Can Dogs Eat Cashews?

In general, dogs can eat most nuts, but does that mean dogs can eat cashews too? If so, are cashews good or bad for dogs to have? While some nuts are toxic or dangerous for dogs to consume, cashews are perfectly safe in small amounts as long as your dog is not allergic. However, eating too many cashews can pose some risks to your dog’s health so it is important to give them this treat in moderation.

What Are the Risks of Eating Cashews For Dogs?

While your pet may be able to physically have cashews without choking, it’s important for owners to understand the potential side effects and health issues of feeding a pup nuts.

Allergic Reactions

The first thing to consider when feeding cashews, or any other type of nuts, to dogs is allergic reactions. In most cases, this isn’t going to be a problem, but there are some dogs that do have allergies to nuts. When first introducing cashews to your dog’s diet, give them very small amounts, and then watch for any signs of allergic reactions.

Some symptoms of allergies include swelling, itching, rashes, and hives. If your dog does not display any symptoms of an allergic reaction after eating cashews, you know that it is safe to give them some as an occasional treat.

Even though your dogs may not be allergic to cashews, they may be allergic to other nuts (e.g. almonds), and that can be a big problem if you are giving them cashews. Often, cashews are processed and packaged in factories along with other types of nuts, and those may come into contact with the cashews. If your dogs are allergic to any nuts, they could experience serious allergic reactions. Never give your dogs cashews that are packaged with other nuts.

High Fat Content

Another reason why you shouldn’t give your dogs too many cashews is that they are very high in fat. But, at the same time, cashews are also high in protein which is very good for dogs. The problem is that too much fat in a dog’s diet can lead to a number of health issues, including pancreatitis, which can be life-threatening if not treated in time.

Fatty foods lead to obesity, which is the main cause of pancreatitis. So, if you are going to give cashews to your dogs, just give them a few at a time.

High Sodium Content

One of the biggest problems with cashews is that they are often salted. Dogs do not need any extra salt in their diets, and it can be very unhealthy for them. Too much salt can lead to serious health issues, including salt toxicity, which may cause vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, tremors, and seizures.

Yes, Dogs Can Eat Cashews in Moderation

Even though cashews are usually safe for most dogs to eat, you shouldn’t give your dogs too much of this tasty treat. When you do give cashews to your dogs, make sure that they are unsalted, have no candy coatings, etc. They should be plain and your dogs only need a few at a time. A small handful of cashews is more than enough for a treat to give to your dogs.