Can Dogs Eat Almonds?
Is It Really Safe for Your Dog to Eat Almonds? Read more to find out.
Almonds are not toxic, but like all nuts they may cause upset stomachs:
All nuts contain fats, which can lead to gastrointestinal upset, such as vomiting and diarrhea. Foods with high fat content can also potentially produce an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. In addition, many commercially sold nuts are salted-and if a pet consumed a large volume of salt from the nuts, this could potentially pose a risk for the development of a sodium ion toxicosis.
Source: www.aspca.org/aspcablog/2006/05/ask-apcc-is-it-okay-for-my-yorkie-to.html
Tags: almonds, fats, nuts, salt, toxic
35 Responses to “Almonds”
Know if dogs can or can't eat Almonds? Help other dog owners by leaving a comment.
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Recent Comments
May 17th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
my dog loves almonds. I only give him raw, unsalted and never too many!!
May 28th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
I justgave little yorkie a few almonds & she started shivering awfully.
June 10th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
My pitbull goes nuts for some almonds. The raw ones are the best. He loves Blue Diamond Whole Almonds.
September 11th, 2010 at 5:37 am
My dog becomes violently ill after eating almonds, or anything that was near them. I’ve just had a salad with almonds in it, and assumed it would be safe to give her a piece of cheese from the salad as long as there were no almonds sticking to it. No almonds on it, but it still made her sick
October 1st, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Our little mutt loves almonds. I didn`t think there was any problem with giving him almonds because he goes crazy for them! I think one night my husband and I gave him about 30 almonds while we were watching a film on TV and he still wanted more!
December 3rd, 2010 at 11:27 pm
My dog LOVES almonds! I have never been big on feeding her people food but an old co-worker of mine slipped her an almond once and she has been obsessed ever since! She can smell them through a bag, through the cupboard. Needless to say, they are her favorite treat and have never made her sick (even when she learned how to open the cupboard and ate a whole bag). Though, as with anything you give your pet, watch for signs of an allergic reaction and only in moderation…
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:52 am
I always give my Jack Russel almonds. She loves them and never had a problem with them. I don’t know what all the fuss is about. I think someone gave their dog almonds, the dog became allergic to them, and then it was spread around like wild fire that almonds are bad for dogs. They should just tell people to watch out for allergic reactions.
March 22nd, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Our Chihuhua got a hold of 1 almond and exhibited labored breathing, fast heartbeat, and vomiting/dry heaving.
March 31st, 2011 at 9:39 am
Wow my dog ate a 5 pound bag if almonds 2 days ago now my yard is a mess n filled with almonds but she sure does luv them almonds…
April 11th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
My German Sheperd loves almonds. I only give her the raw unsalted variety. I will mention that she has a digestive system that is easily upset. So much so that the only dog food that she can digest is a raw diet. Anyway, almonds do not bother her at all.
May 7th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Nuts are typically fine for dogs. It is the fungus that grows in the shells of tree nuts when they fall to the ground in moist conditions that can cause trouble. If you are eating it, your dog probably can too. We have co-evolved for tens of thousands of years. Dogs have as diverse a digestive system as we do. We only need to worry about things that are not common in nature or are processed, like alcohol, coffee, chocolate, etc. . .
May 7th, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Nuts are typically fine for dogs. It is the fungus that grows in the shells of tree nuts when they fall to the ground in moist conditions that can cause trouble. If you are eating it, your dog probably can too. We have co-evolved for tens of thousands of years. Dogs have as capable and sufficient digestive system as we do. We only need to worry about things that are not common in nature or are processed, like alcohol, coffee, chocolate, etc. . .
May 18th, 2011 at 10:08 am
i hope my lab dossent get sick i was about to give him some
May 18th, 2011 at 10:10 am
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May 21st, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Oh my God , I though my dog was the only one that is so obsessive with almonds and she is a Chihuahua but lives for the almonds !!
June 26th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
my dog is a little Havanese and he LOVES almonds. For him this is the best treat. It has never given him any problems, but as so many others have said, I only give him raw, unsalted almonds and since it is a treat I never give him too many!
