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My dog ate walnuts. Are walnuts safe for dogs? Should I be concerned?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 1 year and 1 month old | 27 lbs

My dog ate ~1/2 cup crushed walnuts. Should I be concerned?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 3rd, 2018

Walnuts are not considered toxic in dogs unless the actual shell of a walnut is ingested or the walnuts are moldy. These nuts do, however, contain a large amount of fats and oils which in some dogs can result in gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhea, and in some cases pancreatitis. I would monitor your dog closely for these symptoms and seek veterinary care if they occur. You can read more about GI upset at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=353. Best of luck to you and Libby!!!

19Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Angela Hinton, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on January 30th, 2018
Hello there!

Walnuts are not technically poisonous for dogs like chocolate or grapes would be. If they eat a good amount of them it could cause stomach upset like vomiting and diarrhea.
Some walnuts can contain a toxin that can cause seizures, but that would only occur if the walnuts were contaminated and if he ate a larger amount.

If he only ate a small amount of the smoothie and if you didn't put a ton of walnuts in there I think Boo will be ok.
I would monitor him for signs of stomach upset. If this occurs please call you regular vet to discuss. They may need to give some medications to calm his stomach down.

If there are any tremors or seizures I would consider this an emergency and you should find a local ER vet if it is after hours.

Again, based on what you are describing I think all of this is unlikely.
But now you know what to watch for and what to do if something abnormal occurs.

I hope this information was helpful to you.
I wish you and Boo all the best!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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