Avocado - Dangerous or Not?

I get asked about this quite a bit during the nutrition chat week. Will Avocado harm my dog? Given that out of the thousands of dogs eating Avoderm dog food are by and large doing fine, I stand by the fact that leaves, pits and hides would be the harmful part to keep away from the pup, just like any other "pit" fruit. Cody seems to be doing fine on Avoderm Large Breed, and he's the poster child for icky poo on most other foods.
So here's the downside of the avocado from ASPCA, followed by the Avoderm websites philosophy.
ASPCA - Avocodo Toxicity
According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, IL, pet poisonings from avocado and avocado-based foods like guacamole are a consistent risk. In 2008, the Center managed 115 cases involving ingestions of avocado, and though an overwhelming 83 percent of those incidents involved dogs, the most devastating effects were seen in birds, rabbits and certain large animals like horses and cattle.

A native of Central and South America, avocado (Persea americana) is a subtropical tree that produces a pear-shaped fruit prized for its high fat content, vitamin-rich “meat” and smooth texture. Unfortunately, the fruit also contains a toxin called persin that’s harmful to animals, especially in large quantities.

"Avocado leaves, fruit, seeds and bark all contain the toxic principle known as persin,” says Dana Farbman, CVT, Senior Manager of Professional Communications at APCC. Guatemalan varieties—sold in grocery stores nationwide—are most often involved in pet exposures, Farbman adds, while other strains have varying degrees of toxic potential. Birds—who accounted for 5 percent of avocado cases in 2008—appear to be particularly sensitive to the fatty fruit; consumption can result in respiratory distress, congestion, fluid accumulation around the heart and even death. In curious canines, clinical signs of ingestion can include gastrointestinal distress, vomiting and diarrhea. Typically, these effects are seen in dogs who’ve nibbled on significant amounts of a tree’s fruit or branches.

Pet parents should prevent their animal companions from coming into contact with avocado by placing the fruit—or that festive bowl of guacamole—out of reach. For those lucky Californians who have an avocado tree in their backyards, keep a close eye on your pet when he’s outside, and don’t mistake the toxic fruit for Fido’s gnarly tennis ball.

As always, if you suspect your pet has eaten something toxic, please call your vet or the ASPCA’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.


AvoDerm Natural and Avocado Safety
You can feel quite confident in AvoDerm Natural pet products safety and nutritional value. In the 25 years since Breeder’s Choice first introduced this product line, millions of dogs and cats worldwide have consumed AvoDerm products with no negative reactions from avocado oil or meal. The avocado is full of vitamins A, C, D, E, and B6. Also, avocados are rich in potassium, niacin, essential fatty acids and many other nutrients for excellent skin and coat condition. AvoDerm Natural pet products use only carefully selected suppliers of avocado meal and avocado oil. Years of problem-free consumption of these products indicate that AvoDerm products are not only safe for dogs and cats, but also provide vital nutrients for them.

Concern has been expressed by the ASPCA about the consumption of the leaves, fruit, bark, and stems from the avocado tree, with the exception of the avocado fruit which is used for the oil and meal; none of these parts are factors in any of the AvoDerm Natural pet products formulations.

Dr. Art Craigmill, UC Davis, Professor and Extension Specialist in Environmental Toxicology has said that his studies and other research in the United States and Australia have shown that the problem of toxicity is in the leaves and the pit of the Guatemalan variety; the avocado meat of the fruit and oils have not been shown to be toxic. AvoDerm Natural pet products do not utilize any Guatemalan variety avocados, nor do we use any leaves or pits of any variety of avocados for our avocado meal and oil.

The avocado meal and oil used in the AvoDerm Natural pet products comes from the meat of the fruit and does not contain leaves, bark, skin or pit of the fruit. The oil is extracted from ripened fruit in which the meat pulp has been separated from the skin and the pit. Through a mechanical separation process the oil is extracted and filtered and placed into sealed containers. The pulp of the fruit is dried, ground, and screened before being placed into its final packaging and than shipped to our facility.

Dr. Guy Whitney, Director of Industry Affairs and Research of the California Avocado Commission, has stated: “...in California there are around 7,000 family farmers who grow avocados and almost every one has dogs that actively seek out fruit that has fallen from the trees to snack on. The happy, well-filled out and shiny-coated orchard dog is a familiar sight to anyone in this industry and we have NEVER had a report of a family orchard dog getting sick from eating avocados. Also, the US Forest Service and UC Santa Barbara are about to publish a paper on the importance of avocado orchards in California to sustaining carnivore populations (bears, coyotes, mountain lions, foxes and small cats) during drought conditions. All of these animals are known to eat the protein and nutrient rich fruit that has fallen from the trees. Now birds are a different creature and it IS known that avocados are toxic to birds. Avocado leaves are known to be toxic to horses. Avocado seeds (pits) are NOT edible and are toxic to animals.”

Our AvoDerm Natural formulas put dogs and cats on the right nutritional track with healthy skin and coat on the outside and the right nutrients to keep them healthy on the inside as well.