Can Dogs Eat Almonds?
Is it 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
What do other dog owners have to say about whether their dogs can eat Almonds or not? See comments below.
Tags: almonds, fats, nuts, salt, toxic
45 Comments on Can Dogs Eat Almonds
Know if dogs can or can't eat Almonds? Help other dog owners by leaving a comment.
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.
June 17th, 2013 at 10:11 am
German shepherd mix. She has gastro problems about once a month, eats grass, but rarely vomits and in a day or two she’s fine. 5 or 6 almonds a day have nothing to do with this and only seem beneficial to her health and energy. So you worry mongers out there,
tone it down with the BS.
August 14th, 2013 at 6:45 am
I make almond milk from raw almonds I soak for hours, changing the water three or dour times, and then remove the skins. I then soak the skinless almonds over night in fresh water and change the water one last time for an hour soak. I mulch the almonds in the blender with a number of water changes to make the milk. What imam left with is a tasteless, sludge with most of the nutrition, fats etc removed. I dry the leftover ‘roughage’ and add it to the home made BARF (no bones) diet in which is well balanced.
Soaking and remocing thenskins removes the toxins plants use to prevent bugs from eating their seeds. The almond sludge seems a light roughage and low? calorie filler that my dog has no trouble passing. She has not seemed to have any problems with this addition to her diet. She is a Pem Corgie and constantly hungry. She is one of those rare Corgies who is not fat (28lb). Though she is now elderly (12.5) I should like to get another pound or two off. I also boil beef bones to extract the gelatine (glucosamine etc) out and add some to each meal.
I have noticed that her hip seems not to give less (none now it appears) trouble on this regime. The gelatine may do the most work, but the added time to consume her food & the almond filler may give her a sense of a fuller stomach.
By the way, I also add a few drops of home made Lugol’s Iodine (no alcohol) to deal with any pathogens in her raw meats.
Another point I would like to add, a but off topic. No animal, bird, fish or mammal over exercises on its own, except for man. Long distance runners and intensive athletics wears out the heart. Check out how many famous professional athletes die early from cardiovascular/heart disease. I know I was shocked. My previous dog had an enlarged heart from the game I devised with the shaft of a golf club, bungee cord and length of rope she would chase. she live to 14+ but developed liver cancer due to the elderly low calorie dry dog food I got from the vet (a good man and vet). Walks are enough for dogs. They will run and walk as the need arises. Short cuts to save time could shorten your dogs life and play havoc on many systems.
I love my little pet and want her to be happy and healthy for as long as possible. Fortunately I can find the time to research and tend to her needs. At this point and for her age she is exemely healthy. Her only problem was some damage to her shoulder when she slipped on ice 3.5 years ago. This last half year, after 3.5 years on the barf died and the added bone gelatine and almond sludge (not sure if the sludge has been a benefit), the limp and pain from her slip on ice seem to have lifted.
Best wishes to everyone’s quest on the health of their pets, their families and themselves.
August 14th, 2013 at 7:26 am
I want to apologies for the typing errors in my previous post. I did it on my iPad and I have so much trouble with the keyboard. This time I’m doing this in notes and checking thoroughly. I want to add that I am very impressed with this site and the discourse on it.
I would like to suggest we all do our research on nutrition. I once gave a poorly fed neighbourhood dog a whomping sum of raw chicken skin which it quickly threw up. Lesson learned. Too much of anything (with the possible exception of love and kindness) is not always so good.
We are so inundated with conventional thinking on nutrition—the Mediterranean diet (there are so many possibilities), low fat, the pyramid government recommendations, meat/fats that are bad, healthy grains and legumes? etc. figuring what is best is a difficult task.
We, and our pets, need cholesterol for brain function and a healthy heart. The human heart runs on butyric acid (found in butter and bovine). Over loading on sugars (carbohydrates is an invented word because sugar and glucose have a bad name) is worrisome. Remember my experience over feeding the chicken skin? 🙁 Be aware, do your research and be open to questioning easy answers from media, governments, food fanatics (like me 🙂 and health experts. We all have the best of intentions. However, a healthy skepticism is not a bad thing.
Here is a good (seems good) link to the topic of this important fat.
http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.ca/2009/12/butyric-acid-ancient-controller-of.html
February 16th, 2014 at 7:49 am
My four months Yorkie will not eat dry food unless I put some butter almond with it.
February 18th, 2014 at 2:38 pm
I’m glad I read all of the above comments. I fed my dog about ten almonds this morning as she’s recovering from liver illness and a lot of foods make her nauseous. She used to like almonds, so I gave her some after pulverizing them in my food processor to help her digest them better. The vet wants her to eat cottage cheese and/or tofu rather than meat, you see, but she won’t eat them so I have to get protein into her somehow and thought I would try an old favorite of hers. She’ll eat meat as well. I’m not sure I’ll be feeding her nuts after reading what Morgan had to say. Of all the comments, I trust hers the most. If toxins build up (are accumulative), maybe that’s what made my dog sick or added to what was injuring her liver cells, so that she could have died two weeks ago.
June 30th, 2015 at 2:11 pm
My English Setter loves Blue Diamond Bold Wasabi and soy sauce!!!! She begs for them, but hasn’t gotten sick. Of course, I keep it to a minimum. I think over doing it is where an issue can occur. 🙂 She’s begging right now. LOL
October 9th, 2015 at 8:39 am
I agree with Morgan 100%. My Maltese loves almonds but would not digest them and pooped them out whole I freaked out and now before I give him any people food I look it up also I look up poisonous plants and keep an eye on him when he’s in the yard. Dwayne Johnson’s puppy just died from eating a poisonous mushroom in the yard.
January 1st, 2016 at 10:13 pm
my dog ate half an almond and exploded
December 31st, 2016 at 6:35 pm
I fed my dog almonds just a small amount
She got pareatitis and passed away, she fought hard for 5 days but did not make it.
Lesson learned, I only give my dogs dog food and dog treats no people food.
January 5th, 2018 at 4:09 pm
when i was younger we had a guy living with us for the summer one year who was studying in college to become a veterinarian. he was in his 3rd or 4th year and seemed very bright. he said the best food to feed a dog is whatever we eat. now we know that isn’t right as there are things we eat that are toxic to some dogs. i don’t know if he just didn’t think to point out that fact or if he wasn’t as bright as he seemed but he had made it through that far in his schooling so he couldn’t be to dim witted. i just wonder about all this stuff. i have pretty much followed and went by what he has told me my whole life and have had 6 dogs that all lived long healthy lives. the way the government works these days makes me wonder if these healthy dog food companies have any influence on what were being told that dogs should and should not eat. my last springer died at almost 16 yrs which is a full life for that breed and from the day i got him at 11 months, me and him ate some type of milk chocolate every night of his life. mostly the big peanut m&ms from cosco. there is 2 foods said to cause problems with dogs digestive systems yet if i had not read some of this information about nuts i would swear they are the reason he didn’t have any health issues. now i’m just sitting on a fence wondering because i now have my 7th dog and he is a springer at 6 months. i would be very upset if i followed all the do’s and don’ts of what i feed him and he ended up with problems or a short life. i’m going to keep researching, but in the mean time i will continue with feeding what i eat. every dog i have had would eat some dry dog food mixed with whatever i had for dinner. maybe you can say i have been lucky but i’ll tell you if that is the truth than it is the only luck t have ever had. 6 times lucky don’t really seem possible though, does it?