July 13th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Rose is not entirely right. It is possible that some owners with dogs that had allergic reactions spread the word that almonds are bad for them, but her response totally ignores statements made in the article itself, such as “All nuts contain fats, which can lead to gastrointestinal upset, such as vomiting and diarrhea,” which is probably what owners are seeing in large part; a stomach upset due to a particular dog’s inability to process the fatty content efficiently. Not a breed, but an individual dog. Just like people, they have their quirks and needs that differ from others of their own breed, and even litter mates.
People should always be on the look-out for allergic reactions, but assuming that your dog is allergic to almonds because they vomited or came down with diarrhea is just as bad as assuming there’s no allergy at all; don’t fix what isn’t broken. If your dog has a bad reaction, keep the almonds, or whatever else it is, away from them at all times. If they don’t have a bad reaction and you’ve done your research to prove that allowing them to continue eating the item isn’t going to produce internal damage, then don’t worry about it.
July 25th, 2011 at 10:26 am
I gave my 8 month old Border Collie 5-10 almonds when we hiked an “easy” 14er in Colorado this past weekend and she loved them and completed the hike with no problems. She was even ready to play ball afterwards.
July 26th, 2011 at 5:41 am
My 3 yr.chihuahua also loves almonds but they are a rare treat. Last night she got her fair share when my husband brought some out for an evening snack. An hour or so later we went to bed and that’s when the frenzied scratching and biting began! It started with 30 to 45 minutes of paw licking and moved on to fierce scratching and biting. Even her tail. I was up half the night trying to figure out what could have happened to her, searching the web for help. I did give her a small dose of prednisone around 3:30 a.m. which gave her some relief. She started in again only 2 hours later, but not as violently as before. I was still puzzled as to why this was going on when my husband suggested that it could be an allergic reaction to almonds. I definitely think that is the answer. When our 14 year old chihuahua was also 3 we discovered he had a peanut allergy. Just know that dogs (and humans) are never allergic to the first exposure of an allergen. It first must be introduced into the system where the body builds up histamines against it and then can cause a reaction at some later point. It could be the very next exposure or even years later. So… dog owners beware! I had a miserable night, an my poor dog was in agony!
July 26th, 2011 at 6:19 am
I just spent a sleepless night while my 3 yr old chihuahua spent a night in agony scratching and chewing wherever she could reach, even her tail. It occurred to me this morning that she is probably suffering from an allergic reaction to the almonds my husband “treated” her to last night. Almonds are not a regular treat, but she has had some in the past. Please know that people (and I am assuming dogs and cats) do not react to the first exposure to a potential allergen. It must first be introduced before histamines are built up in the system. It could be the very next exposure or even years later before the body will react. So, dog owners be alert! My dog suffered all night and is still uncomfortable even after a small dose of prednisone. So, lesson learned! No more almonds… or any other nut for that matter!
August 4th, 2011 at 4:38 am
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, check before feeding ur precious baby anything off your table. And what I mean by that is; any food that you the human consume. Now; there’s people in this world that have a food allergy to certain foods and others who do not have an allergy to those same foods. Same with ur pets. Some react differently to certain people foods. So you really need to check before giving any people food to your pet. You can check online or even call your local vets office. Its only takes a few minutes of your time verses the rest of your life without your pet you love so dearly. Please people be your pets best friend and look out for them so they can be your best friend for years to come and look out for you.
August 21st, 2011 at 11:48 pm
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August 27th, 2011 at 1:25 am
I have 2 pits one kind of likes them and the other thinks it’s the answer to life. Anytime someone walks close to the bag she makes it obvious what she wants. I don’t give her many but she can’t get enough.
September 7th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
If you check the lists of what foods are dangerous to dogs–then nuts are right on that list always. not worth the risk!
October 28th, 2011 at 7:22 pm
Trader Joes sells unsalted toasted slivered almonds that are addicting! I shared a few slivers with my dog and he just cant get enough. I dont give him much (a pinch)- is a good amount. Iam always looking for safe healthy foods to feed him.
November 29th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by some of the “it’s ok” stories on here. I Just got off of the phone with the ASPCA POISON CONTROL HOTLINE. Almonds ARE toxic to dogs. DO NOT give your dogs alomonds. If your dog eats almonds, monitor closely for vomiting, diarrhea, or other signs of distress. If any distress is exhibited, contact an emergency vet or the ASPCA poison control hotline immediately !!
