You may be wondering if it is safe to give your dogs nuts as a treat. There are some nuts that your dog can eat, but not all nuts are good for dogs. Some nuts are healthy for dogs, such as peanuts, almonds, and cashews. Even a variety of doggy treats are made with peanut butter. But this doesn’t mean that you can give any type of nut to your dogs. Moreover, nuts can be high in fat so you’ll need to watch out how much your dogs has. For this reason, owners must be very careful giving their dogs mixed nuts.
Ultimately, it’s important to know which nuts are okay for dogs to eat, and which types can be bad. To keep your pet safe and healthy, here’s a list of the kinds of nuts your dog can have and some that you should avoid.
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Nuts Dogs Can Eat
Peanuts
When peanuts are shelled and not salted, they are safe for dogs to eat. Raw or roasted, peanuts can be a good, healthy treat. However, peanuts are fatty, so make sure that you only give your dogs a few as an occasional treat.
Pistachios
As long as you don’t give them the shells, dogs can eat pistachios. But, again, they are high in fat, so it is recommended that you only feed them to your dogs in very small amounts. Make sure that they do not eat the shells, as they can lead to digestive issues.
Chestnuts
Chestnuts are loaded with health benefits, making them okay to add to doggy diets. But, too many of these nuts can lead to stomach upsets and vomiting, as dogs aren’t as able to process nuts and seeds as easily as we do.
Cashews
Dogs can eat cashews, but this kind of nut is safe and healthy in small portions. Cashews are high in fact, so too much or regular consumption can lead to obesity, especially if your dog doesn’t exercise.
Almonds
Your dog can also eat almonds, and while almonds can add a healthy variety to your dog’s diet, we only recommend these kinds of nuts in limited quantities. Similarly, almonds are safe and good for puppies who won’t choke on them. However, given that older dogs may be less active and more prone to obesity, nuts can be bad for older dogs.
Bad Nuts For Dogs
Pine Nuts
Pine nuts are one of the nuts that are not safe for dogs to eat, under any circumstances. While they are not toxic to dogs, pine nuts aren’t the best choice, as many dogs are allergic to pine nuts, which are actually seeds.
Walnuts
Walnuts are high in fat, making them very unhealthy for dogs to eat, even in small amounts. Another problem with walnuts is that they are larger than other nuts, making them not only difficult to digest, but also a choking hazard, especially in smaller dogs.
Brazil Nuts
While some people say that Brazil nuts are healthy for dogs, they are one of the fattiest nuts, so it is not wise to give too much of this treat to your dogs. Even a small amount of these nuts can be unhealthy for dogs, particularly smaller dogs.
Pecans
Pecans are another nut that are extremely fatty, and like walnuts, they are large and not easy for dogs to digest. Giving your dogs too many pecans can also lead to upset stomachs (this can actually happen with most types of nuts, so give them healthy nuts in moderation).
Some Nuts Are OK For Dogs
If you are introducing any new food to your dogs’ diets, including certain types of nuts, make sure that you watch them for any negative reactions. Always remove the shells, as they can tear tissue in the digestive tract, and make sure that you only give your dogs that do not have any salt, candy coatings, etc. It is imperative that you never give your dogs any type of chocolate-coated nuts, as chocolate is extremely toxic to dogs.