Can Dogs Eat Walnuts?

Nuts are also called nerve food. It is not for nothing that the classic nut mixture is called trail mix. Walnuts are among the most popular nuts.

Let’s take a closer look at whether these nuts have an equally positive effect on your dog’s nerves. Because you may have heard that walnuts are poisonous or dangerous to dogs.

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How dangerous are walnuts?

Actually, walnuts would also be real super food for dogs. The nuts contain a lot of vitamin E and important vitamins from the B group. The high content of unsaturated fatty acids makes walnuts even very healthy.

However, you should only give your dog ripe and shelled walnuts to eat. A hidden danger can lie dormant in walnuts.

Walnuts are often attacked by a fungus. This can even lead to death in dogs. As a dog owner, you have to be particularly careful with unripe, unpeeled nuts.

When the walnuts fall from the tree in late summer, increased attention is required. Never let your four-legged friend go for a walk or in the garden pick up unshelled walnuts from the ground and bite them.

How healthy are walnuts?

Walnuts are packed with healthy ingredients. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. They contain even more than salmon.

They also have many vitamins. The nuts provide vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and E. Potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and sulfur ensure a healthy mineral balance. The nuts also contain copper, manganese, fluorine, zinc, iron, and potassium.

How many walnuts can dogs eat?

All of these ingredients will benefit your dog. Basically, dogs are allowed to eat walnuts. However, you should pay attention to a few details:

Feed only ripe, dried, and shelled walnuts.
Walnuts are high in calories.
Overweight dogs should eat very few walnuts. Because walnuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and have a very high nutritional value. The fats it contains can make your overweight dog even more overweight.

As a dog owner, you have to be particularly careful with unripe, unpeeled nuts. Because unripe or fresh walnuts can be infected by a mold. You cannot see this fungal infestation with the naked eye.

The mold Penicillium crustosum produces the toxic roquefortin C. This toxin works in your dog’s body in a similar way to strychnine.

Roquefortin C leads to massive health problems in dogs. Poisoning can often lead to death. Typical symptoms of walnut mushroom poisoning are:

Epilepsy-like seizures;
Cramps;
Tremble;
Vomit.

If your dog shows these symptoms, take him to the vet immediately.

Walnuts grow in home gardens

It is said that the walnut tree is the oldest tree that exists on earth. It may have formed during the Ice Age. Walnuts were already used as food by Stone Age people. They gathered the nuts when they had no other food.

The walnut that is widespread in Germany is the real walnut. It grows on a deciduous tree. This adorns many domestic gardens. The extremely popular walnut tree can grow up to 25 meters high. It can live up to 160 years.

The fruits of the walnut tree are called walnuts. They ripen from September to October. Ripe walnuts must be dried before consumption. Today the USA, Russia, China, Italy, and Turkey are the main growing areas of walnut.

Are walnut shells dangerous for dogs?

As a dog owner, you should therefore be doubly careful, especially in autumn. Because many dogs love the round, ball-like shape. Even the green shell of young walnuts can lead to severe digestive problems, even without fungal infestation.

Do you have a walnut tree in the garden? Then you should make sure that your dog cannot reach any unripe nut shells.

During the ripening period, it makes sense to make sure your dog doesn’t crack any nuts. Some dogs love to open the fresh nuts with their teeth. But this is exactly where the danger of the fungus lurks. It is often not visible to the naked eye.

How toxic are walnuts to dogs?

Nuts are a wonderful snack between meals. They are extremely healthy. If you decide to feed your dog walnuts every now and then, make sure the nuts are fungus-free. With roasted nuts, this risk is much lower.

If you do not have a good feeling about walnuts, it is better not to feed the nuts to your darling. Just grab a different type of nut for your furry friend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Feed only ripe, shelled walnuts and only in very small amounts. It would be better to do without the walnut altogether, as a mere precaution. You should also be careful with the relative of the walnut, the black walnut. Almonds can contain hydrogen cyanide, so care should be taken when feeding them.

How many walnuts can a dog eat?

Walnuts are generally a safe treat for your dog and can occasionally be fed to the dog. Walnuts are high in polyunsaturated fat, 47g per 100g. In addition, the popular nuts provide dogs with potassium and many different vitamins.

When are walnuts poisonous?

But it can get even worse: if stored walnuts have dark brown to black spots, they should not be eaten under any circumstances. Because then they could be infected with poisonous fungi. In the worst case, these attack the outer shell and infect it from the inside. Then they form their poison in the nutshell.

Are Ripe Walnuts Poisonous to Dogs?

Ripe walnuts are among the fattiest types of nuts and can be fed to the dog. They are good for the animal’s heart and, like almost all nuts, contain a variety of valuable fats. Dogs suffering from obesity should be fed walnuts sparingly.

How dangerous are nuts for dogs?

Both walnuts and macadamia nuts are dangerous for dogs. Because macadamia nuts contain cyanogenic glycosides, which are toxic to dogs. How much nuts lead to symptoms of poisoning depends entirely on your dog’s weight and size.

What happens if a dog eats nuts?

Nuts can cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and neurological symptoms like tremors in dogs. While these signs are usually temporary and go away on their own, it’s always a good idea to see a vet if your pet is showing these symptoms.

How many nuts can a dog eat?

Nuts are generally very healthy, but they also contain a lot of fat. They should therefore always be a rare snack and not be fed in large quantities. Otherwise, obesity can quickly become a problem. Dogs can best use nuts when they are crushed or even ground.

What nuts can a dog eat?

Ripe walnuts. The emphasis here is on “ripe”.
Almonds. There are different types of almonds, not all of which are suitable for your dog.
Cashew nuts.
Coconuts.
Brazil nuts
Chestnuts
Pine nuts.
Pistachios.

Why can’t a dog eat chocolate?

Chocolate is toxic to your dog. It contains theobromine. Dogs break down this ingredient slowly. Very small amounts can be dangerous and have a toxic effect.

How dangerous are peanuts?

The mold toxins in the peanut are far riskier than the pesticide residues. They cause liver cancer, and liver cirrhosis and they damage the immune system. Just one milligram per pound of body weight can kill a person.

How do you know peanuts are bad?

If the shell of the peanut looks dark or has black spots, this indicates a mold infestation. The moldy peanut should then no longer be eaten since aflatoxins can form with the mold, which can harm people.

What happens if you eat too many peanuts?

Consuming large amounts of rancid nuts can certainly lead to gastrointestinal upset. If your symptoms persist, we advise you to see a doctor.

How many peanuts can you eat a day?

Despite their many good properties, peanuts should only be eaten in moderation, since they consist mostly of fat. The DGE recommends consuming no more than one serving size of 25g per day.

How Healthy Are Walnuts for Dogs?

What Nuts Should Dogs Eat?

Overweight dogs should eat very few walnuts. Because walnuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and have a very high nutritional value. The fats it contains can make your overweight dog even more overweight. As a dog owner, you have to be particularly careful with unripe, unpeeled nuts.

How Many Walnuts Should an Overweight Dog Eat?

How do I feed my dog walnuts every once in a while?

If you decide to feed your dog walnuts every now and then, make sure the nuts are fungus-free. With roasted nuts, this risk is much lower. If you do not have a good feeling about walnuts, it is better not to feed the nuts to your darling.