January 23rd, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Our Bouvier des Flandres just loves Almonds and the almonds never seem to bother her…We only give her the Fresh Non salted kind… as soon as you get a handful, she’s right there looking for one… and more! She hates potato chips, or popcorn… a fussy eater… but she will always track ya down if she smells you have an almond!
I am glad to see other dogs like them too… thought she was just weird.
February 29th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
My pomeranian ate a pretty good size bag of raw almonds as well as some cocoa almonds and the only effect it had on her was lots of poop containing them… She has not been sick to her stomach or anything like that and she does have a very sensitive stomach. I was expecting the worst, but she tolerated them very well. I will not feed her them, she just found them and broke in on her own.
March 24th, 2012 at 10:07 am
I would like to respond to Rachel’s posting in particular. Nuts are not typically fine for dogs and it has nothing to do with fungus or bacteria in shelled nuts. It has to do with NATURALLY occuring chemicals and their fat content inside the meat of the nut iteself. Macadamias are deadly toxic, and other nuts contain various amounts of toxins that can be and are harmful to dogs. The proplem is that the toxic amount can vary from dog breed and inviduals. As Don and DJJ mentioned most veterinarians and animal poison control centres do not recommend feeding your dog nuts just to be safe. Also, dogs do not have a diverse digestive system. They are carnivores first and foremost. Various breeds of wild canines do supplement their diets with other foods, but even that varies from species to species. Just be cause it is “good” for humans does not automatically make a food “good” for pets. Also, just because your dog “loves” a food, does not mean it is OK for them. Humans eat things that are bad for us all the time because we like them, not because they have any nutritional value. Animals are not purely instinctual and do not automatically avoid foods that are not safe for them. Also, just because your dog has not had a bad reaction to a “treat”, keep in mind many foods, like chocolate, have a cumulative effect in animals because of they way the metabolize foods. In small amounts, given on occasion, it may seem your dog is not affected, but each time you give your dog certain foods, the toxins continue to build up in their system/organs because they are not capable of metabolizing it out. Eventually they will receive one treat too many and major, irreversable damage or death will occur. For those of you who have posted here that your dogs has eaten huge amounts of alomonds in one sitting, consider yourselves luck, not that almonds (or other human foods)are safe for your dog.
In case you are wondering, my experience goes beyond being a dog owner… I studied Veterinary Medicine and have worked in Veterinary clinics and other animal centres for over 20 years. So please ask your Veterinarian if you have questions about what is or is not safe to feed your pet.
April 20th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
My dog loves unsalted whole almonds. He also has cushings disease. So far, no ill effects.. I am worried if I should give them to him or not. My other dog can take ‘em or leave ‘em. Not nearly as obsessive as my German Shepherd is. What do you think? He is 12 yrs old.
April 28th, 2012 at 6:08 pm
Our Min-pin Jack-Russel mix loves almonds (4-5 at a setting) and has never shown any ill side effects. I probable won’t take a chance again. I was on looking about apples?
September 7th, 2012 at 12:12 pm
I have a miniature schnauzer and she cannot get enough of almonds. I usually give her natural raw almonds. Never has harmed her!
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:20 pm
An almond or 2 every now and then most likely will not be harmful to a dog. But the probem is the fat content. Too much of certain types of fat are difficult for a dog’s pancreas to handle. Most nuts are not really good for dogs for this reason. The more nuts, the harder it is on the pancreas. Effects may not be immediate, but it is like our pancreas, cumulative abuse takes its toll. Also Macadamia nuts will straight out hurt your dog, so never give those or anything that has been in contact with those.
December 30th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
I have a four year old siberian huskey, name luke. I fed him some unsalted and natural almonds and all he does is bark for more. The oils in the nut has to be ok and some good for them like it does us!
April 24th, 2013 at 5:37 pm
I have two Bernese Mountain Dogs and occasionally give them almonds, raw unsealed Costco bran. My male has a sensitive stomach but never seems bothered by the almonds. both dogs really love them, but being Berners, they pretty much like anything.