Avocados are on everyone's lips right now. These delicious fruits - yes, they are a fruit - are all the rage right now. Avocado toast is on the menu all over the country and guacamole is made before every dinner party. Since the avocado has been on everyone's lips in recent years, you can assume that your dog will also get his paws on it at some point. But can dogs eat avocado?
Avocado is often on the list of toxic foods for dogs. Some veterinarians and animal carers believe they are the wrong choice for our four-legged friends. However, if you do some research online, you'll find that the danger is exaggerated and avocado is actually a safe choice for dogs.
We want to dispel the misconceptions about dogs and avocado and answer the crucial question: Can dogs eat avocados, or is it not worth the risk?
Can dogs eat avocados?
Yes, dogs can eat avocados because small amounts of the fruit portion of the avocado will not harm your dog. The benefits of avocados for dogs include healthy fats and fatty acids, many vitamins and minerals, and anti-inflammatory properties. For some dog food brands, you can even find avocado on the ingredients list. As long as you don't give your dog too much avocado at once and make sure your four-legged friend avoids the other parts of the plant and the pit, your dog will be fine.
Pros and Cons of Feeding Avocado to Dogs
The nutritional value of avocado for dogs
One of the reasons avocados are so popular in the culinary world is because of their nutritional value. The actual fruit portion of the avocado contains healthy fats and fatty acids as well as many vitamins and minerals. Many of these benefits also apply to your dog. The avocado contains, among other things, the following nutrients for dogs
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B3 (niacin)
- Vitamin B6
- vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- fiber
- potassium
- magnesium
- Antioxidants
- amino acids
- Folic acid
Fatty acids, niacin, potassium and folic acid are important for your dog's healthy coat. These nutrients help his coat maintain its smooth, shiny sheen. Vitamins A, B3, B6, C and E are good for bone health, skin and coat health, vision and many other things. The avocado is rich in nutrients, many of which are beneficial for your four-legged friend's health. But that doesn't mean that avocado is completely risk-free.
The Risks of Dogs Eating Avocado
The fleshy part of the avocado is the safest part of food for your dog. Still, vets warn against giving your dog large amounts of it. The other parts of the avocado also pose a major risk to your dog. Below are the parts of the avocado that are not safe for your dog.
Persin
Persin is a toxic substance found in the leaves, stem, seeds, peel and almost all other parts of the avocado - including the fruit. Persin is the reason for the avocado's bad reputation. The American Kennel Club points out that although dogs have fewer problems with persin than other species, according to veterinarians, it is still not a 100% safe food for him. Unfortunately, it has not yet been clarified how high the intake of persin must be to cause poisoning in dogs. The toxin is more dangerous for other animals such as birds, horses, sheep, goats and cows. However, to be on the safe side, you should keep your dog away from the avocado plant. The seeds, stem, leaves and bark of the plant contain higher concentrations of persin than the fruits. If you have an avocado tree in your yard, don't let your dog chew on it and clean up any twigs, leaves, or other parts of the plant that fall to the ground.
The core
You might be surprised to learn that the biggest danger avocado poses to dogs is actually the pit. The pit (also called an avocado pit) is the large, golf ball-sized object in the middle of the avocado. You'll remove it when you slice the fruit or puree it for guacamole and throw it in the trash, but keep in mind that your dog could eat it. The nucleus contains persin, but the greater danger is the choking hazard it poses. The core is the perfect size to get stuck in your dog's throat and block his airway. Even if it passes through the esophagus, the kernel can easily get stuck in the digestive tract and cause severe constipation or intestinal obstruction. If your dog eats an avocado pit, take him to the nearest veterinary emergency room immediately.
The fat
One of the nutritional benefits of avocado is that it contains good fats. But too much of a good thing can also be bad. Thanks to the fruit's high fat content, too much avocado can be dangerous for dogs. Large amounts of avocado can even lead to life-threatening pancreatitis due to its high fat content. As already mentioned, there is also a risk of persin poisoning with large quantities of avocado. In general, you shouldn't feed your dog too much avocado, as large amounts can cause serious problems.
How much avocado can a dog eat?
The amount of avocado your dog can eat depends on your dog's size. The bigger your dog is, the more avocado he can eat. Nevertheless, you should think twice about feeding your dog avocado, as he doesn't need it in his daily diet. Your dog gets most of his nutrition from his daily dog food and not from snacks. Snacks and treats should make up less than 10% of your dog's daily diet. If you decide to let your dog taste the avocado, he should only eat the healthy flesh and not the pit, peel, leaves or plant.
In what form can your dog eat avocado?
Can dogs eat guacamole?
Avocado is therefore safe for dogs to consume in moderate quantities. But what about everyone's favorite dip? Guacamole may be delicious, but it's not a good choice for your four-legged friend. The reason for this is that guacamole almost always contains some ingredients that are harmful to dogs, including:
- Onions
- Garlic
- tomatoes
- Salt
These foods can cause at least an upset stomach and, at worst, severe poisoning. Onions and garlic are particularly dangerous for your pet. They can even cause organ damage and kidney failure if consumed in sufficient quantities. Guacamole is one of the human foods that is taboo for your four-legged friend. As with avocado, it probably takes a large amount to cause serious problems, but why take the risk? For these reasons, we typically advise against giving your dog guacamole.
Can dogs eat pureed avocados?
Pureed avocados may be safer for dogs because they are easier to eat and have an even softer texture. This is particularly suitable for older dogs who can no longer chew on more difficult materials. Let's say you want to give your dog a small piece of pureed avocado. In this case, you must make sure that it is only a piece of the inner fruity part of the avocado and not the pit, leaves or plant, as these can be dangerous for dogs. It is also important that your avocado puree does not contain any other additives such as salt, sugar, onions or similar.
How to feed your dog avocado
If you want to give your dog avocado, you should make sure that you do not endanger your four-legged friend. Here are three rules of thumb to keep in mind:
- Keep the portion size small. Giving your dog avocado in large quantities increases the risk of persin poisoning, and the high fat content can also be dangerous for your four-legged friend.
- Only give your dog the fruit itself. Never let your four-legged friend eat the stem, leaves or bark of the avocado plant. Remove the peel from each avocado, discard it, and remove the pit to prevent your dog from choking on it.
- Only give your dog regular avocado. Never let your dog eat guacamole because it contains other harmful ingredients like onions, garlic, and salt.
Keep a close eye on your pet when consuming avocado to ensure they do not experience any harmful side effects.
Small amounts of avocado will not harm your dog. But don't let your dog devour the chips and guacamole.
Conclusion
Dogs can eat avocado in small quantities because the fruit contains many healthy nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and fatty acids. However, it is important that the dog avoids the core and other parts of the plant and that the amount is limited. Although avocado is safe in most cases, persin, a toxic substance found in all parts of the plant, poses a risk. If dogs ingest too much persin, it can be harmful. Therefore, dog owners should exercise caution and only give their dogs small amounts of avocado.
Further links and information
There are some reputable sites where you can find out whether dogs can eat avocados. Some recommended sites include the website of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA - https://www.aspca.org/ ), the website of the American Kennel Club (AKC - https://www.akc.org / ) and the PetMD website ( https://www.petmd.com/) . When researching on the Internet or other sources, it is important to pay attention to reputable sources and compare them carefully in order to make an informed decision. However, the best and safest way to find out whether your dog can eat avocados or not is still to go to the vet and consult in person.
