Avocados are among the top fruits on the market. They are loved by everyone for their subtle sweet, nutty taste and creamy, thick texture. But can dogs eat avocados? If you are a dog owner like me, you must know the struggle of eating when your dog is looking at you with those pleading eyes, begging for a piece of whatever you are eating—be it avocados or even a glass of water. They want everything you eat. And during the avocado season the struggle gets worse so, Let’s find out if dogs can have avocados!
So Can Dogs Have Avocado?
Sadly, vets do not recommend avocados for dogs as they are not good for them, so no matter how pitiful your dog looks with those pleading eyes, you should avoid feeding them avocados. But why is avocado not good for dogs? Well, for one, avocados contain persin which is toxic for animals. It is a fungicidal toxin that can cause serious health complications and, if consumed in higher quantities, can even lead to death. Persin is harmless for humans but not for animals, including dogs. Avocado plants, leaves, stems, pit and the pulp itself, all contain persin, making it harmful for dogs to eat.
The pit of avocado is also undigestable for dogs. It can cause intestinal blockage and lead to serious complications, which often require surgery, and CT scans to solve which can be quite expensive. Even if we put persin aside for a bit, the pulp of avocado is high in calories and fat making it unfit for your dogs as it can cause obesity and other health-related problems. So to answer your question, “Is avocado good for dogs” No, they are not. Even if we overlook persin, which is a toxin, avocados are still not fit for animal consumption due to their high calorie and fat content.
What If My Dog Eats Avocado?
If your dog accidentally consumes a small quantity of avocado, you should monitor its symptoms. Eating avocado can cause diarrhea, vomiting and a bad stomach. If you catch any of these symptoms in your dog after it has eaten avocado, then you should immediately contact your vet and get help.
Larger amounts of avocado over a long period of time can lead to serious health problems such as pancreatitis and even heart failure so you should absolutely avoid feeding avocados to your dogs and keep it out of their reach at all times.
Can I Feed Dog Food That Contains Avocado To My Dog?
Though avocados are generally toxic for dogs and are not recommended, dog food that contains avocado is safe as it mostly contains avocado oil, which is not toxic for dogs and does not contain persin. Dog foods are made for dogs; hence, they have nothing toxic for dogs. If your dog food contains avocado, it probably has avocado flavouring or avocado oil, which is completely harmless for dogs. But still, you should consult your vet first before introducing new dog foods to your dog’s diet.
Don’t worry if not avocado there are many other fruits you can safely feed your dogs. Bananas, apples, strawberries, Mangoes, Pears, the options are many. For summer watermelons and for winter you can try some
Conclusion
Avocados are toxic for dogs, and you should avoid feeding them. However, there are thousands of fruits out there, such as apples, bananas, and strawberries, which are perfectly fine for dogs. We hope this article has been helpful. If you still have any doubts left, contact your local vet for further guidance. Next time you hit the local market, grab some apples and strawberries as well so you can share them with your dogs!
