Can dogs eat avocado? Depending on where you read, you will find plenty of contradictions. It’s an ongoing debate if the avocado is healthy or poisonous to your dog. In this article, we’ll talk about if and how dogs can eat avocado.
Humans eat plenty of avocados. This fruit is healthy for us because is a source of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamins. You can eat avocado spread on toast, avocado in salads, plain avocado with some cheese or guacamole. Nowadays are so many avocado recipes. We like and we eat avocado and it is a healthy fruit for us. But can we share a piece of avocado with our dogs?
Can my dog eat avocado?
Adult dogs can eat one small piece of the avocado’s meaty parts – the meal, which we also eat, and they will be ok. Except for the rare cases when the dog is allergic to avocados. Some dogs can be allergic to the traces of persin found in the avocado’s flesh. Your dog can be allergic to some other fruits or vegetables. It depends on the dog.
My advice: When you feed your dog fruit, vegetables, meat, kibble or even wet food for the first time you should pay attention to him. At first, give him a small amount to see how his body reacts to the new food. By doing so, you will see if your dog is allergic to the new food or if his stomach agrees with that type of food.
Can my puppy eat avocado?
Puppies shouldn’t eat avocado. They should stick to their puppy food that is adjusted for their breeds, weights, exercise, and needs. Another food that your puppy shouldn’t eat is honey. Read here about why puppies shouldn’t eat honey here.
I don’t give avocado to my puppies. They are two greedy Siberian huskies that will eat anything that I eat. Even if they make puppy eyes and beg for a bite, avocado is not for them. Neither is honey. They need to stick to a balanced diet and to eat what is right for them. Not everything that’s tasty is also good for them. And they have plenty of fruits and vegetables from which they can choose and are safe for them.
Is avocado toxic for dogs? Persin and avocado
What is persin and why is poisonous for dogs?
The avocado’s pit, peel, and leaves contain persin. Persin is a toxin that is dangerous for many animals when is consumed. This toxin is getting into the body of the avocado fruit from the seeds so you need to pay attention if you’re thinking about feeding your dog a piece of avocado.
Adult dogs are rarely affected by persin because they are more resistant to the toxin than other animals. If your dog is affected by persin he can have a mild stomach upset. Large animals, such as cows or sheep, and birds should never eat avocado. These two categories are more affected by persin than dogs. Persin can be deadly for birds and big animals. But let’s get back to dogs.
Don’t let your dog eat avocado’s pit, peel, and leaves.
Before you feed a bit of avocado to your dog you must remove the parts of the avocado that have large amounts of persin, such as pit, peel, and leaves. Don’t give a whole avocado to your dog. He can easily choke with an avocado pit or with avocado peal. The pit or a large chunk of avocado can get stuck in the esophagus or stomach.
Don’t give your dog the chance to steal an avocado from the counter. If it rolls like a ball, he might want to play with it and chew on it. Especially, Siberian huskies tend to be pretty curious about food.
How much of avocado can a dog eat?
As I said before, there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that you can feed to your dog. Better and safer than avocados. But if you want to give a bite of avocado to your dog from time to time for the taste, it’s ok. Keep in mind that avocado has a lot of fats and if you’re feeding him too much avocado it can lead to pancreatitis. A medium-sized avocado contains 29 grams of fat and 320 calories. An adult dog that weighs 33 pounds or 15 kg needs 14 grams of total fats per day. We talk about fats in the article Can my dog eat pasta?.
If your dog refuses to eat the small piece of avocado don’t insist. And if he throws up after he ate a piece of avocado you should stop giving him avocado and go to your vet.
A small piece of avocado will not harm your adult dog’s health. Just make sure to remove any parts that have persin in them and don’t feed him too much avocado due to the high-fat content.
Is avocado oil good for dogs?
Your dog can eat avocado oil. There are no risks when it comes to avocado oil such as is the case when we talk about feeding your dog avocado fruit. Avocado oil will give your dog the benefits of the avocado fruit without worrying about persin. It is still high in fat so moderation is the key. Adjust the amount by taking into consideration the size, age, and diet of your dog and the exercise level. Start with a teaspoon at first to see how his body will react at it. One teaspoon once a month it’s a start. Keep him on a balanced diet. You can also rotate oils.
Oils such as avocado oil, olive oil, fish oil, flaxseed oil, and even coconut oil will improve your dog’s overall health. Avocado oil is a source of vitamin E and Omega 3 fatty acids. This oil will help with decreasing the inflammation in the body. Still, keep in mind that moderation is the key. A large dose of any oil can cause weight gaining and pancreatitis. This goes without saying, but I still must point out that if the dog is overweight or if he has pancreatitis, he shouldn’t eat oils.
Avocado dog foods are good for dogs?
The commercial dog foods that contain avocado are tested for persin. The manufacturers use only the avocado meaty part, the meal of the avocado, and avocado oil. In the manufacturing process of the avocado dog food, the avocado pits or skins are not used. All the parts that contain persin are removed. If you want to feed or not to feed your dog avocado dog food depends on you and your dog’s diet plan.
Conclusion
With all these being said, it’s your choice if you want to give a bit of an avocado meal to your adult dog from time to time. But don’t exaggerate. If you worry about persin just don’t give him any avocado fruit. He can try other veggies or fruits. There are plenty of foods that you can feed your dog without worrying so much. You can use avocado oil as a supplement to his daily meals and keep him on a balanced diet. Avocado fruit or avocado oil is not mandatory when it comes to a dog’s diet. If you’re in an area where you can’t find avocado oil or if the prices are too big, you can relax. Your dog will be perfectly healthy even without avocado.
If you have a puppy that’s begging for a piece of the avocado meal don’t give him. Keep him on a diet that meets your puppy needs. Your puppy is in the training stage? You can give him pieces of fruits and vegetables that are safe for him and you’ll avoid fatty and high-calorie store-bought treats. Choose fruits and vegetables that can’t cause any harm to your pup. By doing so, you don’t need to worry about toxins, such as in the case of the avocado and persin.
Interested in huskies’ diet? Read all about it on Husky Puppy – Feeding Guide
