- It depends, dogs may eat some nuts
- Macadamia nuts and walnuts are toxic!
- Cashews and peanuts are allowed in small amounts
It depends on the type of nut. Some nuts are harmless for dogs, others are seriously toxic. Macadamia nuts and walnuts are on the list of foods dogs must not eat. All nuts should be fed unsalted, unseasoned and without the shell.
Nuts at a glance
Allowed in small amounts:
- Peanuts (unsalted, shelled): technically legumes, well tolerated
- Cashews (unsalted, unroasted): high in fat, okay in moderation
- Hazelnuts (shelled): only rarely, as a snack
Not recommended:
- Almonds: hard to digest, can cause stomach upset
- Brazil nuts: extremely high in selenium, so regular feeding is risky
- Pistachios: usually salted and hard to digest
Toxic, strictly off-limits:
- Macadamia nuts: the toxic mechanism is unknown; they cause weakness, trembling, hyperthermia and vomiting
- Walnuts: contain juglone and go moldy easily, and the mold toxins are life-threatening for dogs
What to watch out for
Peanut butter is popular with dogs, but be careful: some peanut butters contain xylitol as a sugar substitute, and xylitol is highly toxic to dogs. Always check the ingredient list before feeding peanut butter.
All nuts are high in fat, so too many at once can trigger pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). If your dog vomits after eating nuts, contact your vet.
How to feed nuts
Always unsalted, unroasted and shelled. Give only a few pieces, as a rare treat. Never offer whole nuts that could become a choking hazard, and chop them up for small dogs.
Nutritional values and safety limits
Nuts are extremely calorie-dense: cashews provide about 553 kcal per 100 g (44 g fat), peanuts about 567 kcal (49 g fat), and macadamia nuts about 718 kcal (76 g fat). The high fat content is the main problem for a dog's stomach.
Guidelines for the nuts that are allowed (cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts):
- Small dog (up to 10 kg): max. 1 to 2 pieces per day
- Medium dog (10 to 25 kg): max. 3 to 4 pieces per day
- Large dog (over 25 kg): max. 5 to 6 pieces per day
For macadamia nuts there is no safe dose: as little as 2.4 g per kg of body weight can trigger signs of poisoning. For a 10 kg dog that is about 24 g (about 10 nuts).
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