Last Updated on March 8, 2023 by Woody Pet

Can Dogs Eat Almonds?

You are well aware of what almonds are.

Can Dogs Eat Almonds?

One fun fact about them is that they may look and certainly taste like nuts, and you would be inclined to actually think that they are indeed nuts, but they are most definitely not. 

Almonds Can Dogs Eat Almonds? are drupes, the same category that acai seeds, mangoes, dates,  and coffee belong to. Strange, right?

But let us not get away from the topic upon which this will focus, which is “Can dogs eat almonds?”

The straight answer is a strict NO. 

“But, how come? I’ve seen other people give their dogs a few pieces of almonds and they’re fine! Even my friend commented that her labradoodle loves them!”

Although almonds are relatively safe for your dogs because these drupes are not toxic to them, there is more to discuss and explain as to why it is a bad idea to feed your dogs any almonds.

Wait, What? Why Can’t I Give My Dog Almonds!?

If Can Dogs Eat Almonds? your pet has eaten a piece or two of almonds before and has not shown any negative symptoms, it does not entirely guarantee that almonds even in sufficient amounts are going to be good for them.

You see, almonds do not jive well in your dog’s digestive tract. If ingested in even sufficient amounts, there is a high chance of probability that your dog will experience indigestion, constipation, and discomfort in the stomach and abdomen.

A particularly noticeable Can Dogs Eat Almonds? the aspect of almonds is that they are difficult to chew. If you observe your dog eating a piece of almond, chances are, it will attempt to chew the piece and bite it into tinier bits. If it fails to do so, what it will do next is an attempt to swallow it. 

Just by this manner of consumption alone, it should be an obvious indication that almonds pose a choking hazard to dogs, especially if you have the sort of dog that belongs to the smaller breed Can Dogs Eat Almonds?

Is That So? Why Are Almonds One of the Nuts Dogs Can’t Eat?

Can Dogs Eat Almonds? humans who have more developed teeth that are more than capable of breaking down these almonds into finer bits and swallowing them without much issue, dogs on the other hand do not share the same benefits as we do.

If for instance, your dog is able to eat these almonds and swallow them without issue, well and good. If they are fortunate, the almonds will go down the stomach without any issues. The next potential problem will then occur when it passes in this stage of the digestive process, as we have discussed earlier in the previous subtopic, and will not jive well with your dog’s digestive tracts Can Dogs Eat Almonds?

Your dog’s stomach will struggle to break down the almonds into finer bits and will require more time to emulsify the almonds into mush before they can proceed to the small intestine. This is where your dog is going to most likely experience indigestion, stomach pain, and constipation. 

By this time, your dog will probably feel weak and will most often lie in pain. It will also struggle to poop during this time, due to the obstruction that is the almonds in its gut.

Even if you were to consult your dog’s veterinarian about this, they would most likely refrain you from giving your dogs any almonds, and he or she might have a story or two about having to treat and handle dogs who have had to get their stomachs pumped due to having eaten too many almonds and the dog unable to digest it. 

What About Almond Milk? Surely I Can Let My Pup Drink Some! You’d Be Surprised With The Answer!

Despite almond milk lacking all the nasty stuff about it being an obstruction in your dog’s digestive tract and not being a choking hazard, you would surmise to assume that almond milk could not be bad at all, right?

Wrong.

If you are not aware, when dogs are still puppies, they are only able to drink milk. Despite it not being a norm, it might be a good idea to give some almond milk to your dog if it was still a few weeks old and still has not weaned from its mother’s milk. Even then, almond milk is not essentially the healthiest option, but if you have nothing else but that, it is okay.

After the puppy has grown out from being fully reliant on milk and has weaned off from being reliant on milk or from breastfeeding from its mother, the puppy will become lactose intolerant over time and is going to prefer more solid food from that time onwards.

Almond milk by this time in their lives will only give them indigestion, will upset their stomachs, and in some cases, will make them flatulent and gassy, the same as any lactose intolerant person would be when he or she has accidentally eaten cheese or consumed anything that has dairy in it.

By this knowledge alone, you might have to reconsider giving your dog any almond milk, or any milk for this instance. Can Dogs Eat Almonds? It is also worth noting that almond milk is relatively costly and does not contain many nutrients and vitamins. Can Dogs Eat Almonds? It is only practical that you save the almond milk for your own consumption and respectfully leave it out of paw reach from your dog. It certainly pays to research what human foods can dogs eat.

Can Dogs Eat Almonds? summary of the query that this blog has tackled, which is “Can dogs eat almonds?”, we have come to the conclusion as to why they cannot, and here are the important points to keep in mind:

Almonds are hard to chew especially for smaller dogs. Most often they are swallowed immediately upon consumption and as such, these almonds are a choking hazard for most dogs.

Almonds do not jive well within your dog’s digestive system. They are known to cause indigestion, constipation, and diarrhea. Can Dogs Eat Almonds?

Almond milk suffers the same fate as well, despite it not being a choking hazard and hard to eat. Almond milk will only cause your dog indigestion and constipation and may even cause your dog to be gassy due to them already being lactose intolerant.