Does your dog go ga-ga over your guac? Is your cat obsessed with avocado toast?

As it turns out, this popular superfood is both nutritious and delicious to our pets. Here are five reasons to share this nutrient dense, flavor-packed fruit with your dog or cat today.

Is Avocado Really Safe For Pets?

One of the most common misconceptions about avocados is that it is toxic for pets to consume. However, only the peel, pit, and leaves of the fruit contain toxic levels of persin. Avocado is absolutely safe to share with your pet.

What’s more, avocados are packed with healthy monounsaturated fat, vitamins and minerals, and fiber, making them a superfood that’s not only a safe, but also extraordinarily healthy treat for dogs and cats.

5 Reasons To Share Avocado With Your Dog or Cat

1.Avocados nourish your pet’s skin and coat

Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fat - that’s the good kind! In fact, it’s the only fruit that contains this healthy fat. Monounsaturated fat aids vitamin absorption, gives your pet energy, and nourishes their skin and coat. Plus, iron, biotin, and B-vitamins in avocados support skin healing and hair growth.

2.Avocados add flavor and variety to meals

Mix a spoonful of mashed avocado into your pet’s meal as a healthy, flavorful topper that piques even the pickiest of pets. Avocados can be a healthy source of extra calories for underweight pets and growing puppies and kittens.

3.Avocados aid healthy brain function

Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, B and E vitamins, as well as folate, niacin, and potassium, all nutrients that support healthy brain development and function. For growing puppies and kittens, avocado can support neurological development for a smart, trainable pet. For senior dogs and cats, avocados may help slow cognitive decline that’s common in older pets.

4.Avocados aid digestion

Avocados are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibers. Fiber helps control blood glucose levels, produces firm, healthy, low-odor stools, and can even help relieve hairballs. For pets with sensitive digestion, though, the high fiber content in avocados can temporarily cause loose stools, so introduce slowly to avoid a fiber overload.

5.Avocados help ward off illness

Vitamins C and E found in avocados help protect cells against damage, fuel cell growth, and strengthen the immune system to help fight infection. These antioxidants are also known to help prevent and slow the progression of cancer. While eating avocados is not guaranteed to protect your pet from ever getting sick or developing cancer, combining this superfood with other fresh foods can potentially help your pet live a longer, healthier life.

How Much Avocado Can My Pet Have?

As when introducing any new food, let your dog or cat sample a small amount of avocado at first, gradually increasing their portion. Any food can potentially cause an adverse reaction or digestive upset.

Keep in mind that avocados are high in fat. While monounsaturated fat, the kind found in avocados, is a “good” fat, it can still contribute to weight gain and acute pancreatitis in dogs when given in excess.

For small dogs and cats, you can give about a teaspoon of avocado per five pounds of body weight.

For large dogs, offer a small serving of ⅛ to ¼ cup of diced or mashed avocado.

Always remove the pit and skin before serving avocado to your pet. Hold the salt, onions, and other seasonings traditionally added to avo dishes, and keep your pet away from guac and already prepared foods. Instead, offer your pet plain cubed, mashed, or even frozen avocado.

VISION

Every pet deserves to live a long, happy, healthy life.