Can dogs eat avocado?
Risky. Mostly not for the reason you have heard. Merck describes dogs as relatively resistant to persin; the real hazard is the pit.
How much is dangerous?
Merck publishes dose thresholds for goats and budgerigars but none for dogs, because dogs are not the susceptible species. Anyone quoting a canine toxic dose for avocado is quoting a number that does not exist.
Why it does harm
Persin is the toxic principle in avocado and it seriously affects birds, rabbits, horses and ruminants. Merck states that dogs seem relatively resistant by comparison, citing a single case report of two dogs with myocardial damage. The documented canine risk is foreign body obstruction from swallowing an intact pit, plus digestive upset from the fat.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual. Avocado (Persea spp) Toxicosis in Animals.
- US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine. Potentially Dangerous Items for Your Pet (content current as of February 2023). Gastrointestinal obstruction from bones, corn cobs and avocado pits.
- Merck Veterinary Manual. Garlic and Onion (Allium spp) Toxicosis in Animals.
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. People foods to avoid feeding your pets.
What to look for
- Vomiting or diarrhea from the fat content
- If a pit is swallowed: repeated vomiting, loss of appetite, straining, and abdominal pain
What to do
- If the pit was swallowed, call your vet. That is an obstruction risk, not a poisoning, and it is the part that needs attention.
- A lick of guacamole is a different question — the onion and garlic in it matter more than the avocado.
Common questions
Is avocado poisonous to dogs?
Only mildly. The FDA describes avocado as only mildly toxic to dogs and cats but severely toxic, even deadly, to birds, rabbits, horses and ruminants, and Merck describes dogs as relatively resistant to persin. For a dog, the pit is the bigger danger.
What if my dog swallowed an avocado pit?
Call your vet. The FDA lists avocado pits, with corn cobs and bones, among the foods that are not necessarily toxic but can get stuck in a dog’s esophagus, stomach or intestines. Watch for repeated vomiting, loss of appetite, straining and abdominal pain.
Can dogs eat guacamole?
No. Guacamole is usually made with onion and garlic, which damage red blood cells and can cause anemia days later. They matter far more than the avocado.