Have you recently been wondering: “Can dogs eat dried apricots?” When it comes to fruits, there’s always a lot of misconception and misinformation. You might be questioning yourself and asking “can I feed my dog with this fruit?”. After that, you jump into the browser and start looking for an answer. However, there are plenty of fruits that are unhealthy and toxic to your dogs, and there are a few safe ones to feed your pup, and luckily, dried apricots are part of this group – if given properly!
Can dogs eat dried apricots?
While we certainly recommend getting dried apricots cleared with your dog-tor before feeding them to your dog, a few dried apricots every few days shouldn’t create a real problem for your pup. Apricots become an issue when your pup ingests the stems, leaves, or pits, which are known to contain trace amounts of cyanide, which is incredibly unhealthy and toxic for every dog.
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Nowadays, dried apricots, though, typically are de-stemmed, de-pitted, and do not contain leaves, making them a safe, occasional treat for your loved ones. Do you want to learn more on how to avoid apricot toxicity for your dog? Do you want to be very familiar with the signs of apricot poisoning so you can be aware of your dog’s well-being? We’ve got all the apricot information you’d ever need in the text below. Let’s go and read on!
Introduction & Signs That Your Dog has had Too Much Apricot
Fruit, especially dried fruit, can provide your dog a few benefits when fed to them spontaneously and occasionally (and with your vet’s permission). In general, your pup can glean vitamins, minerals, fibers, and energy from the occasional dried apricot, however, there’s always risk associated with feeding your pup with this fruit. As said above, the issue with apricot is the stems, leaves, and pits. Since this shouldn’t be an issue with dried apricots, there’s always a possibility that your dog gets his or her paws on a trace amount of the cyanide from these parts of the apricot – which you surely don’t want.
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So, how can you spot and tell if your dog is having an adverse reaction to dried apricots? Check for signs of difficult breathing, dilated pupils, and discolored gums. These are all tell-tale signs of cyanide poisoning and can have harmful effects on your dogs. Additionally, your pup could experience things like panting, lethargy, fatigue, extreme weakness, shock, and in really extreme cases, sudden death. Don’t worry, small quantities won’t cause death, but you should be aware!
Body Language
Your dog might be experiencing cyanide poisoning from the apricots you’ve fed them if they’re showing signs such as:
Weakness
Panting
Tail tucking
Dropped Ears
Nose wrinkled
Pupils dilated
Sleepiness
Whale eye
Other Signs
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Below you can find a few other signs to look for such as:
Extreme lethargy
Bright red gums
Sudden death
Loss of consciousness
Lethargy
Collapse
Cases of Apricot Toxicity
Shock
A Brief History of Can Dogs Eat Dried Apricots?
Historically, apricots are some of the most common toxic and unhealthy human foods for pups. The cyanide in the apricot pit, stem, and leaves inhibit the enzyme in dogs that allows cells to transport oxygen through their body, making your dog incredibly ill, or potentially as said above – to the sudden death of your pup. This has been a well-documented issue in veterinary journals, studies, and experiments which gives us qualitative information to create a cure that would save your dog’s life. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, acute cyanide poisoning, the kind of poisoning that your dog could get from ingesting apricot leaves, pits, seeds, and kernels typically occurs quickly, as soon as 15-20 minutes post-ingestion. Typically, your dog will display signs of excitement initially, followed by dyspnea, tachycardia, bitter breath, and stagger struggles before they collapse if left untreated as soon as it’s spotted.
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The Science behind the Apricots and Dogs
The issue with apricots doesn’t lie within the actual fruit itself, rather, the accessory parts of the fruit are what contains anger. The seeds, leaves, pits, and stems of apricots are all toxic and unhealthy for your dog because they contain trace amounts of cyanide, which is highly toxic for your dog.
While apricots themselves are rich in vitamins and nutrients and are very good for health, the other parts of the apricot are incredibly toxic, and as dogs aren’t able to determine which parts of the apricot they can eat, it’s likely that feeding them an apricot that contains seeds, pits, or stems will result in apricot toxicity and would inhibit poisonous segments of it. Signs of apricot toxicity typically occur fairly quickly, in some cases showing up in just 15 minutes post-ingestion, so be careful and act quickly!
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How to Keep Your Dog Safe From Cyanide Toxicity:
Keep all apricots (and stemmed fruits) out of your dog’s reach as the simplest and easiest way.
Train your dog to stay out of the kitchen while eating apricots (or pantry, or wherever you keep them).
Store your dried apricots in a sealed container away from your dog.
Keep your dog in his or her crate while you’re gone to avoid any incidents.
Have a plan ready with your vet in case of cyanide poisoning.