Avocados good for dogs!

[Aleesha Sattva]

This is from Victoria's newletter and it's important to share, in my opinion.

Are Avocados Good for Dogs?
Follow-Up to Our Previous Newsletter


The recommendations, which state avocados, are bad for dogs come from the main manufacturers of commercial dog food. I totally understand the motive these companies might have behind this claim. In one recommendation they say that avocados contain a toxin called persin, which could cause irritation of the digestive track in animals if consumed in significant quantities. However, there have never been any clinical studies done to find out whether or not avocados are bad for dogs, at least I could not find any trace of such research. The other source explained that avocados are dangerous for dogs because they could choke on the seed.
In 1998 my family lived for several months in Napa Valley, California, in a large avocado orchard. We witnessed daily all the neighborhood dogs feasting on the abundance of avocados around the trees, and every night coyotes would come down from the hills and enjoy avocados as well. Our basset hound, Dasha, was not an exception. One thing we noticed was how beautiful and shinny Dasha's coat became from the avocado in her diet.
I also wonder how an avocado pit could be a concern for dogs, when golf course balls and other dog toys are similar in shape and widely used by all kinds of dogs.
Finally, there is one of the most caring dog food companies Avoderm that adds avocado oil to most of their products and have a picture of an avocado on their packaging. This company manufactures organic high quality pet food and has a great reputation with customers (and their doggies).
I prefer to base my decision on what to feed dogs firstly on my own observation and secondly on reliable scientific data. I am rather concerned by the advice given to me from the manufactures of pet food who routinely add to pet products questionable ingredients such as:
Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, animal fat (preserved with BHA/BHT), wheat mill run, wheat flour, Carmel Color, Wheat Gluten, Choline Chloride, dl-Alpha lPolyphosphate Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate , Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Added FD&C and Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5), and so on. All you need to do is look at the package of most pet foods in any store.



One of the best things I have learned from becoming a raw foodie is to go against the mainstream and not to trust everything the authorities tell me. Because we love our pets so much, it's another reason to question what 'they say'.





With Green Love,
Victoria Boutenko

[k8sl8]

Excellent information... like anything else, moderation is probably the key. A dogs' digestive system is much different from ours and there is a very real possibilty of digestive upset and/or the 'runs'... at least until they are used to it.

Also, dogs are usually much smaller than you, so one avo for you and one for your 10 lb dog would be like you eating 10, 15 or more avos... just something to keep in mind.

Same goes for all other treats.

[Eva]

My dog loves avocados! LOVES them! But we only give him about a quarter of an avocado at a time. Don't know why... that's just how we do it... he gets a bit of the leftovers... :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

k8... but isn't the point of the article from victoria that these dogs are consuming them freely on the land? so... obviously you'd want to introduce a new food in moderation but a word of caution i don't think is needed. these dogs are all thriving on them. gorgeous coats... etc.

[RawHorizons]

Thanks for sharing,its amazing what information is continually pounded into our heads as "The Word" and we have no basis for knowing if it has been researched,or proven.
I care for many animals,among them are several parrots,avacados are told to be bird killers.Now I have heard this so much and I love my babies that I am terrified to feed ANY of my animals avacado's at all.
This article got me thinking,wile the dogs and coyotees are freely eating the avacado's,there has to be birds joining in,or do avacado farms have dead birds laying around after sampling the product lol I would think not. Although I dont think I could ever give my birds any,though they get everything else including hot peppers,I just dont want to chance it,they say it stops there breathing and they die quickly.
I would now consider it for my other animals,thanks for a diffrent outlook on an old saying :).. Its very benificial to us why wouldn't it be for them.

[k8sl8]

k8... but isn't the point of the article from victoria that these dogs are consuming them freely on the land? so... obviously you'd want to introduce a new food in moderation but a word of caution i don't think is needed. these dogs are all thriving on them. gorgeous coats... etc.

Yes.... BUT they are acclimated to them now and most animals won't overeat in "the wild". My point was for people to just think about it and shouldn't just give an avocado or two to a small poodle who is a housedog... Need I say more, lol.

[Eva]

Yes.... BUT they are acclimated to them now and most animals won't overeat in "the wild". My point was for people to just think about it and shouldn't just give an avocado or two to a small poodle who is a housedog... Need I say more, lol.

Makes sense! My dog would eat himself to death if we let him... not that smart when it comes to food! lol! The wild smarts have been TOTALLY bred outta that dog!

[Aleesha Sattva]

didn't we both just say the same thing? i said to introduce with moderation...

[RawKnitster]

Everytime I eat avocado, which is almost daily, the dog and rat each get a small piece. A small piece is all I'm willing to share. ;) My rat is so old she should be gone by now. I'm sure she lives only because she knows she will get more avocado. :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

ahhhhh i love pet ratties. we have some too!

[k8sl8]

didn't we both just say the same thing? i said to introduce with moderation...

yup... i guess we did...

[Aleesha Sattva]

*giggling* yuppers... *nodding and smiling* i'm getting a bag of avos for my dogs. we are going to split one between the three of them every two days and see how they do on it.

[GreenT]

I honestly would not take the chance. I read of a girl whose yorkie ate 1 whole avocado and died. It contains a toxin called "Persin". There was also a case where a person grew the avocados and her larger dog would eat a few, It developed pancreatitis which was caused by the high fat content. It also has a lot to do with what kind of avocado it is. I know that the ones that are grown in Mexico are the worst ones.

I have Parrots and have read numerous cases of them dying from eating them....There are so many other fruits and veggies that are good for our animals that i just save the avocado pleasure for myself

[Aleesha Sattva]

I love my dogs... but I'm going to let them try a little... then a little more and see how they do. After all... they may benefit greatly from having this in their diet. (yup... they are raw dogs)

[GreenT]

LOL Aleesha, I was thinking about switching my dogs ( Two Shih Tzus) over to raw food also. For the last year or so we have only fed them fruits and veggies for their treats and to an "all natural" dry dog food. My one dog has bad allergies and i have been doing "process of elimination" on her for a few years now....she still has her days. Are your dogs raw vegan?