Some dog owners consider nuts a harmless product that can be given to animals. However, not everything is so clear on this issue. It is necessary to find out whether peanuts and other nuts can be used for dogs and if they can harm the pet.
Possible dangers
Nuts contain a large amount of vegetable fats, and therefore they are very high in calories. Depending on the type, the value can be 500-800 Kcal, which significantly increases the risk of developing pancreatitis. Many types of nuts contain a large amount of iron, which leads to the formation of stones in the bladder.
Nuts are difficult to digest in the body. Dogs, eating them, often do not chew, which leads to an accumulation of gases in the intestines. Nuts can also cause poisoning.
Failure to comply with the rules of preparation and storage leads to the appearance of mold on the surface of nuts. Their eating causes inflammation of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. If for a person this is not fatal, then in the case of a dog, a pet is fraught with death.
What nuts can be given to dogs?
It is interesting to find out what kind of nuts a dog is allowed to eat:
- Cedar. They are relatively easy to digest and safe. This does not mean that the dog can overeat them. The measure is important in everything. Sometimes you can pamper your pet, but not daily, of course.
- Almond. Also on the list of products allowed for the dog. But if you overdo it with its use, you can not avoid problems with the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea is very likely. If you consume almonds all the time, problems with the pancreas can occur up to pancreatitis (inflammation).
- Chestnut. It can be given to dogs, but not often. Otherwise, problems with the pancreas are also possible. Therefore, a chestnut can be given to a pet only occasionally as a treat. If you give the beast a large amount of nuts at a time, diarrhea is likely.
- Brazilian nut. You can give, but in very small quantities: no more than one piece per day. Otherwise, you will also have to face diarrhea.
- Cashew. This nut is not as greasy as the others. Therefore, it can be given more than others. In addition, magnesium and calcium are present in the nut. However, it is not worth feeding a cashew to fill a deficiency of these trace elements. For this purpose, vitamins from a veterinary pharmacy or premium food are better suited, where all the ingredients necessary for feeding the dog have already been added.
- Peanut. In general, this is not a nut, but a legume fruit. Therefore, answering the question whether it is possible to give peanuts to the dog, it is worth saying that it is he who is considered the most harmless to the pet among other similar products. Four-legged with pleasure eat both peanuts and pasta from it. The latter can be prepared at home. At the first use, it is advisable to give a small amount to check if the pet is allergic to the product.
When giving your dog peanuts and other nuts, you should control their quantity. If an unforeseen reaction of the body or symptoms of poisoning occurs, you need to immediately seek emergency veterinary care. Self-medication is fraught with dangerous consequences, even death.
More About Peanuts
When wondering if dogs can have peanuts, it’s worthwhile to dwell on the product in more detail.
Peanuts - also called peanuts - is an important crop in agriculture, which is cultivated for the sake of obtaining fruits ("nuts"). In botany, peanuts are legumes and not nuts at all. And the name "peanut" is a tracing-paper from a foreign language.
In general, this is a very useful product. Of course, one should use it within reasonable limits and only in raw form. Why Can't Dogs Roast Peanuts? The answer to this question will be given a little later.
Peanuts are not as fat as other nuts, because they are not nuts at all. It contains nutrients: vegetable protein, sodium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, vitamins A, B, E, K, folic acid, amino acids. The consumption of peanuts favorably affects the cardiovascular, endocrine system, and liver.
But it is a hard-to-digest product, so you should not give it to your pet in large quantities. After it, bloating and increased gas formation are possible. If a dog is diagnosed with kidney or liver failure, the answer to the question whether peanuts can be nuts can be sharply negative.
Peanut value
Speaking about the composition of peanuts, it is worth noting that in it:
- A large number of vitamins - A, B, E, D, PP.
- Amino acids are contained - polyunsaturated folic, linoleic, arachidonic.
- Biotin and other organic substances are present.
- The whole composition belongs to proteins (the third part), 10% to carbohydrates and more than half to fats that do not include cholesterol.
The calorie content of peanuts in raw form is 548 Kcal per 100 grams, in roasted - 626.
What nuts aren't allowed?
Not all nuts have a positive effect on a dog’s health. Here is a list of those that are prohibited for use:
- Walnuts. Most often cause poisoning. They can also lead to digestive upsets. Even if the dog is not given walnuts at home, she can find them on the street and eat with the shell. And this will cause intestinal obstruction, requiring urgent medical measures. Mold on peels of nuts causes cramps and other neurological problems in dogs.
- Pistachios. These are very fatty nuts that cause diarrhea in dogs. If they are moldy, this may not always be visible to the human eye. Most often, pistachios are sold salted. And salt is bad for dogs. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and leave pistachios for the owner of the dog and his friends.
- Hazelnut. If you use it often, do not avoid problems with the dog's bladder in the form of stones. And the thing is that there is a large amount of iron in hazelnuts.
- Macadamia Occurs infrequently in Russia. Nevertheless, there are already his fans. It is enough for the dog to eat 5-6 pieces so that convulsions, increased palpitations, paralysis of the extremities appear. Scientists have not yet figured out what exactly leads to such a reaction, but the dog should not give this nut.
- Nutmeg. The same consequences are possible as after macadamia. After its use, the animal may fall into a coma and die.
What is the danger of peanuts and other nuts for dogs?
When using any nuts, an allergic reaction in the animal may occur. If the dog eats them, it is worth watching her skin.
Often owners use nuts when training an animal. Throw a nut, and the dog catches on the fly like a treat. This often leads to the fact that the dog may suffocate if the nut blocks the airways. Therefore, do not give peanuts and other nuts to the animal during training. It is better to replace them with small pieces of meat.
The dog can find the unpeeled nut and swallow it. The shell is quite capable of causing intestinal obstruction or even a puncture.
Mold formed on nuts during long-term storage is not visible to humans in a small amount. And its action leads to disturbances in the functioning of the liver and heart.
High calorie content. The energy value of peanuts is 548 kcal per 100 grams, while roasted peanuts are even higher. Absorbing it daily, the pet can easily get obesity. If the owner is considering whether it is possible for dogs to roasted peanuts, you should know that veterinarians categorically forbid giving this product to pets, considering it very harmful. It may not be absorbed in the body of the pet and lead to adverse effects.
Due to its high fat content, peanuts and other nuts cause pancreatitis - inflammation of the pancreas.
When is it not worth giving a dog nuts?
In the life of any pet, there may be periods when eating nuts is undesirable:
- If the puppy is very small, give him peanuts and other nuts is not worth it. A grown pet can be given a little.
- Pregnant individuals should not eat nuts because they are difficult to digest.
- Nursing mother can be given no more than several cores to enhance lactation. In addition to peanuts, pine or cashews are suitable.
- If the dog is prone to allergic reactions or has diseases of the kidneys or the gastrointestinal tract, eating nuts is not worth it.
How about peanut butter?
Is it possible for dogs peanuts, of course. But sometimes the owners give the dog pasta or butter as a treat for the dog. In this case, it is very important to read the composition of the product on the packaging. Often in such gastronomic products there is xylitol - a sugar substitute. For dogs, it is a highly toxic ingredient. Manufacturers often replace its presence in the product with the words “natural sweetener” or “sugar alcohol”.
Xylitol, even in small quantities in a dog, can cause hypoglycemia - a drop in blood sugar. Also, this component destroys the pet's liver.
Xylitol-free peanut butter can be offered to your pet in a limited amount of no more than a teaspoon per day.
To summarize
So, we found out whether peanuts and other nuts are allowed for dogs. In a small amount, the product will not only not harm, but also useful for the pet. However, it should not be given in large volumes, as well as fried.