As pet parents, we want to feed our four-legged family members the very best!
We want to make sure that we are taking care of their nutritional needs and keeping them happy and healthy throughout their lives.
To do this, we must remember that our canine companions are in fact carnivores and should be fed a high-protein diet.
However, many pet parents are also tempted to offer their pooch fruits and vegetables as well.
While there are various produce items that we enjoy that are also safe for our pups to eat, there are also quite a few that are not safe!
It is critical to your dog’s health that you know which ones are safe and which ones are not before you offer them to your pooch.
For example, apricots are one of the various fruits that are perfectly healthy for people, but harmful to our canines.
Avoid the apricot!
There has been reportings over the years that dogs are consuming apricots and getting poisoned by them. Why are apricots poisonous to dogs? Well, the answer is simple.
As with many fruits, the stems, seeds, leaves, and pit of an apricot contain cyanide.
Cyanide is very dangerous for anyone to ingest, but it is these small amounts of cyanide that dogs are particularly sensitive to.
Even the slightest amount can cause a dog to have a reaction to this highly toxic substance.
If your dog consumes the seeds, leaves, stems, or pit of an apricot, then you may notice a variety of symptoms.
These symptoms include dilated pupils, panting, shock, difficulty breathing, bright red gums and mucous membrane, fatigue and lethargy, and in severe cases, death.
If you know or have a feeling that your pooch has consumed the dangerous parts of the apricot and that he may have been poisoned (i.e. is exhibiting the above-listed symptoms), then he should be taken to a crisis veterinary center immediately!
If your pooch has consumed apricots and is showing any of the above-listed symptoms, then he will need to be treated for apricot poisoning.
The treatment will depend on the veterinarian’s preferred course of action.
However, she will likely treat him with IV fluids, an oxygen mask, and a cyanide antidote.
Dogs that are treated immediately after consumption or that have only ingested a small amount have a much better recovery than a dog that is not treated right away or has consumed a large quantity.
Some veterinary workers may explain that some apricot products or other parts of the apricot are safe for your pooch to consume.
However, it is best to simply avoid the fruit all together to prevent any accidental poisoning.
Remember, your dog is a carnivore and would benefit more from meat than he would something from the produce department.