Can My Dog Eat Almond Butter?: Everyone loves their pet dogs and wants them to stay healthy and active. For this purpose, a lot of people choose to feed their dogs foods that they think would be beneficial for their health just because they are good for human health. However, if you want to serve something different and new to your dog, first make sure it is safe for him to eat.
The same is the case with almond butter. When it comes to your dogs’ diet, the pet parents get worried whether it is safe for their dog or not.
Almond butter is the alternative to peanut butter which is healthier for humans due to the increased amount of energy and vitamins.
But is it safe for your dog? Let’s explore it in this article.
Dogs can eat almond butter and mostly they enjoy eating it. Be careful while providing your dog almond butter as all pups cannot digest it. It is rich in fats so it can upset the stomach of your dog. To prevent any kind of disbalance, introduce it in a controlled and low amount.
Is it Healthy for Dogs to Eat Almond Butter?
Almond butter is rich in fats and vitamins, with plenty of vitamin E.
It is not a bad things to eat for your dog if given wisely, but if your dog eats too much of it, then it can cause troubles.
Benefits of Almond Butter for dogs
If your pet dog is interested in eating almond butter and his body is also accepting it quite well then it can provide many benefits to your dog’s health.
Eating almond butter will make your dog’s coat shine. Yeah, we know, it sounds pretty weird, but it’s true.
Almond butter is also beneficial for the eye health of your dog as it contains vitamin A which improves the eyesight.
The liver is a vital organ and if the liver is healthy then the whole body is considered healthy. Almond butter keeps the liver clean and healthy as it consists of B3 which helps improve liver performance.
Cancer is a life-taking disease and every year many dogs die due to cancer. Almonds butter helps prevent cancer as it contains a lot of vitamin E which helps fight free radicals in the body.
An increased amount of vitamin E also boosts the immune system and as an effect, the immune system becomes more active and stronger against diseases.
Almond butter is also rich in calcium and phosphorus, which are vital for the health of the teeth and bones of the canine.
If you want to take all the benefits with minimum risk then, choose the almond butter which consists of only unsalted almonds.
Some brands of almond butter are rich in other added ingredients such as sugar, honey and flavour, to make it taste good. You should avoid all these brands as your dog only needs almond butter, these all added ingredients can disturb the health of your dog.
Be sure to never feed your dog almond butter which has decreased fat or has any other added artificial sweetener, such as Xylitol. It can make your dog sick and excessive consumption of Xylitol can even kill him.
Side Effects of Dogs Eating Almond Butter
Almond butter is healthier for dogs but if it is taken in an excessive amount it can affect the health of the pup. Some dogs are also not able to digest the almond butter so make sure if your dog is able to digest it or not.
As some dogs are not able to digest almond butter, it can upset their stomach. If this happens then your dog will stop eating or drinking, it will become lazy and inactive.
Diarrhoea could accompany the upset stomach. If your dog faces this side effect then provide your dog with a bland diet and let his stomach settle.
The dog can also get dehydrated so make sure it gets enough fluid until his health improves. If the condition gets worse then take him to a vet immediately.
Like diarrhoea, vomiting can also occur as a side effect of eating too much almond butter.
In this state, you will need to follow the same steps as in diarrhoea, provide him with a bland diet and enough fluids to keep your pup hydrated. If he does bot show any improvements then go see a vet instantly.
As said before, almond butter is rich in fats and calories so like any other calorie-dense food it can lead to unnecessary weight gain.
Moreover, if the almond butter is sweetened with extra sugar or honey it can lead to a quick weight gain which is not at all healthy for your dog.
Keep the diet controlled and it is recommended to use almond butter just as a treat to prevent its negative effects.
What to do if your dog eats too much almond butter?
If your dog eats extra almond butter then likely his stomach will get upset but this condition should resolve in 24 to 48 hours.
During this time, you need to give him a bland diet and make sure he is hydrated all the time. If your dog does not feel well after 48 hours then you need to take him to a vet for proper medical treatment.
