You’re in the mood to bake something tasty. At that moment you glance at your dog and want to bake some goodies for them as well. You pick up the bowl of macadamia nuts to add to the mixture. But then you wonder “Can Dogs Eat Macadamia Nuts?”

Here’s the answer to your question- No. Dogs should never be fed macadamia nuts. In fact, macadamia nuts rank high among the human food items you should never feed your pup. These nuts are toxic to dogs to the point that even a small amount of food containing the nuts would lead to your dog experiencing negative results. Eating macadamia nuts can lead to vomiting, ataxia, hyperthermia, weakness, and depression in canines.

We’ve enlisted everything you need to know about macadamia nuts and how they can harm your pooch’s health. If you’re interested, continue reading.

Macadamia Nuts Content

Macadamia nuts are quite healthy for humans as they are high in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. According to Health line, 28 grams or 1 ounce of macadamia nuts contain:

• Calories: 204
• Fat: 23 grams
• Protein: 2 grams
• Carbs: 4 grams
• Sugar: 1 gram
• Fiber: 3 grams

Macadamia nuts also contain 58%, 22%, 11%, 9%, and 6% of the daily value intake of Manganese, Thiamine, Copper, Magnesium, and Iron respectively.

How Is Macadamia Nut Toxic To Dogs?

Researchers haven’t been able to identify what exactly causes macadamia nuts to be toxic to dogs. The nuts are safe for humans and don’t have negative effects on cats. The specific toxin in the nuts that causes poisoning in dogs remains unknown. But what’s certain is that even a small number of these nuts can cause serious health problems in dogs. Just eating 1/10 of an ounce of macadamia nut per roughly 2 pounds body weight can lead to your dog showing severe symptoms. So, if you’re planning on feeding some macadamia nuts to your dog, it’s better that you don’t.

Symptoms of Macadamia Poisoning in Dogs:

The following symptoms can be seen in dogs that ingested some macadamia nuts:

• Weakness
• Lethargy
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Tremors
• Fever

The severity of symptoms your dog shows depends on the amount your dog consumes and the size of your dog. Smaller dogs have a higher susceptibility to these adverse effects.

The abovementioned symptoms are common in dogs that have eaten macadamia nuts and these symptoms usually appear within 8-12 hours of ingestion. There are also serious cases where your dog faces constant shaking, high fever, and an inability to walk. If you think your pooch has eaten even a small amount of macadamia nuts, contact the vet at once. Experts at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center state that in most cases, the negative effects are mild and can be managed at home. But if the situation is more critical, your dog might require veterinary care.

And since macadamia nuts are high in fat, in rare cases, dogs may also experience pancreatitis; an inflammation of the pancreas.

My Dog Ate Some Macadamia Nuts. What Should I Do?

The treatment for macadamia nut poisoning usually depends on how severe the symptoms are. In most cases, the toxicity can be removed by vomiting. But if the case is serious, you need to rush to a vet as soon as possible. Serious cases include those where your dog can’t walk properly and keep shaking constantly accompanied by a high fever.

There isn’t a specific treatment method for macadamia nut poisoning. When you get to the clinic, your vet might administer activated charcoal through your pup’s mouth which helps to bind the toxin in the intestine to prevent further absorption of the poison in your dog. Fortunately, most dogs recover without any specific treatment. Severely affected dogs might also be given supportive treatment including fluids, antipyretics, or analgesics.

As a dog parent, it is your duty to keep harmful substances away from your canine buddy. Keep macadamia nuts and other harmful food items far away from their reach. It is also necessary for you to keep the following food products far from your pooch’s reach:

• Chocolate covered macadamia nuts
• Trail mix
• Macadamia nut cookies
• Any products containing macadamia nuts (usually baked goods)

Also check out: Can Dogs Eat Chocolates?

Can Eating Macadamia Nuts Kill Dogs?

We now know that Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs, but can they kill dogs? Well in most cases dogs that get prompt medical attention can recover quickly. And macadamia nut poisoning is known to cause temporary inability to walk in dogs. Simply put, as long as you act fast, death can be avoided. Regardless of the toxicity, the amount of fat in macadamia can cause pancreatitis, which can be fatal in the long term.

If your dog manages to break into a bag of macadamia nuts or other such nuts, it’s better that you take your dog to the vet immediately. The vet may induce vomiting using hydrogen peroxide or an emetic (this causes the dog to vomit). In most cases, the dogs can recover within two days.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that dogs shouldn’t eat macadamia nuts. These nuts are toxic to dogs and eating them can cause severe symptoms in your dog, including a temporary inability to walk. Keep macadamia nuts and other food products containing macadamia nuts as far away from your pooch as possible. In the unlikely event that they eat some, determine the severity of the symptoms, and if it’s serious get to the vet as soon as possible!

Now that you know how macadamia nuts can be dangerous to dogs’ health, explore more about other nuts-related articles that you might be interested in.

Have you ever shared some macadamia nuts with your dog? What was their reaction? We would love to hear from you. Please share with our community by leaving a comment below.