Avocados are loaded with fibers, healthy fats, and antioxidants and they have many health benefits. However, this isn’t the case for most animals. The presence of persin, a potentially deadly chemical, makes avocado toxic for many animals. However what about dogs? Can Dogs Safely Eat Avocados?

Can Dogs Eat Avocado?

Simply put, yes. Dogs can eat avocado. However, only the fleshy part of the fruit is safe for dogs. Avocado skin, seed, pit, and foliage are all toxic to dogs as they contain persin. Excess persin consumption can lead to severe conditions that may even be fatal.

Keep reading to find out the potential benefits and dangers of feeding your dog avocado and how you can safely let your dog enjoy a few slices of avocado with you.

About Avocados

The avocado is a part of the family of flowering plants named Lauraceae. Botanically, it is a large berry containing a single large seed. The green-skinned fleshy pear-shaped body has become somewhat iconic to the avocado, although fresh avocados can change from a dark-green color to a deep purplish (almost black) hue when ripe.

Similarly, oil pressed from the avocado fruit, known as avocado oil, is famous as cooking oil, an ingredient in other dishes, and even as a lubricant in cosmetics. And just like the fruit, it provides multiple health benefits.

One scary fact about avocados is that they are toxic to almost all animals besides humans. It has been known to cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even death in some animals. As a result, there are no animals that can disperse the seeds of the avocado plant through their dung.

Dogs are no exception to this. However, despite many people saying that avocados are toxic, dogs can actually eat avocados – as long as you prepare the fruits properly. The fleshy part of the fruit that contains the tasty avocado pulp is safe for canine consumption.

The primary reason why avocados are such a deadly food and most owners avoid giving these fruits to their dogs is persin.

What Is Persin And How Is It Dangerous?

Persin is a fungicidal toxin present in avocados that is structurally similar to a fatty acid. The ripe pulp of the berry contains this toxin in a concentration that’s harmless to humans but is dangerous for most other animals.

The concentration of persin varies depending on the variety and ripeness of the avocado. However, the leaves and bark of the avocado tree or the skin and pit of the fruit have a higher concentration of persin.

Consumption of these parts has shown a multitude of harmful effects in domestic animals. These include the following:

• Birds: Weakness, increased heart rate, difficulty in breathing, and apathy
• Rabbits: Cardiac arrhythmia, and submandibular edema
• Horses: Gastritis, and colic
• Cows and Goats: Mastitis, and decreased milk production
• Cats and Dogs: Mild stomach upset, and potential heart damage

Other animals like hares, pigs, rats, sheep, chickens, turkeys, and fish show similar symptoms.

How Avocados Can Be Bad For Dogs

For many animals, persin is a deadly toxin, and dogs too can fall victim to it. However, the toxicity of persin depends on the quantity consumed so small doses won’t hurt.

We don’t precisely know what amount of persin is harmful to dogs, however avocado leaves, skin, pits, and unripe fruits contain a higher concentration, so if your pooch chomps on some, persin poisoning is likely to happen.

Possible harmful effects of persin poisoning include:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Gastrointestinal upset
• Cardiac effects and so on.

If your dog exhibits any of these signs, he or she has likely taken a deadly dosage of persin. Consult your veterinarian as soon as possible.

As with any other food, there’s also always the chance that your dog is allergic to avocados. Severe allergic reactions can lead to anaphylaxis, a potentially deadly condition.

Also, check out: Can Dogs Eat Avocado Skin?

How Avocados Can Be Good For Dogs

With avocados, a high risk of poisoning only comes with the foliage and the unripe fruit. Thus, if your feed your pup some ripe avocados in a small amount, there’s no need to worry.

Avocados are highly healthful and nutritious if the owner can be kept under the control of the dog. Thus, in the right amount, these fruits can actually benefit your pooch’s health.

Some of the health benefits of avocado include:

• Avocados are high in potassium which can help reduce blood pressure.
• The high concentration of fibers in avocados can aid in digestive health.
• Antioxidants, like lycopene and beta-carotene, help prevent diseases, including certain types of cancer.
• Avocados are packed with protein, which is one of the most important nutrients in canine diets
• The fruit also includes fatty acids, which are beneficial to your dog’s coat.
• Vitamin K and phosphorus are important for bone health.

Should You Feed Your Dog Avocados?

Considering the risks, it’s understandable why many dog owners avoid feeding avocados to their dogs, even though the fruits are perfectly edible for canines when prepared properly.

Call your vet before giving your dog food with sugar in it. If you do get the green light from your vet, remember to properly prepare the food before your dog eats some.

Things To Be Careful About When Feeding Avocados To Your Dog

Maybe you’re curious as to whether your dog would like eating avocados and want to try giving them some. If so, here are a few tips for you, as well as a few things to look out for as a dog owner:

• Remember to only use ripe avocados.
• Peel away all the skin and feed only the fruit part.
• The pit poses a choking hazard and has a higher concentration of persin, so remove it properly as well.
• If there’s an avocado tree growing on your property, make sure your pup never eats the bark or leaves.
• Remind everyone in your family to never feed your pooch avocados without properly preparing them.

Can Dogs Eat Avocado Oil?

Avocado oil is pressed from the fleshy pulp surrounding the pit of the avocado. As a result, it does not contain persin, making it completely safe for dogs. It gives you a risk-free way of giving your dog the same benefits as the fruit.

However, as with any oil, avocado oil is high in fat, so you should share it with your canine friend in moderation. About a tablespoon in their food once a week will be good enough.

Explore more on “Can Dogs Eat Avocado Oil?”

Click here to buy some flavorful avocado oil that you can give your dog and also use in your cooking.

Conclusion

So, Can Dogs Eat Avocados? Yes, but only the pulp of the ripe fruit. Consumption of persin in large quantities can be disastrous. So make sure that your pooch never chomps on any foliage, unripe fruits, peels, and pit. As long as you make sure that your pooch is only eating the ripe and fleshy part of the fruit, nothing will go wrong.

Now that you know which part of the avocado is safe for dogs to eat, find out all about dogs and avocados in avocado for dogs. 

Have you ever given avocado to your dog? Which part of the fruit have you shared? How did they react? We would love to hear from you. Please share with our community by leaving a comment below!