If your dog is allergic to almonds or almond butter and eats enough for an allergic reactionbto take place, then you need to quickly contact a vet or to an animal poison control centre.
They will guide you on what to do in this condition.
Signs of a Dog liking Almond Butter
Almonds contain a ton of vital nutrients, vitamins and fats to fulfil the body requirements of your pet.
Some dogs will love to eat almond butter and enjoy its taste while others will ignore it and will not show any interest in it.
So, it all depends on your dog, whether he likes the flavour and texture of almond butter or not.
If you want to give almond butter to your dogs in the form of a treat, then it will be a good option to paste it on the toys which he loves to chew or bake it into his favourite treats.
This will help to hide the flavour of the almond butter and will encourage your dog to eat it.
It is likely that your dog will love the flavour of almond butter and will ask for more. Some dogs have a problem licking it from the spoon and the owners think their pet is not interested in eating it but in reality, he is!
Signs that your dog is interested in almond butter to include, wagging tale or pacing around the kitchen waiting for more.
They are also likely to show signs like looking alert, raising their ears, licking their lips or even drooling.
Body Language
- Starring
- Wining
- Wag tale
- Pacing
- Whale eye
- Ears up
- Drooling
- Lip licking
Other Signs
- Begging for more
- Pawing at your leg
- Staring at you
Training Dogs to Eat Almond Butter
Not all dogs will eat almond butter happily, some may like it but others don’t.
If you want to give your dog almond butter by all means, for example if your vet has advised you to do so, then make sure it is purely almond butter and does not contain any added flavour honey or sugar etc.
Many kinds of butter are filled with unhealthy additions such as vegetable oil so make it a point to not buy those.
When looking at ingredients, the almond butter should only contain almonds and nothing more than this. You will find many brands simply, in the market. Or you could try and make some at home!
It is also a good idea to look for organic almond butter to avoid adding any kind of pesticides to your dog’s diet.
You should also make sure that the almond butter you choose for your dog, should not contain any level of xylitol.
It is a type of sugar alcohol that often replaces sugar, in baked goods.
Nowadays most of the brands are using it instead of sugar in almonds butter to make it sweeter and taste good.
This sugar alcohol is extremely toxic to all the animals and it should not be fed in even a small amount to your dog as it can kill him.
Also, make sure to limit the amount of almond butter your dog eats.
Even though it is full of nutrients, almond butter also consists of a lot of fat and calories which can lead to unwanted weight gain.
Only give your dog almond butter once in two weeks or so. And only give them a spoonful or two depending on the size of your dog.
Small breeds such as beagles should be given one spoon in two weeks while big breeds like husky can be given two spoons in two weeks.
You can cook almond butter in the tasty dog treats so they can enjoy it in many small quantities more often.
Note: If your dog doesn’t like almond butter do not force them to eat it rather take it away from them.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What Nut butter is safe for a dog?
– Peanut butter, cashew butter and almond butter are safe for a dog.
- Is almond butter better for dogs than peanut butter?
– Almond butter and peanut butter both are rich in nutrients. They keep your dog’s skin, liver and eyes healthy. If you want a diet rich in vitamin E than you should choose almond butter as it is full of vitamin E.
- Can a dog drink almond milk?
– Almond milk is designed by processing almonds and it is completely safe for your pets to drink almond milk. As most adult dogs are not in a habit to drink milk so almond milk provides all the nutrients they need.
Takeaway
Like every pet owner, you should also take good care of your dog and before feeding anything to it, make sure is it good for his health.
Almond butter is a healthy thing to give to your dog but give it in a low amount in a balanced way.
If your dog has been overfed the almond butter, follow the above-given instructions and take him to a vet.
Never force the dog to eat almond butter and if he refuses to eat then simply take it away from him.
Make sure to give organic almond butter for the best benefits and assure that your furball can also enjoy a hint of the food that you eat!
