In humans, the use of almonds in several forms is widespread all over the world. For the dog, descended from the wolf, it’s a different story, because its diet consists mainly of meat. But is it because a food is unusual that it is necessarily bad? Not always.
Many fruits and vegetables are good for the dog and have many virtues. Are almonds included? Let’s find out the answer together.
Almonds endanger the dog
Swallowing an almond is very dangerous for a dog. It contains oxalic acid, a toxic element that attacks the kidneys. Its toxicity is nevertheless to be nuanced because it takes either a significant ingestion or repeated for the effects of intoxication to be visible. Although the food itself is not as dangerous as other fruits / vegetables it is better to stick to other more recommended ones such as zucchini, carrots or bananas for example!
Almond milk and almond butter are less toxic because they contain less oxalic acid. They nevertheless remain to be avoided, bringing very little benefit for the risk incurred for the health of the dog.
Symptoms related to almond ingestion
If your dog has eaten a large quantity of almonds, here are the first observable symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Lack of appetite and difficulty moving
- Excessive salivation
- Fever
Some dogs such as the Akita Innu, the Labrador retriever, the French Bulldog or the Staffie are known to have recurring digestion problems, so their tolerance threshold for this type of food is necessarily lower.
My dog still managed to eat almonds, what should I do?
If you have inadvertently left almonds within reach of your dog without knowing their harmfulness, two solutions are available to you.
First, if you know your dog has eaten a lot of almonds, you can try to make him vomit by making him drink salt water. If not, the best thing is to go to your veterinarian so that your dog receives appropriate treatment and to make sure that his health is not in danger.
In summary: almond or no almond?
Almonds in all their forms are useless or even harmful. Do not take any risk trying to give them to your dog because they do not present any particular benefit for their health.
However, the first symptoms (vomiting, difficulty moving, etc.) only occur after ingestion of a large quantity of almonds. If you know your dog has taken it or you have any doubts, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible or try to make him vomit.
