Can dogs eat pistachios? This multi-dollar question is a little tricky and truly deserves a solid, well-researched, and practical answer. Let us get a little nutty and discuss the relationship between pistachios and dogs.
Pistachios, whether plain, shelled, roasted, or unsalted, certainly make an excellent Netflix-and-chill snack. Pistachio nuts are packed with powerful antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are also good for the heart. But while these green nuts provide numerous health benefits to humans, their negative effects on dogs can be pretty alarming. As a responsible pet owner, it is safe to keep those pistachio seeds away from our dog’s reach.
Pistachio nuts increase the risks for obesity, hypertension, choking, poisoning, and other irreversible health conditions in your furry friend.
So, before giving your pooch a pistachio treat, read this article, word by word, from start to finish.
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Can Dogs Eat Pistachios Yes Or No?
Pistachios, especially in small quantities, provide no harm to dogs. However, many vets and animal experts still suggest excluding these green nuts from your dog’s diet because they are significantly high in fat and salt.
They can cause acute bowel obstruction, upset stomach, and hypersensitivity reaction. Pistachio nuts contain mold that can cause liver damage and other digestive problems in dogs. Their shells are also a potential choking hazard that can be fatal.
It is important, however, to note that pistachios per se are not toxic nuts. However, they can cause an allergic reaction to your canine that can put him in a life-threatening situation.
What Is In Pistachio?
Like most nuts, pistachios are packed with essential nutrients that are specifically beneficial to our cardiovascular health. However, some of these essential nutrients can be overwhelming to our dog’s general health. Pistachio nuts are rich in fat and sodium that can result in obesity and heart diseases in dogs.
They are also high in calories and sugar that can be detrimental to your dog’s health. Giving your dog one pistachio as a treat is not really harmful; however, including pistachio nuts in his regular diet is somewhat alarming.
Did you know?
Pistachio nuts are high in calories, fats, and sodium that can cause harmful effects to our dogs.
What Should I Do If My Dog Ate Pistachios?
When we constantly feed large quantities of pistachios to our canines, this can result in pistachio poisoning that can be fatal. He is also more likely to develop kidney failure, congestion, and sodium toxicity.
The most potent component in pistachios is the compound aflatoxin, which is produced by the Aspergillus mold. This harmful compound can cause severe dehydration, loss of appetite, pancreatitis, and liver failure. Pistachio nuts also contain uroshiol, a deadly chemical similar to that in poison ivy. Too much uroshiol in the dog’s body can lead to a severe allergic reaction that can be deadly.
Here are the symptoms to watch out for in pistachio toxicity or pistachio poisoning:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Loose bowel movement or diarrhea
- Seizures and tremors
- Agitation
- Body weakness
- Jaundice or yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes
- Orange urine
- Liver failure
[Related Article: Can Dogs Eat Onions?Why You Should Not Feed Them At All Cost!]
Does Need To Take My Dog To Vet If It Ate Pistachios?
As stated above, giving your pooch one pistachio is okay and will not cause any reaction. However, when your dog ingests a large quantity of pistachio nuts, he may develop some of the previously stated symptoms.
When this happens, you need to call an animal expert and seek immediate medical attention. Never induce vomiting and keep your furry friend conscious until help arrives.
What Are The Medical Treatments For Pistachio Toxicity?
The vet will first conduct history taking and physical assessment. These may include asking about the last foods ingested, presenting symptoms for the last few hours before consultation, and your pooch’s diet plan. The medical expert will also take vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and respiratory rate.
After the initial screening processes, the vet will conduct complete blood works, urine examination, stool analysis, and vomitus analysis. If the pooch exhibits severe signs and symptoms such as dehydration and esophageal damage, he is more likely to recommend an ultrasound of the throat or an X-ray of the chest and throat.
The medical management and treatment depend on the severity of the condition. The vet may prescribe powerful antibiotics, liver protectants, and pain medications to help manage the symptoms. He may also start an intravenous (IV) line and hydrate your canine with the most appropriate IV fluids.
We need to remember that dehydration can be deadly. To protect your pet’s liver, the vet may also order Intravenous Vitamin K and hepatoprotective treatments.
When your canine is vomiting persistently, this may indicate severe inflammation of the pancreas. This condition is medically known as pancreatitis. The vet may withhold food and water by mouth for 2-3 days or even a week to reduce the swelling of the pancreas.
But while these treatments and medical managements can restore your dog’s health, it is still best to prevent pistachio-nut ingestion at home. It is also essential to get your beloved furry friend pet insurance since treatments can be costly.
What Are The Better Options?
Nuts are ideally good for pups. However, choosing the healthiest and most-appropriate nuts can prevent your beloved pet from acquiring nut toxicity such as pistachio poisoning. Some of the best nut options for canines are peanuts, cashews, and almonds.
Just always make sure the nuts are organic, chemical-free, and not commercially prepared. But most importantly, these nuts should be free of shells.
Never feed your pooch with the following nuts: Macadamia nuts, pecans, black walnuts, and Pistachio nuts. These nuts contain chemicals that may harm our beloved pet doggies.
Another thing, it will be better if we exclude nuts from our pooch’s regular diet. Again, giving one or two nuts to our canines occasionally will not cause any harm to their health. However, eliminating nuts from their diet can ensure optimal health for our precious furry friends.
Remember that our dogs’ diet is totally different from ours. We need to be critical of the foods we give our dogs because this can negatively affect their overall health and wellbeing.
So, the next time somebody asks you the question, “Can dogs eat pistachios”, you already know the answer!
