin, a toxin in avocados, can potentially cause gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting in dogs. In addition, the flesh of an avocado is okay for a dog to eat and you should never feed the avocado pit to it.

The avocado pit is the most dangerous part as it can cause gastric or intestinal blockage in dogs due to its size and density.

Avocados can show both positive and negative effects on dogs. So, it is vital for the dog owners to know how much avocados they can feed to their dogs.

In small enough amounts, persin in avocados won’t cause any problems in dogs. But, this doesn’t mean that avocados can be a regular treat for dogs.

Veterinarians say that avocados aren’t actually something a dog must have in its diet.

Also, a dog that is already on high quality, properly formulated diet doesn’t need any additional nutrients from other sources, experts say.

So, it is better for your dog to have the avocado fruit as a supplement to its diet than part of its meal.

In addition, if your dog likes the taste of avocado, you can think about it as any other treatment.

Dogs generally don’t chew and swallow treats as a whole and they don’t care only how many they get. So, the general rule for dogs is that a treat should be the size of a blueberry.

If you have any questions about your dog’s diet, talk to your vet, who can help you determine the best diet for your dog.

If you have found that your dog has ingested avocados, first check for vomiting in your pooch as it is the chief sign associated with GI obstruction in dogs.

In such cases, give your dog little sips of water and closely monitor it for further symptoms.

Symptoms of Avocado Poisoning in Dogs

Avocado is not highly toxic to dogs. But, your dog may develop specific symptoms after consuming a few parts of an avocado. Those include

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty with producing stools

Sometimes, your dog may want to take rest and will be fine again soon. But,  if your dog is looking anxious and may have diarrhea, allow it to relieve itself before giving it small sips of water to rehydrate.

But, it is recommended for the dog owners to call the veterinarian as soon as their dogs had consumed avocado. Sometimes, the vet may ask you to bring your dog to his clinic. He will check the dog for any clinical signs of distress and do a physical examination.

The vet may also check your dog’s system to find out for any abnormalities. He may also advise the dog owners to take the blood work, biochemistry profile, and urinalysis for their dogs.

By looking at your dog’s symptoms and having knowledge of exposure and consumption of avocado, the vet will provide appropriate treatment for your dog. The vet may prescribe analgesics to reduce the side effects of persin in dogs.

In case if your dog is a lactating female and shows signs of mastitis, he will prescribe pain relievers and analgesics to your dog to cope up with the pain and swelling.

By chance, if your dog had ingested more avocados that will affect its heart, the veterinarian may prescribe diuretics or antiarrhythmic drugs to it.

No! Dogs can’t eat an avocado pit or its seeds.

The avocado pit can cause an obstruction in your dog’s throat, stomach, or intestines. And in most cases, the obstruction can be serious and can lead to surgery in dogs. Also, it may be fatal to your dog in the worst cases.

Also, dogs shouldn’t eat the pit of any fruit as many of them contain cyanide. It is detrimental and in fact fatal to dogs because a cyanide component will limit the body’s ability to carry oxygen throughout the body.

But, avocado seeds technically don’t contain cyanide. It is believed that this fruit contains only a minimal amount of cyanide that is not enough actually to cause damage to your dog.

Dog owners, however, should still avoid feeding dogs the avocado pit.

Dogs are likely to try and eat anything and they may attempt to eat the seed and start choking on it. So, always remove the pit before giving avocados to your dog.

In addition, the sooner your dog that choked the pit gets treated, the sooner it will recover.

So, it is also essential for you to take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as if you find that your dog has choked the avocado pit. If the pit is lodged in your dog’s GI tract, the veterinarian will use an endoscope to locate the pit and remove it.

No. You should better avoid giving Guacamole to your dog even though avocado isn’t the major part of it.

It’s often the other ingredients in guacamole that can be harmful to your dog. Onions are a common ingredient in it that can upset your dog’s stomach.

Some ingredients in guacamole can have adverse effects on your furry friend.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) states that the compounds found in foods such as guacamole can damage a dog’s red blood cells.

It also reports that guacamole, when served with other salty foods, can cause depression, tremors, seizures, elevated body temperature, and be fatal to your dog in some cases.

Sometimes after ingesting guacamole, your dog may appear weak, it may tire easily, or its urine may be dark orange or red. But, the symptoms may take 3 to 5 days to show up.

In such cases, either call your vet or emergency vet clinic immediately upon finding your pooch nose-deep in the guacamole.

You can also reach the ASPCA animal poison control center by phone at 888-426-4435. But, they charge a service fee.

