Mary Allen
Almonds are popular and well-known in many variants. Everyone’s favorite almond is the roasted one at the fair, isn’t it?
Now you want to know if dogs can eat almonds too?
Then take good care!
In this article you will find out what differences there are from almond to almond and which of them your four-legged friend can also enjoy.
In a nutshell: Can my dog eat almonds?
Yes, dogs can eat almonds! However, only sweet almonds. Unfortunately, bitter almonds cannot be distinguished visually from their sweet relatives. They’re often found in nut mixes, so you shouldn’t give your dog almonds. The amygdalin contained in bitter almonds releases toxic hydrocyanic acid in the intestine and can seriously harm your dog!
If you don’t know what kind of almonds you’re holding, you can simply taste them for your dog. If the almond tastes sweet, you can pass it on to your dog without hesitation. Bitter almonds are strictly forbidden for dogs!
Are Almonds Healthy for Dogs?
Your dog will also benefit from the many positive ingredients in the sweet almond! Only the bitter variant must not end up in the dog’s stomach.
The almond shines with these nutrients:
| nutrient | Effect |
| Vitamin B | contributes to the maintenance, smooth functioning, and regeneration of nerve cells and nerve cords |
| folic acid | important for cell renewal, is involved in cell division, cell formation, and cell differentiation, is required for DNA metabolism, and protects the cardiovascular system by breaking down sulfur-containing amino acids |
| Magnesium | Balances the water and electrolyte balance, provides for the build-up and stability of the bones |
| calcium | strengthens teeth and bones, important for blood clotting and muscles |
| Potassium | important for heart muscle function and transmission of nerve impulses and muscle contractions |
How can I feed my dog almonds?
As a responsible dog owner, you only ever feed your dog nuts in moderation.
If possible, you pay attention to organic quality and always to a flawless appearance of the nut.
Your dog can best utilize the nutrients from the almonds if you chop them coarsely or mix them into the main meal as an even finer powder.
Small reminder:
Dogs must not eat bitter almonds! Unfortunately, you cannot visually tell them apart from the sweet almond, but one bite is enough!
What about hydrocyanic acid and amygdalin?
Watch out!
Amygdalin is found in bitter almonds and is converted to hydrocyanic acid by the digestive process in your dog’s intestines.
Hydrocyanic acid damages cell respiration in the body and can therefore have serious health consequences for your dog!
You can recognize hydrocyanic acid poisoning by these symptoms:
- bright red mucous membranes
- heavy salivation
- Breath smells of bitter almond oil
- rigid head position
- cramps
- Tremble
How many almonds can my dog eat?
Almonds are not a staple food for dogs. On the contrary: You are welcome to remove the almond from your furry muzzle’s diet completely.
If your dog occasionally eats a few sweet almonds, that’s okay.
Even if he accidentally ate a bitter almond, you don’t have to paint the devil on the wall right away. You should keep your dog under observation and to be on the safe side, consult a vet if anything seems strange to you!
If your dog has consumed a large quantity of almonds, it is better to be safe than sorry and you should definitely contact your veterinarian.
Attention danger!
Almonds are very high in fat, which is why they are not suitable for feeding overweight dogs!
Can dogs eat almond butter?
Since additives such as sugar, sweeteners, salt, coloring, and preservatives are usually added to processed products such as almond butter, they are not suitable for feeding your dog!
So far, apparently, only a few people have come up with the idea of feeding their dog with almond butter – at least there are no empirical values about it on the Internet.
What about cracked almonds?
Yes, there are too! There are many different types of almonds. The most common are bitter almonds, sweet almonds and cracked almonds.
Botanically, they are not all nuts, but drupes.
Cracked almonds are a subspecies of sweet almonds. They can be recognized by their extremely delicate skin, are also not bitter and may occasionally be eaten by dogs.
Good to know:
Sweet and cracked almonds also contain amygdalin, but in much lower concentrations than bitter almonds. They are considered safe for dogs.
Can dogs eat almonds? You have to know that!
Yes, dogs can eat almonds – occasionally!
Almonds do not make up a large portion of a dog’s diet. The sweet almond is usually quite well tolerated by dogs.
Due to the amygdalin they contain, bitter almonds release hydrocyanic acid in the dog’s organism. Hydrocyanic acid can cause serious health problems, which is why bitter almonds are absolutely taboo for dogs!
Visually, the sweetness cannot be distinguished from the bitter almond. So you have to taste for your dog if you are not sure which almonds it is.
If your dog likes almonds, it’s best to mix them into his main meal, either chopped or powdered.
However, we advise you to feed almonds rarely or not at all.
Still have questions about feeding almonds? Then please write us a comment under this article.