Yes, dogs can eat a few pieces of pine nuts with caution.
Pine nuts are seeds that come from the cones of pine trees. In other parts of the world, people call them as piñón, chilgoza, pinoli, and bondoq. Belonging to the family Pinaceae, the plant has only 29 species that produce edible fruits. These nuts have many uses. They can be baked into bread and used to enhance the flavour of fish, meat, and vegetables. They can even be turned into oil, pasta sauce (pesto), or coffee.
No toxic compounds are found in pine nuts, making them a safe nut for pooches. However, because they are high in fat and phosphorus, they should be given sparingly. If he eats pine nuts regularly, your dog may suffer from stomach upset, pancreatitis, and hyperphosphatemia. The latter is often a sign of kidney damage.
How to feed pine nuts to your dog: Get your veterinarian’s go signal before letting your dog try pine nuts. Break off a piece to feed to him, and observe him over the next few hours. If no symptoms manifest, you can give it as an occasional treat based on his size and dietary requirements. Do not go over 10% of his recommended daily calories.
Dog may consume pine nuts in raw or roasted form. However, he shouldn’t eat flavoured or salted ones. Similarly, pesto sauce is a no-no. It usually contains garlic and other ingredients that may be poisonous for him.
In summary: Pine nuts should be given sparingly and in small amounts. This will help avoid intestinal blockage. When fed right, your dog can obtain healthy fats, vitamin E, and magnesium from these treats.
Note that edible pine nuts may be harmless for dogs, but certain pine tree species are dangerous for animals. These include Buddhist pine (toxic for dogs, cats, and horses) and ponderosa pine (toxic for horses and cattle).
Explore our “can dogs eat” category to discover which human foods your pet dog can safely consume.
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