Can dogs have avocado oil? Unlike the avocado fruit, avocado oil does not pose any danger to dogs. This human food can be safely fed to them in small amounts as it contains beneficial dietary fats.
As you read on, you will learn the appropriate dosage of avocado oil for dogs and also know how to choose the most suitable avocado oil for your pet.
The Misconception of Avocado Toxicity
It is partly true that avocados and dogs do not go well together due to toxicity dangers. However, is a misconception that the entire avocado plant is poisonous to canines.
The fruit’s flesh, leaves, stem, and skin contains the toxin called persin. However, the flesh has a negligible amount of persin compared to the other parts of the avocado fruit. Thus, its chances of causing toxicity are low unless ingested in large amounts.
With that in mind, let us answer the question: “Is avocado oil toxic to dogs?” No, avocado oil does not pose a toxic risk to dogs as it is derived from avocado flesh. It can be given to them in small doses to supplement their diet.
Health Benefits of Avocado Oil to Dogs
Avocado oil is one of the healthiest types of oil to share with your furry pal. It is rich in healthy fats and nutrients that promote the following health benefits:
Better nutrient absorption
The canine body requires dietary fats to properly absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K.
Certain antioxidants like carotenoids, which are commonly found in many fruits and vegetables, also need fats to prevent getting poorly absorbed. Giving dogs avocado oil will help enhance their bodies’ nutrient absorption.
Improves eye health
Avocado oil has decent amounts of lutein, which is a carotenoid dubbed as the eye vitamin. The antioxidants protect your dog’s peepers from damaging oxidative stress.
In turn, the danger of developing ocular diseases such as retinal degeneration, cloudy lens, and decreased visual function is reduced.
Relieves skin problems
Is avocado good for dogs with dermatological problems? Avocado oil is rich in healthy fats that aid in soothing dry, cracked, irritated, or inflamed skin.
It can be used as a topical treatment to promote moisturization and faster wound healing caused by skin issues. Create a simple avocado oil moisturizer for your dog by mixing 3 parts of it with 1 part water.
Then apply it to the affected area and rinse off after 10 minutes. While avocado oil is safe for dogs to ingest, keep your dog from licking it off. Otherwise, this home remedy will be rendered ineffective.
We suggest letting him wear an E-collar before applying avocado oil to his skin.
Strengthens immune response
Avocado oil is rich in vitamin E and a good source of other antioxidants like vitamin A, lutein, and niacin.
These antioxidants work together to eliminate and prevent disease-causing free radicals from ravaging your dog’s body. Which in turn slows down his aging process and lowers his susceptibility to serious ailments like cancer.
Downsides of Avocado Oil to Dogs
Feeding dogs avocado oil has its benefits, but pawrents should keep their dogs from ingesting too much of this human food. Ingesting it in copious quantities can host several worrisome side effects such as:
An upset stomach
Avocado oil is high in fat and may cause tummy troubles if consumed in excessive quantities. Vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea are the possible results in mild cases.
Pancreatitis can take place when avocado oil is ingested frequently and in large amounts.
You might wonder: “Is avocado safe for your dog in oil form if he has a sensitive stomach?” Canines with sensitive stomachs may not handle fatty food well. Ask the vet’s opinion before adding avocado oil to your dog’s diet.
Obesity
Avocado oil is a calorie-dense food because of its high fat content. Allowing dogs to gorge on this human food will inevitably result in unhealthy weight gain and obesity.
Packing extra pounds predisposes canines to many serious and debilitating health risks, including arthritis, diabetes, and cardiac problems.
Improper blood clotting
Avocado oil is found to interact with anticoagulant drugs. It hinders their effectiveness in preventing abnormal blood clots. If your dog is given this type of medication, consult the vet to gauge whether there is a risk of a drug interaction.
Recommended Serving of Avocado Oil to Dogs
Avoid feeding your dog large amounts of avocado oil to avert the rise of unwanted adverse reactions that we have talked about above.
This brings us to the question: “How much avocado oil can a dog eat?” We suggest giving active dogs 1 teaspoon of avocado oil per 20 pounds of body weight per meal. If your dog lives a sedentary lifestyle, reduce the amount to half a teaspoon.
For instance, a 60-pound active canine can have up to 3 teaspoons of avocado oil per meal. In comparison, a sedentary dog of the same weight can only have a maximum of 1.5 teaspoons per meal.
Many dog owners ask: “Can dogs have food cooked in avocado oil?” No, do not share human food cooked in avocado oil with your furry pal unless it is dog-friendly. It might contain toxic ingredients to canines such as onions, leeks, and nutmeg.
So can dogs have avocado oil in their food? Yes, drizzling avocado oil on dogs’ food is the ideal and safest method. Or you can use it when making nutritious homemade treats for your dog.
Choosing the Best Avocado Oil for Dogs
Some avocado oils are lower in quality than others. Make sure to pick the right one for your pooch by remembering these pointers:
- Cold-pressed, unrefined extra-virgin avocado oil provides more healthy phytochemicals to dogs than its refined counterpart.
- Extra-virgin avocado oil has a deep green hue, while unrefined avocado oil possesses a translucent and yellow appearance.
- Avocado oils sold in dark glass bottles retain more freshness than products kept in see-through plastic bottles. That is because the latter is more exposed to light and oxygen, causing it quickly get rancid.
- Spoiled avocado oil emits a slightly Play-Doh-like smell or a scent similar to a nail polish remover.
- Check the harvest date instead of the best-before date, as it is a better indicator of the avocado oil’s freshness.
