Dogs may find anything you’re eating just as desirable as a juicy New York strip steak — even if it’s a couple of lettuce leaves or a handful of nuts! But the reality is, our pups can’t take a bite out of everything we eat — and when it comes to nuts, some kinds can actually be toxic.
Nuts that are toxic to dogs and are a definite no include the walnut family and pecans. The most commonly toxic nuts are macadamia nuts, which can cause vomiting, tremors, increased body temperature, and inability to walk. But what about almonds; are they off-limits for dogs too?
The short answer is yes. While almonds aren’t toxic to dogs, they can pose potential health problems for dogs and should be avoided. Here are a few hazards that might come along with your pup chomping down on an almond.
Obstruction Hazard: Dogs don’t chew their food, like humans do, so if they swallow the almond whole, it could lead to potential life-threatening obstructions of the esophagus, stomach, or even the windpipe if aspirated in small breed dogs.
Potential Severe Gastro-intestinal Upset: Almonds are high in fats and can cause a flair-up of pancreatitis in some dogs. Some signs of pancreatitis are vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and lethargy. Pancreatitis can lead to simple indigestion or become severe and turn into a fatal disorder. When suspected, pancreatitis should be properly diagnosed and aggressively treated by your veterinarian.
Possible Water Retention: Almonds, like many packaged nuts, are often heavily salted and this intake of salt can cause increased water retention in dogs, which is particularly dangerous in dogs with heart disease.
What to Do if Your Dog Eats Almonds
Pets of different sizes may react completely differently to identical quantities of nuts ingested. If your dog consumes a couple of almonds and isn’t presenting any signs of choking or an obstruction, there’s little cause for concern.
However, if you think you pet just ate that five-pound bag of almonds that you left by the sofa, the most effective treatment is to induce vomiting if the ingestion occurred within the previous 30 minutes. Contact your local vet and they will let you know if you are required to take your pet in to be seen. If there are no signs of choking, gagging, bloating, vomiting, or discomfort, and you believe your dog only ingested a few almonds, the dog is most likely okay and can be watched at home.
Dogs do not get the nutritional benefit from almonds that we do and they can cause harm. There are so many better healthy choices for a treat, even if they ask, beg, and go nuts over them.
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