Sometimes dogs may try to get your attention into giving them a piece of your food, but this is not always a good choice. Despite being very similar to us anatomically, they have a different digestive system from ours. They cannot always digest the food that we enjoy and we must remember that dogs are carnivorous animals, even if we have accustomed them to a diet with more vegetables.
Focusing on the topic at hand here, there are different types of nuts and not all of them are equally good for dogs. So can dogs eat nuts? In this article on our site we talk about it and explain which nuts are toxic to dogs.
Are nuts good for dogs?
In general, nuts are not the most recommended foods for dogs. They have a high phosphorus content and usually also contain high levels of fat. If we feed our dog with feed, they already get enough phosphorus and other nutrients and vitamins. An excess of phosphorus can lead to bladder stones. Now, if we offer our dog a homemade diet, then we can regulate the intake of phosphorus ourselves.
In any case, regardless of the type of diet that the animal follows, some nuts are toxic to dogs, as is the case of the macadamia nut, which we will talk about in depth later. The rest of the nuts, are they good for dogs? Offered very rarely and in very small quantities, they do not have to be harmful. In fact, as Gemma Konwles, a canine nutritionist, tells us in her book He althy cooking for your dog, they provide fiber, minerals and vitamins. The problem lies in the excess because it can be a difficult food to digest, so you could develop digestive problems.
So, can you give your dog nuts? Without shell, in very small quantities and very occasionally yes, as long as you are not allergic, of course. Ingesting the unpeeled nut could cause the animal an intestinal obstruction, and in the worst case it may even require a surgical intervention.
When are nuts toxic for dogs?
It has been observed that the common walnut may contain juglone, a potentially harmful toxic substance found exclusively in the leaves and stems of the plant or on the shell of the nut, not inside the fruit. For this reason, in addition to avoiding a possible blockage, it is so important to give your dog fully peeled walnuts.
Apart from the above, the macadamia nut, we remember, is toxic.
What if a dog eats nuts?
Again, if a dog eats small, peeled walnuts, nothing should happen. Now, if you have an allergy then you will develop a reaction. We'll tell you then.
Are dogs allergic to nuts?
Usually giving a dog a walnut does not usually lead to an allergic process However, as we mentioned, you should have special care with macadamia nuts, as these are very toxic for them, and can cause neurological problems.
In the event of an allergy to this nut, the animal will most likely experience a series of symptoms common to all food allergies, such as:
- Redness and itching
- Drowning feeling
- Inflammation of the mouth and eyelids
It is very important to check the ingredients of the human snacks that we intend to give our animal, as they may contain macadamia nuts, which are toxic for them, or also sugar, which is not recommended for their diet. We must also be careful while taking a walk down the street or hiking with our dog, because if it eats a nut that has fallen to the ground, it could have mold and also be toxic to the animal.
Can dogs eat macadamia nuts?
Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs, although it is not yet known exactly what compounds make them toxic to them. If your dog has eaten one or two macadamia nuts, he could have mild to severe weakness in his hind legs, with poisoning being more serious when more than 7 macadamia nuts are ingested. The symptoms of macadamia nut poisoning in dogs are these, from most to least common:
- Weakness
- Depression
- Vomiting
- Ataxia (muscle control difficulty)
- Tremors
- Hyperthermia
Symptoms usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and, although this can be very scary, they usually disappear within 24 or 48 hours of ingestion. However, it is always advisable to consult with the veterinarian.
My dog ate macadamia nuts, what should I do?
First of all, don't be alarmed, of all the poisonings that a dog can have, eating a macadamia nut is not one of the most dangerous and, in general, does not usually require treatment. If he has taken a very small amount, it will be enough for you to keep an eye on him for the next few hours, as he will surely begin to show some of the aforementioned symptoms. You should be alarmed if the symptoms are very severe or persist after 48 hours. If he just ate a lot of nuts, you can try to make him vomit There are several ways to do this, for example with s alt.
Another way to treat intoxication is by applying an enema to reduce the absorption of the poison as much as possible. All this always with the advice of our veterinarian, as some of these substances can be dangerous if we apply them in excess. However, if your dog does not improve after several hours or you think he is in serious danger, it is essential that you contact your veterinarian as soon as possible so you can assess the case and whether the amount you have ingested is dangerous or not.
