Dogs are essential parts of our lives – they’re loyal, friendly, and lifetime companions. And it’s normal to share bits of our food with our dogs as a sign of affection. But some food content may be unhealthy.
Guac is one food that benefits man because it contains several fruits and vegetables. But can dogs have guac? Well, it’s not a good idea as some ingredients in guac are unhealthy for dogs.
Keep reading for more details about guac and your dog’s health.
Can Dogs Have Guac?
The question above has caused a lot of debate among dog lovers, and we’re here to settle it. The straightforward answer is no.
Guacamole is a nutritious recipe containing different fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. It’s recommended as human food, but it is not a good idea for your pet because many components harm dogs.
The main issue with guacamole lies in the individual components. Some ingredients are perfectly safe for consumption by your dogs, while others are toxic. Furthermore, these toxic ingredients are among the basic recipes in all guac preparations.
As we go on, we’ll show you the harmful ingredients in guacamole and some safe substitutes.
Harmful Guacamole Ingredients
The ingredients we’re about to discuss are harmful to dogs but not to humans. So there’s no need to delete them from your diet.
Avocadoes
We use avocados most of the time when making guacamole. Avocado contains many nutrients and minerals that are beneficial to us, but it also has a toxin, persin, that is harmful to dogs. Persin is a chemical substance that affects the intestinal layers of your dog.
The amount of persin in an avocado depends on how ripe it is; unripe avocados contain higher amounts. Likewise, the persin content in your guac also depends on how much avocado you use.
We advise you to keep the bowl of guac away from your dog if you’ve used avocado. If your dog has gotten into the guac, look for signs like vomiting, diarrhea, nasal congestion, fluid accumulation around the heart, and breathing problems.
Aside from the persin content in avocados, this fruit also contains a high amount of fat. Thus, exposing your dogs to guac with high avocado content can cause digestive problems. Pancreatitis is a common condition in dogs caused by excess consumption of fatty foods.
In addition, the chemical content of the avocado is not the only problem – the avocado pit is also dangerous to your dog. Sometimes we leave the pit of the avocado inside the bowl to preserve its freshness. If your dog swallows the avocado pit, it can result in choking or severe indigestion.
From all these, you can see why you should keep your dogs away from the guacamole bowl.
Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic are also common ingredients in guac, and they are also harmful to your dogs. They belong to the same plant family and have a common thiosulphate compound.
Thiosulphate is harmful to dogs and can destroy red blood cells. If your dog consumes copious amounts of onion or garlic, you will notice signs like vomiting, pale gums, lethargy, abdominal pains, nausea, weight loss, and blood loss.
The dangerous part is you won’t see these signs immediately. Thiosulphate poisoning in dogs takes a few days before manifesting, and it can be deadly if not treated rapidly.
Salt
We use salt in almost any food we make, including guac. However, salt is not a great choice for your dog. Excess salt can result in poisoning with symptoms such as lethargy, excessive thirst, tremors, seizures, and coma.
The salt in guac might not be enough to cause your dog any harm, but it’s better to play safe.
Other things to avoid include lemon or lime juice, parsley, cilantro, and spices.
After considering what to avoid, let’s look at some fruits you can give your dogs instead.
Healthy Guacamole Fruits For Your Dogs
Instead of avocados, you can prepare your guac with the fruits below and enjoy it with your dog.
Apples
Apples contain a lot of vitamins that are beneficial to your dogs, like vitamins A and C. Also, apples have low fat and protein content. So you can prepare a healthy bowl of guac for you and your dog with apples.
Bananas
Bananas are another healthy substitute for your dog. They contain potassium, biotin, fiber, and copper, which are essential for your dog’s growth. Also, bananas have low fat and sodium content which is good for your dog’s digestion.
Other fruits you can use for some delicious guac for you and your dogs include blueberries, cantaloupe, cranberries, cucumbers, oranges, and peaches.
What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Guac or Avocado?
If you suspect your dog has gotten into the guac bowl, don’t panic. You should first figure out the content of the guac and how much your dogs might have eaten.
If you didn’t use any of the earlier harmful ingredients, or they present in minute quantities, your dog should be fine. However, you should call your vet if your dog has eaten a large portion. Also, don’t wait for symptoms to manifest before taking the necessary actions.
The size of your dog will also determine the effect of the guac. If your dog is big and eats a small amount of guac, it shouldn’t be a problem. But if a small breed consumes the same amount, it is likely to show symptoms.
Conclusion
Guacamole is a nutritious human diet containing avocado oil, spices, garlic, and more. But what is good for us is not necessarily good for our dogs.
So when faced with the question, “can dogs have guac?” you should know how to respond. Remember, guac contains toxins that can harm dogs, like persin and thiosulphate. Also, do well to use healthier fruit substitutes foryour dogs.
