Can dogs eat avocado? Most dog owners have been giving their dogs certain supplementary foods. However, most of them are still questioning whether the dogs can eat avocados as supplementary meals. Yes, dog can eat avocado; in fact, avocados have many health benefits to dogs. Nevertheless, it’ll be important to follow the correct procedure when feeding the dogs with the avocado. Additionally, you should provide the required amount of avocado to the dog. This article will discuss the correct procedure of feeding dogs with avocado and their health benefits. Besides, we will discuss the side effects resulting from overeating avocados.
How can a dog eat avocado?
It’ll be essential to follow the following steps when you want your dog to feed on an avocado:
- Wash the avocado fruit from the outside, after which remove the fruit’s skin.
- Take out the seed or pit of the avocado fruit. The fruit may cause choking and blockage to the dog’s alimentary canal.
- Remove any leaves or stems on the fruits if by any chance they are still on the fruits. The reason being these parts have a high concentration of the persin’s toxin.
- Cut the fruit into small slices and let your dog try the pieces out. After the dog has consumed the slices, observe it closely for the next 24 hours to observe any signs of severe side effects. Check for stool frequency or any behavioral change.
- If your dog doesn’t show any negative signs and symptoms, then you can slices more avocados next time.
Health benefits of avocado to dogs
1. Avocados are highly nutritious
Most dog owners consider avocados as superfoods as they contain surplus minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and many other nutrients. They have more than 20 phytonutrients, minerals, and vitamins such as Vitamin K, E, C, B16, potassium, folate, and copper. These minerals and vitamins will help the dogs battle some common dog illnesses and diseases. Additionally, the high levels of Vitamin C will help the dog absorb other nutrients more quickly and efficiently.2. Avocados improve the dog’s coat and skin
A dog requires foods packed with omega fatty acids and vitamin E to have healthy skin and hair. Avocados provide the best source of omega fatty acids and Vitamin E; thus, this shows that when your dog eats avocado, it’ll have a smooth, nice, and shiny coat. The nutrients achieve this by allowing the free-flowing water in the dog’s body through the coat or hair.3. Avocados will also help to sharpen the dog’s vision
The Vitamin A found in the avocado is very helpful for improving the eyesight in both human beings and dogs. However, the quantity of Vitamin A in avocados is very minimal, but it’s enough to make some changes. Mostly, it’ll be of great help if you fed the avocado to an older dog with deteriorating eyesight.4. Avocados in dogs provide for a healthy heart
Avocados contain a certain amount of healthy fat in their flesh. The monosaccharide’s fat is the healthy fat in the avocadoes. These fats are essential for lowering any bad cholesterol level in dogs, thus improving the health of the dog’s heart. Additionally, you can consult with a veterinary officer if your dog has a heart condition, the amount of avocado you’ll provide the dog with to help improve its situation. However, it would help if you only used it as a supplement, not the primary treatment.Side effects of avocadoes on dogs
Providing your dog with the correct quantity of avocado provides the best health benefits for the dogs. However, the dog may experience some side effects, ranging from mild to severe, if they eat too much avocado or have a sensitive stomach. Below are some of the side effects most dog owners have reported as a result of the dogs feeding on too much avocado:
1. Stomach upsets
When a dog overeats avocado, it can experience some mild stomach complications and pains. The stomach aches may become severe; however, the severity of the stomach aches is mainly dependent on the dog’s stomach sensitivity. Remember that the more avocados your dog consumes, the more the chances of having stomach pains. Thus, it’s important to moderate the number of avocados you’re giving the dog if it experiences mild stomach aches. If the stomach ache is severe, completely stop feeding the dog with avocados.2. Intestinal obstruction
When feeding your dog with the avocado, it’s always good to avoid feeding the animal with the avocado’s seed. When a dog swallows a large seed, the seed may block the alimentary canal of the dog. The blockage of the intestinal tract will cause more health problems to the dog. Additionally, the seed can also cause choking of the dog as it tries to swallow it. Thus, it’s essential to prevent the dog from feeding on the whole avocados.3. May cause pancreatitis
Too much fat in meals causes pancreatitis and other health issues in dogs. If your dog eats too many avocados, it’ll have an excessive fatty acid level that will affect the pancreas. Pancrease is the organ that aids the digestion of food and controls the blood sugar levels in dogs. When your dog eats a meal with many fatty acids, it leads to inflammation of the pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. Thus, it’ll be good to limit the number of avocados your dog is eating.Conclusion
Avocadoes have various health benefits for the dogs once the dogs eat them in the correct quantity. However, it’s good to be cautious to prepare the avocado well for the dog to eat by slicing it in pieces and throwing away the avocado pit or seed. Lastly, it’ll be good to consider limiting the amount of avocado your dog is eating to prevent the adverse side effects on the dog’s health.Recommended Reading
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