Can Dogs Eat Avocado?

A little plain avocado flesh is unlikely to harm most dogs, but avocado is not a treat worth reaching for. The flesh is very fatty, the pit is a serious choking and blockage hazard, the skin and leaves are best avoided, and guacamole is a definite no. The honest answer is “a small bite by accident is fine; do not make it a habit”.

The Persin Question

Avocado contains persin, a natural fungicide that is genuinely dangerous to birds, rabbits, horses, goats and cattle. That is where avocado’s toxic reputation comes from. Dogs are much more resistant: the amount in the ripe flesh is low, and the usual effect of eating too much is vomiting or diarrhea rather than poisoning.

Persin is more concentrated in the skin, the pit, the leaves and the bark. If you grow avocados and have a dog that chews plants or windfalls, that is worth knowing. If you have pet birds, keep avocado away from them entirely.

The Pit Is The Real Danger

An avocado pit is about the size and shape of a golf ball, hard, and slippery. It is exactly the kind of object that lodges in a dog’s throat, esophagus or intestines, and a swallowed pit often needs to be removed surgically. Dogs that raid the compost or the trash are the usual cases.

If your dog has swallowed a pit, or you think it might have, call your vet. Watch for retching, vomiting, refusing food, belly pain, or straining to poop, and do not wait for them to settle.

The Fat Problem

Avocado is roughly 15% fat, and about 160 calories per 100 grams, which is a lot to hand a dog in the name of a healthy snack. A sudden fatty load can cause an upset stomach in any dog, and in dogs prone to it, pancreatitis. Small dogs, overweight dogs, and breeds with a known tendency, such as miniature schnauzers, should skip it.

Guacamole Is A Hard No

Guacamole usually contains onion and garlic, both of which damage a dog’s red blood cells, plus salt and often chili and lime. A dog that has cleaned out a bowl of guacamole needs a call to the vet about the onion, not the avocado. See our guide to onions and garlic.

What About Avocado In Dog Food?

A few dog foods list avocado or avocado oil. The oil is made from the flesh and contains little persin, and the amount in a complete food is small and deliberate. That is a different thing from feeding avocado from your kitchen, and it is not a reason to share yours.

If You Want To Share

One or two small pieces of plain, ripe flesh, no skin, no pit, no seasoning, and only for a dog with no history of stomach trouble. Better options that do the same job with less fat include banana, blueberries and plain cooked sweet potato. For anything else, check the food checker.