As avocados are healthy for your pup in some ways, you can prepare a recipe using avocado for your dog at home.

The avocado-honey cookie will be delicious and tasty for your dog. Let’s look at the ingredients and the procedure to prepare it.

Ingredients

• Baking powder – ½ teaspoon
• Honey – 1 tablespoon
• Pumpkin puree – ½ cup
• Ripe avocado, peeled and mashed (pit removed) – ½ piece
• Whole wheat flour – 1 ½ cups

Procedure

1. Pre-heat the oven on to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and line a baking sheet.
3. Mix the wheat flour and the baking powder using a whisk.
4. Add honey and pumpkin puree to the mix and stir together to form a dough. Pumpkin puree is loaded with high fiber and beta carotene and is good for digestion.
5. Roll the dough now and form biscuits from the dough using cookie cutters.
6. Bake for 10 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.
7. Cool completely before serving and store in an airtight container for further use.

1. Is it safe to feed avocados to dogs?

Actually, conflicting information prevails about the safety of feeding avocado to dogs. Some experts say that they’re toxic to dogs and others prefer them in moderation.

But, the pet poison helpline reports that avocado is mildly toxic to dogs. But, the toxin“persin” is mostly found in the leaves, bark, pit, and skin of the avocado.

The avocado flesh contains a much lower level of persin, which won’t seem to affect dogs.

So, it’s nothing harm in feeding avocados to dogs. The only thing you have to ensure is that you are feeding the safest part of it to your dog.

2. Can dogs eat fresh avocados?

Yes, plain, fresh avocados are good for canines. Vets say that there have never been reported cases of poisoning in dogs that ate fresh avocados.

So, you can give your dog fresh avocados. But, ensure that you have removed the pits and skin before feeding it to your dog.

3. Is avocado extract good for dogs?

Yes, it is good for your dog. In a recent study that was conducted in 2012, it is safe to feed an avocado extract to dogs over a 6-month period.

In the study, it was also found that dogs readily consumed the avocado extract and suffered no adverse health effects.

4. Can my dog eat avocado oil?

Yes, your dog can eat it, but in moderation. Avocado oil contains vitamin E and Omega 3 fatty acids, which can decrease inflammation in the dog’s body. Also, avocado oil is a risk-free way to give your dog the benefits of this fruit.

But, avocado oil is high in fat as well. So, you should only share it with your dog in moderation.

5. How to prevent my dog from avocado poisoning?

You can prevent your dog from avocado poisoning through a few, simple tips.

Be sure to share –While you watch a movie when you’re having avocados, pull up a seat in front of a big game or new movie and enjoy a fun avocado snack with your pet.

Check the label – Some varieties of avocado have higher toxicity levels of persin. So, when you purchase avocados from markets, always check the label before you purchase it.

Keep the pit out of reach –As bulky avocado pits can do serious damage to dogs, keep the avocado pits away from your dog’s easy reach.

6. Can dogs eat ripe avocados?

Yes, your dog can have ripe avocado fruit. It has fairly low levels of persin and the likelihood of persin poisoning is extremely low.

Also, organic, ripe avocados are free of chemicals and additives and are safe for your dog. But, always remove the pits, skins, and stems before you feed them to your pooch.

7. Why are avocados used in dog food products?

Avocado is rich in folate, niacin, potassium, and fatty acids. Also, they are good for a dog’s skin and coat health.

Most of the dog foods can cause hair loss, dullness, thinning coats, matted hair, thickened skin and, dry skin.

To avoid these issues, avocado is used in most of the dog food products. And, avocado is good for dog’s circulatory systems, nervous and eyesight.

Vets also sometimes recommend avocado-based foods for dogs with skin and/or hair issues.

As avocados are rich in vitamin E, vitamin A, and healthy fats, they are a great feeding option for dogs with skin and hair problems.

8. When will your dog recover from avocado poisoning?

Prognosis is considered good in many cases of avocado consumption. Once your dog is treated, it will more likely recover soon

But, in cases of blockage in the gastrointestinal tract from the pit, recovery depends on the severity of the blockage.

So, it is important to follow your veterinarian’s instructions for at-home recovery.

The veterinarian will explain to you how to administer any analgesics or other medications and will also keep you aware of any side effects from the drugs.

So, if any new symptoms occur or if you have any questions, it is vital to contact the physician.

The Bottom line

So, “Can dogs eat avocado?”

Yes, your dog can have it and it is absolutely safe to feed avocados to your dog. But, limit the amount of seasoning you mix with the avocado. Also, make sure to never feed your dog the pit, skin, or leaves of an avocado.