Can Dogs Eat Avocado?Which Parts Should You Avoid Feeding?

Everybody seems to be eating avocado these days. You find them in avocado toasts as well as in homemade guacamole. Everyone is singing praises to the fruit and its wonderful rich taste, its great creamy texture, and its natural goodness and incredible nutritional value. I can’t help but stop to wonder – Can dogs eat avocado?

It is safe to give your dog the fleshy meat of the avocado. See to it, however, that your dog does not get to other parts of the fruit as ingesting those carries particular risks to.

The avocado’s nutritional value is one of the many reasons why the fruit is popular these days. People have become more health conscious and are looking at the foods they eat through the lens of what is healthy and what is not. Avocado apparently joins the list of fruits and vegetables that people would do well to include in their diets.

Read on to find out more on how you can safely feed this fruit to your dog.

Can Dogs Eat Avocado?

Yes. you can but in small quantities. It is rich in magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese, and zinc. It has amino acids, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. It is not surprising to see avocado tagged as a superfood.

The avocado’s nutrients help dogs in many ways. They keep fur smooth and healthy and give it its beautiful sheen. They keep bones strong, skin healthy, and eyesight strong.

The meat of the fruit is well-recognized for its wholesome and nourishing fat content. It also contains an abundance of vitamins and minerals, including the vitamins A, B1 or thiamine, B3 or niacin, B2 or riboflavin, B6, B9 or folate or folic acid, C, K, and E.

Are Avocados Toxic To Dogs?

It is essential to understand that in spite of its essential goodness, the fruit can pose some risks to your beloved dog.

Some parts of the avocado – the bark, leaves, skin, and pit, contain persin, an oil-soluble, naturally occurring fungicide. (The amount of persin in the fleshy part or the meat of the fruit is insignificant. The level decreases to an almost undetectable degree in ripe avocado).

Persin

While persin poses no risk to people, it can be unsafe to some animals. It is particularly toxic to sheep, goats, horses, and rabbits, as well as to parakeets, canaries, large parrots, cockatiels, and other birds.

Persin may not have the same degree of toxicity on dogs as it has for the other animals mentioned, but it is good to be prudent.

Guacamole

It is safe to give your dog a little plain avocado every now and then. However, do not give him guacamole.

This avocado dip is made by combining mashed avocado with salt, onion, tomatoes, and garlic. The additional ingredients are not good for your pooch. They can upset your dog’s digestion, at the very least. They can also cause food poisoning and kidney failure. Of course, it will take quite a bit of the guacamole to lead to these serious consequences, but you would not want to take the risk.

Avocado Pit

The seed or pit of the avocado presents the greatest danger to your dog. You will find the large pit (the size of a golf ball), in the center of the fruit. When you prepare the fruit for salad, guacamole, or spread for toast, you peel the fruit and get rid of the pit. You then slice or mash the flesh of the avocado.

Do not get rid of the pit carelessly. Your dog is likely to see it as a toy or something to gnaw at. If he goes after it and puts it in his mouth, he runs the risk of swallowing and choking on it.

The pit can block his throat or airway, making it difficult for your dog to breathe. If your dog is able to swallow the pit, it can obstruct his intestinal tract and cause serious problems. If your canine friend swallows an avocado pit by accident, take him to the veterinarian right away.

If an avocado tree grows in your yard, clear the yard of leaves, branches, and windfall fruit as soon as possible. Do not allow your dog to run unsupervised in the backyard lest he nibble on parts of the plant that may have fallen from the tree.

Avocado Fats

The fat in avocado is referred to as ‘good fat.’ However, too much avocado is not good for your dog. It leads to certain health problems.

Avocado has high fat content. Eating too much of the fruit can lead to diarrhea, vomiting and other digestive problems. Avocado is also high in calories. Your dog is likely to gain weight when you give him too much.

Avocado is not a good choice for a dog with health issues. If your dog needs to be on a low-fat diet, do not include this fruit in his diet. It is also prudent to exclude avocado from your dog’s diet if he is prone to food allergies.

Watch out for coughing, sneezing, hives, rashes, inflammation, or breathing difficulties. Get in touch with your dog’s veterinarian if these symptoms persist.

How Much Avocado Can I Give My Dog?

It is essential to control the amount of avocado that you give your dog. It is also prudent to be cautious when you prepare the avocado for your dog. Avoid feeding the leaves, skin, or pits of avocados.

A few thin slices of fresh avocado for lunch or as a nice treat daily is just nice and do look out for any food allergy symptoms if you are feeding your pup for the first time.

Will A Small Piece Of Avocado Hurt My Dog?

A small piece of avocado will not hurt your dog. Keep these simple rules in mind:

Give your dog just a small portion of avocado. Keep in mind that avocado has high fat content. And fat is associated with weight gain, arthritis, and obesity.
Choose avocado that is ripe. Unripe avocado is bad for digestion. It may also have trace amounts of persin and you want to stay away from that.
Carefully wash and peel the avocado. Persin is also found in the skin of the avocado. Carefully take the peel off when you prepare the avocado.
Remove the pit. Persin is found in the avocado pit as well. Moreover, the pit is a choking hazard. Remove the pit and get rid of it. If your pooch has the tendency to rummage around the garbage, get a dog-proof trash can.
Keep the avocado plain. If you mix the avocado with other ingredients like salt, garlic, onions, and tomatoes, do not share it with your dog. The other ingredients may be harmful to him.
Do not let your dog run unsupervised in the backyard if you have an avocado tree. Persin is found in the bark and leaves of the avocado tree. Accompany your dog when he plays in the backyard, lest he nibble on these parts of the avocado tree. Sweep away branches, leaves, and windfall fruit as soon as you can.
Consult your veterinarian. If you have strong reservations about giving avocado to your dog, do not give the fruit to him. If you are unsure, it is always best to consult your veterinarian.