Can Dogs Eat Avocado?
Dogs can eat the avocado pulp. Avocados contain a toxin called persin which is dangerous for other animals but is harmless for dogs if it is given in small quantities.
The flesh of avocado contains a very low quantity of this toxin so it is quite safe to serve to your dog in small portions.
Dogs shall not be fed Avocado as their only diet like any other diet, except for their dog food.
Your most Frequently Asked Questions on the query: Can Dogs Eat Avocado?
Is it safe to serve dogs with Avocados?
The answer is both Yes and No. Avocados have a toxin called persin which is very harmful to animals but dogs can eat them in small servings.
Large servings to dogs can cause stomach upset including diarrhea and gas.
How many Avocados will hurt a dog?
Avocados if given in large portions, can cause stomach upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The toxins persin are very harmful to dogs, so it is recommended to serve dogs with only the flesh of avocados.
Why are Avocados bad for dogs?
The toxin persin present in the avocado is very harmful to your pet’s health. This toxic agent is found in leaves, stems, seeds, skin, and in almost every part of the plant including the fruit.
The pit present inside the fruit is also very harmful to dogs to eat. You should remove this seed from the fruit before serving it to your pooch. All this stuff can cause an upset stomach as diarrhea, vomiting, and sometimes both in your dog.
What should I do if my dog ate avocado?
It is recommended that you should keep your dog under observation for 24 to 48 hours after eating the avocado pulp. Consult your vet if your dog vomits or has any other signs of stomach upset.
What part of an Avocado is poisonous to dogs?
The toxin persin present in leaves, stems, skin, pits, and in-plant is highly poisonous for your dog.
The leaves, skin, and pit of avocado are highly concentrated with persin. So these parts of the plant should be avoided while serving.
The pulp of the avocado is safe for your pet in small amounts.
How to Feed a Dog Avocado?
You should feed avocado in small servings to your pet. One avocado is sufficient for an average size dog.
Remove the pit from the avocado fruit because it contains the toxin persin which is very harmful to dogs.
Scientifically Viewed: Can Dogs Eat Avocado?
Before we call out food good or bad based on some already set traditions or some specific experiences, we need to check:
- How many nutrients does an Avocado contain, and;
- Does your dog even require nutrients from Avocado? If YES, then,
- How much is it good for your dog(depending upon its weight and age)?
Let’s get to know avocados and dogs scientifically. This will help us get to know better about our query of Can Dogs Eat Avocado?
Fruit Facts: What Nutrients are Contained in Avocado? (per 100 g)
Source: USDA
Looking at the following Avocado nutrition table, we notice that Avocadoes are rich in Vitamin C, Carbs, and Protein. All are beneficial for your dog’s health.
Additionally, it contains Fiber, Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, and a lot of energy.
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Total Fat | 14.7 g | |
Saturated fat | 0 g | |
Cholesterol | 0 mg | |
Sodium | 7 mg | |
Potassium | 485 mg | |
Total Carbohydrate | 8.53 g | |
Dietary fiber | 6.7 g | |
Sugar | 0.87 g | |
Protein | 2 g |
Vitamin C | 10 mg | Calcium | 7 mg |
Iron | 0.55 mg | Potassium | 485 mg |
Phosphorus | 52 mg | Zinc | 0.64 mg |
Magnesium | 29 mg |
Dogs Nutritional Requirements: Can Dogs Eat Avocado
View/Download the complete table
Nutritionally, dogs require more proteins and avocados are an adequate source of protein.
Additionally, they are an excellent source of vitamin C.
So, a simple straight forward answer to:
Can Dogs Eat Avocado? would be:
YES, definitely yes.
Why Your Dog Should Not Eat Avocado?
Large servings of avocado are highly dangerous for your pet. The toxin persin present in leaves, stems, and skin can cause stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea, and sometimes both. The fats present in avocado fruit can cause weight gain in dogs as well.
Health Benefits: Why Your Dog Should Eat Avocado?
Serving with small amounts of avocado pulp won’t harm your dog. Healthy fats, plenty of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory properties are very beneficial for your pooch.
A large amount of servings of avocado is harmful to your pet due to the presence of the toxin persin.
Avocado Recipes for Dogs: Can Dogs Eat Avocado
1. Avocado Dogs Treat
Ingredients:
- 1 avocado, peeled and pit removed;
- 2 cups of oat flour (pulverize rolled oats in a food processor);
- 2 eggs.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
- Slice your peeled and pitted avocado into the bowl of a grinder.
- Add the oat flour and mix it well.
- Add the eggs.
- Turn out onto a parchment-lined surface and roll to an even 1/4 inch thickness.
- Cut out and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake it for 25-30 minutes or until it gets browned around the edges.
- Turn off the oven and leave cookies inside to cool slowly, creating a crunchier dog treat.
2. Pumpkin avocado treats:
Ingredients:
- ½ ripe avocado, peeled and mashed (remove the pit);
- 1 ½ cups of whole wheat flour;
- ½ teaspoon of baking powder;
- ½ cup pumpkin puree;
- 1 tablespoon of honey.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
- Combine the flour and baking powder.
- Mix the rest of the ingredients and form a dough.
- Roll the dough.
- Use cookie cutters to give the shape of biscuits.
- Bake it for ten minutes and let it get brown.
- Let it get cool before serving.
Store it in an airtight jar. The delight is ready.
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3. Beef taco bites:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of ground beef;
- A small, ripe avocado with skin and seed removed;
- 2 eggs;
- ⅔ Cup of water;
- ¼ cup grated low-fat cheese;
- 2 tablespoons of mild salsa;
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour.
Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Crush and mix Avocado, salsa, and cheese.
- Add other ingredients to form a sticky dough.
- Give them the shape of the biscuits on the baking sheet.
- Bake it for 10-15 minutes and let it get brown.
- Before serving, cool it and store it in an airtight container.
Some Fun Facts about Avocado:
- Avocados have more potassium than bananas – the levels are almost double-a single avocado contains 975 milligrams of potassium, compared to 487 milligrams in a banana.
- Avocado helps lower cholesterol.
- It is a good substitute for butter.
- Avocado is good for healthy eyes.
- Avocado is enriched with fiber content – half of an average-sized avocado has 4.6 grams of fiber — the most of any fruit!
- Avocado is 73% water.
- In the summer of 2017, more than 3,000,000 photos of avocado toasts were uploaded to Instagram every day.
- National Guacamole Day is celebrated every 16th of September. As guacamole means “avocado sauce”.
I hope this guide helped you know about can dogs eat avocado or not.
The guide contained all the scientific information along with answers to your frequently asked questions and with some really nice recipes and fun facts, pros, and cons about can dogs eat avocado.