Can Dogs Eat Pecans?

While pecans are a tasty treat for humans, dogs should never eat these nuts as too much of them can be fatal for the pooch. They can easily obstruct the pet's digestive system, leading to digestion problems and discomfort.

Pecans are toxic for most dogs. They contain juglone, which is a potent toxin, and also have aflatoxin, a natural poison. Suppose you give yours too many of them. In that case, it often experiences diarrhea, vomiting, and even yellowing of the gums or eyes as their digestive system cannot handle the poisons and toxins.

Another reason dogs should not eat pecans is that they are very high in calories and fat content. Therefore, even if they do not affect the digestive system or cause any of the issues above, they can lead to weight gain and pancreatitis.

Why Would You Feed Your Dog's Pecans?

Pecans are highly nutritious for human beings, and this fact can tempt pet parents to give them to their canines to get some of their health benefits. What's more, these nuts are also high in fiber and protein content.

Better still, pecans have significant amounts of vitamins, magnesium, phosphorous, and manganese. When combined, all these things make the nuts very healthy, which is enough reason to give them to your pet.

What Should I Do If My Dog Ate Pecans?

1. No Symptom: If the dog eats a few pecan pieces, you will hardly notice any discomfort or symptoms, so there is nothing to worry about as a pet parent. In such instances, there is nothing you have to do as the nuts pass through the pet naturally, without causing any problems.

2. Vomiting and Diarrhea: Vomiting and diarrhea are the most common and immediate symptoms of overeating pecans. Sometimes these symptoms last for just a few hours as the nuts pass through the system, and in such cases, you need to keep the pet hydrated and comfortable as it recovers. However, in some cases, they can become more severe. When that happens, you need to call a vet as the condition requires treatment.

3. Increased Urinating and Defecating: In severe pecan poisoning cases, your dog can have increased urinating and defecating. For such instances, the best move is always to take the pet to the vet. The veterinarian has to administer fluids and medication while also doing blood work to treat the canine.

4. Intestinal Blockages: If you notice your pet has appetite loss, abdominal pain, and general body weakness after eating pecans, it might have intestinal blockage. Some of these blockages can clear on their own, and you just need to give the dog fluids, but for severe ones, the pet may need surgery.

5. Liver Failure: One of the long-term effects of eating pecans for dogs is liver failure, given they contain a lot of sodium. Unlike other symptoms above, you cannot diagnose this one at home unless you are a trained veterinarian, but some of the signs include blood on the dog's stool. Once the vet determines the dog has liver failure, they recommend the most appropriate treatment for your pooch.

Are Other Nuts Safe for Dogs?

Some nuts like peanuts and cashew can be safe for most dogs unless your pup has a specific allergy to either. Peanuts and cashews are tasty and contain lots of healthy compounds. Provided they are unsalted and unseasoned and given in small amounts, they should be safe for the pet.

However, it is essential to note that both peanuts and cashews are too high in fat. Therefore they do not make a good regular treat. While your dog can be fine with a few spoons of peanut butter or munching a couple of cashew or peanuts, it is a bad idea to give any nuts to the pup regularly.

Conclusion

Pecans are highly nutritious with lots of healthy compounds like minerals, vitamins, and proteins but, they are not good for dogs. Like most other nuts, a dog's digestive system cannot handle them well, and they can have adverse health effects from vomiting to liver failure. Therefore, it is best to avoid giving them to dogs, even in small quantities.

Sources

1. Can Dogs Eat Nuts - American Kennel Club
2. Can Dogs Eat Pecans - The Spruce Pets
3. Can Dogs Have Nuts - PetMD