(2) Are Avocados Really Bad for Dogs?
29 October 2010
After my last newsletter, in which I gave recipes for dogs that included avocado (you may see it in Sergei's video below) I have received many warnings from readers saying that avocados are bad for dogs, some people even said they are dangerous. I thank you all for taking the time to write to me, it inspired me to do some additional research and that is what I found.
There has never been any clinical studies done on if avocados are bad for dogs at least I could not find any trace of such research. The recommendations which states avocados are bad for dogs was created by the main manufacturers of commercial dog food. I totally understand the motive these companies might have behind this claim. In one recommendation they say that avocados contain a toxin called persin, which could cause irritation of the digestive track in animals if consumed in significant quantities. The other source explained that avocados are dangerous for dogs because they could choke on the seed.
In 1998 my family lived for several months in Napa Valley, California, in a large avocado orchard. We witnessed daily all the neighborhood dogs feasting on the abundance of avocados around the trees, and every night coyotes would come down from the hills and enjoy avocados as well. Our basset hound, Dasha, was not an exception. One thing we noticed was how beautiful and shinny Dasha's coat became from the avocado in her diet.
I also wonder how an avocado pit could be a concern for dogs, when golf course balls and other dog toys are similar in shape and widely used by all kinds of dogs.
Finally, there is one of the most caring dog food companies Avoderm that adds avocado oil to most of their products and have a picture of an avocado on their packaging. This company manufactures organic high quality pet food and has a great reputation with customers (and their dogs:).
I prefer to base my decision on what to feed dogs, firstly on my own observation and secondly on reliable scientific data. I am rather concerned by the advice given to me from the manufactures of pet food who routinely add to pet products questionable ingredients such as: Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, animal fat (preserved with BHA/BHT), wheat mill run, wheat flour, Carmel Color, Wheat Gluten, Choline Chloride, dl-Alpha lPolyphosphate Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate , Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Added FD&C and Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5), and so on. All you need to do is look at the package of most pet foods in any store.
One of the best things I have learned from becoming a raw foodie is to go against the mainstream and not to trust everything the authorities tell me. Because we love our pets so much, it's another reason to question what 'they say'.
Love,
Victoria
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