Is Avocado Oil Safe For Dogs Or Is It Toxic? What About Avocado?

Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by Linda Richard

Dogs are omnivores but they do have some pretty bizarre dietary requirements. For example – is avocado oil safe for dogs or is it toxic? What about avocado fruits? For us, avocado is considered a superfood and dogs do share a lot of our vitamin and mineral needs as well as food preferences.

At the same time, we know that some common human foods such as grapes are life-threateningly toxic for dogs. So, in which category do avocado fruits and avocado oil fall?

Is Avocado Oil Safe For Dogs?

In moderation – yes. A little bit of avocado oil added into your dog’s food once or twice a week should be 100% safe. We do stress on the quantity, however, as avocado oil is pretty high in fat. Consistently giving your dog too much fat from any source can drastically increase your dog’s risks of developing acute pancreatitis.

This dangerous condition can be identified by the following symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Lethargy
• Decreased appetite

In most cases, this should only be a problem if you are consistently overfeeding your dog with fatty foods and/or added avocado oil. If you once give your dog a bit extra, it shouldn’t be an issue. Another risk factor are cases when the dog already has a high risk of pancreatitis or has already started developing it.

If your dog is healthy, however, and you only supplement its food with a tiny bit of avocado oil, there should be no problems whatsoever.

What Are The Benefits Of Avocado Oil For Dogs?

The benefits of avocado oil for dogs are almost identical to this oil’s benefits to humans, namely a great deal of Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin E. This can help improve your dog’s immune system, brain function, joint mobility and health, skin and fur health, and more.

All this makes avocado oil a great supplement for many dogs, especially seniors or sickly dogs. However, do make sure to keep the avocado oil use to a minimum – those same groups of dogs are also usually at higher risk of pancreatitis, obesity, and other problems causes by excess fat intake.

Learn more about: Can Dogs Eat Tangerines And Other Citruses?

In What Quantities Can Dogs Have Avocado Oil?

Most experts recommend giving your dog one teaspoon or one tablespoon (depending on the dog’s size) per week, added to one of the dog’s meals. You can divide that into two spoon halves into two meals. For especially large dogs with healthy pancreatitis, you can give a little bit more per week but not much more.

So, is avocado oil safe for dogs? Sure, just don’t go overboard with it.

Can Dogs Eat Avocado?

If avocado oil is safe for dogs, it stands to reason that the avocado itself is going to be safe too, right? Not at all. Avocado is one of the more dangerous and toxic foods you can give to your dog and not for just one reason either.

The main reason why avocado is toxic is called persin. This is a fungicidal toxin that’s naturally present in this fruit. Most of it is concentrated in the avocado’s large pit but there’s quite a bit of residual persin in its meat and peel too.

Fortunately, persin is considered to be only “mildly toxic” to dogs which is why a single small bite of an avocado fruit’s meat shouldn’t be life-threatening. However, a couple or more bites can cause your dog a lot of trouble, especially if it’s of a bigger breed.

Additionally, the peel does have more persin than the meat so it’s even more dangerous. The main symptoms of persin poisoning in dogs include:

• Upset stomach
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Dehydration

But there are even more factors that make the three main parts of the avocado different.

Which Parts Of The Avocado Fruit Are Toxic To Dogs and Why?

Let’s go over them one by one:

• The pit of the avocado is its most hazardous part. Not only is it extremely rich in persin, but it’s also very large and hard. This makes it a choking hazard for your dog which can be very dangerous if you’re not around to help. And, even if your dog manages to swallow the avocado pit, it is still highly likely to cause an obstruction somewhere in your dog’s intestines. This is an even bigger problem as your dog will likely need surgery to remove it.
• The peel of the avocado is its second most dangerous component. It’s not as much of a choking hazard as the pit, it contains less persin, and it doesn’t have as much fat as the avocado’s fleshy part. However, it still has more persin than the avocado flesh which is more than enough to cause your pup some serious issues. While a single bite of avocado flesh will rarely be an issue, a single bite of avocado peel can be disastrous.
• The flesh part of the avocado isn’t as immediately dangerous but it’s still far from recommended. One small bite may be relatively harmless but a few or more bites can still introduce more than enough persin in your dog’s system to cause trouble. Additionally, avocado is very rich in fats. Plus, many dogs find it delicious and won’t stop at one bite if they have the chance for more.

Learn more about Black Walnuts And Dogs – Should You Be Afraid?

Can Your Dog Eat Guacamole?

Guacamole is even more ill-advised than avocado. For one, it’s literally made out of fresh avocado so all the above problems still apply. However, guacamole also traditionally includes onions and garlic which are even more dangerous for dogs. If your canine has eaten even just a bite of guacamole, drop everything and get it to the vet immediately.

In Conclusion – Is Avocado Oil Safe For Dogs?

Avocado oil is safe for dogs but only in moderation. Otherwise, it will introduce too much fat into your dog’s diet. Still, that’s pretty much its only downside.

Fresh avocado on the other hand – that’s something you should keep away from your dog at all costs.