Can dogs eat Avocado?
No - Avocado is toxic to dogs
No - avocado is best kept off the menu for dogs. The leaves, skin and stone contain persin, the large stone is a serious choking and blockage risk, and the fatty flesh can upset the stomach or trigger pancreatitis. Keep guacamole and avocado plants away from dogs.
How much is safe?
None. Avocado is never safe for dogs - not even a little.
Treat avocado as a food to keep away from dogs. There is no need to feed it, and the combination of persin, high fat and that dangerous stone means the risks outweigh any benefit. Be especially careful with guacamole, which usually contains onion and garlic as well.
Symptoms to watch for
Eating avocado can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, and a large fatty amount may trigger pancreatitis, shown by vomiting, a painful belly and lethargy. The most urgent danger is the stone - if swallowed it can cause choking or a blockage, with retching, straining, a bloated belly and loss of appetite.
Think they have eaten Avocado?
Contact your vet if your dog swallows an avocado stone, or eats a large amount of flesh or any guacamole. A swallowed stone is a blockage risk that needs prompt attention, and signs of pancreatitis, such as repeated vomiting and a painful belly, warrant a call.
We read labels, we are not vets - in an emergency your vet is the only right answer.
What happens
Avocado contains persin, a natural compound found mainly in the leaves, skin and stone, which can cause stomach upset in dogs. The flesh holds much less persin, but it is very fatty, so it can lead to an upset stomach or, in quantity, pancreatitis. On top of that, the large hard stone is a genuine choking and gut-blockage hazard, which is a big part of why avocado is one to avoid.
Can dogs eat these?
Common questions
Is avocado poisonous to dogs?
Avocado contains persin, which is concentrated in the leaves, skin and stone and can upset a dog's stomach. The flesh is very fatty and the stone is a choking and blockage hazard, so avocado is best kept off the menu entirely.
My dog swallowed an avocado stone - what should I do?
Contact your vet promptly. The large, hard stone can cause choking or a gut blockage, so watch for retching, straining, a bloated belly or loss of appetite, and do not wait for things to get worse before calling.
Can dogs eat guacamole?
No. On top of the avocado itself, guacamole usually contains onion and garlic, which are toxic to dogs, and often salt and lime. Keep it well out of reach.
Looking for a food to feed instead? browse the directory or read the guides.
This is label analysis, not veterinary advice - if your dog has a health condition, talk to your vet before switching foods.