According to many vets, dogs should not eat avocados. These fruits contain a toxic compound called persin. It is present in the avocado stem, leaves, and stone. However, avocado flesh has this toxic compound in small amounts. Since avocado oil comes from avocado flesh, we may wonder: Can dogs have avocado oil?
Dogs can have avocado oil as it doesn’t contain persin. Then, when the avocado oil is prepared, it loses almost all of its persin. Hence, avocados cannot pose health risks to dogs unless they consume them in smaller quantities.
Anyway, dogs must abide by the safety concerns related to consuming avocado oil. This article will describe such facts.
Can Dogs Have Avocado Oil?
Since avocado oil has no persin, dogs can consume it safely. But they can’t have it as much as we do. It is a part of human foods, and dogs would eat human foods in smaller amounts. So make sure your canine friend takes avocado oil in the required amount. We will discuss the quantity later.
Anyway, you can expect many health benefits from offering avocado oil to your dog. Sometimes, it can be risky for them. That’s why you must follow some rules for offering it.
Benefits Of Having Avocado Oil For Dogs
Avocado oil can be beneficial to our canine friends when they consume it in the right amount. For instance, avocado oil has vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E. With vitamin A, this oil will promote your dog’s vision, growth, and immune system. This nutrient is also responsible for dogs’ body organs functioning well. Vitamin D, present in avocado oil, will help maintain the phosphate and calcium content of dogs. It means this nutrient can improve their bone health or skeletal growth.
One of the main nutrients in avocado oil is vitamin E. This helps promote dogs’ vision, coat health, and skin health. Besides, you can expect your dog to stay protected from free radicals. Thanks to the antioxidant properties found in vitamin E.
Along with vitamins, avocado oil has high amounts of fatty acids, like oleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids. Oleic acid prevents inflammation and improves cholesterol and heart health. Omega-3 fatty acids are also responsible for keeping dogs’ hearts healthy. Besides, they maintain the body’s function and promote cell growth.
Avocado oil will benefit your dog not only internally but also externally. Its vitamin E and anti-inflammatory properties can heal dry skin and make dogs’ coats smoother and shinier.
This oil mainly comes from the avocado flesh, which has very small amounts of persin. After the process of making this oil, the amount of persin decreases, which makes it have absolutely no persin. It means your dog can hardly have any health issues from a moderate amount of avocado oil.
Risks Of Having Avocado Oil For Dogs
Unfortunately, avocado oil can sometimes pose health risks, especially when our canine friends consume it too much. As said earlier, avocado has healthy fats. Even if the fats are healthy, they can turn bad if taken too much.
When a dog consumes high amounts of avocado oil, he is indirectly consuming too much data. This can inflame a dog’s pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. In such cases, the symptoms can be fever, weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain, and so on. If a dog already has pancreatitis, avocado oil can worsen his condition.
Normal avocado oil is generally safe for dogs. It is an essential oil that can harm dogs, even in one drop. Sometimes, we consider giving avocado oil to our dogs, thinking that avocado oil is safe for dogs. Well, no. Avocado essential oil is highly concentrated and can irritate a dog’s gut and cause vomiting. Not only consumption but also coming in contact with the avocado essential oil can irritate and cause rashes to their skin.
How To Offer Avocado Oil To Dogs?
Although avocado oil is safe for most dogs, there is no guarantee that your dog can adapt to it. That’s why you must introduce this potion to him gradually. For example, you can try adding ⅛ teaspoon of this oil to the dog food and see how your paw friend reacts. If he seems fine, next time, you can try adding ¼ teaspoon of avocado oil to his meal.
Some dogs prefer the taste of this healthy oil. In that case, you can let him consume the oil alone without adding it to any other food.
When Can Dogs Have Avocado Oil?
Avocado oil has many nutrients that target specific situations. For example, the healthy fats in this oil are good for underweight dogs. On the other hand, the vitamin E in this oil is good for dogs with bad skin and coats. However, avocado oil can be bad for dogs who are overweight or obese. It is because healthy dogs don’t require additional fats in their diets. Also, we mentioned that avocado oil can be responsible for leading dogs to pancreatitis. It means dogs who have pancreatitis should not have avocado oil.
Apart from all these, dogs must have avocado oil or any other food under their bets’ guidance. Sometimes, dogs are not allowed to eat certain foods due to their past health records.
Frequently Asked Questions: Can Dogs Have Avocado Oil?
Can dogs eat avocado oil every day?
Dogs should not eat avocado oil every day. This can increase the fat content in them, leading to being overweight or obese. Also, it can result in pancreatitis from regular consumption.
How much avocado oil can dogs have?
If your paw friend is a small breed, don’t offer him more than ⅛ teaspoon of avocado oil. For a medium breed, ¼ teaspoon of avocado oil is enough. Again, for a large breed, it should not be more than ½ teaspoon.
Can avocado oil kill dogs?
Avocado oil, in moderation, won’t kill dogs. But if they consume it in about several tablespoons, they can vomit and have diarrhoea. On the other hand, eating a jar of avocado oil can be life-threatening to them.
Is avocado oil good for dogs?
Avocado oil can be good for dogs as it contains several nutrients. Such as vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E. It also contains oleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids, which can take care of dogs’ skin.
Final Thoughts
As avocado oil can be risky sometimes, we may think again: Can dogs have avocado oil? The answer is yes, if they are not overweight or obese, have pancreatitis, and if their vet knows about it.
Even though avocado oil is safe for dogs, they should have it occasionally. Sometimes, they are curious and consume more than necessary. In that case, you must inform their vets and watch their symptoms. If needed, give them urgent treatment and medications.