With ‘dogs and nuts’ being one of the most searched keywords on internet, it is obvious that pet owners are not sure whether it is safe or not to feed their dogs peanuts.

Well, there is something to relish about for dog owners. The good news is that your dog can eat peanuts, as long as they are not salted. However, this doesn’t mean at all that all nuts are safe for dogs; there are some nuts which can cause havoc to the health of your dog. Black almonds, macadamia nuts, and pistachios are among nuts which can be dangerous for your dog.

One thing should be noted here; that peanuts are rich in fat. For dogs, it is hard to digest fat as compared to humans. Very high quantities of peanuts can cause diarrhea, vomiting and stomach upset in dogs. Also, consumption of too much fat by dogs leads to pancreatitis, a condition in which inflammation develops in pancreas of dogs. If you are thinking of introducing peanut butter in your dog’s diet, do it in limited quantity.

What to look for when feeding peanuts to dogs?

When you are feeding human food to dogs, there are certain precautions which you need to take. The very first important thing which should be taken into consideration is that some dogs may be allergic to peanuts. Feeding peanuts to dogs may result in skin rashes, itching, swelling of throat etc. If you are buying raw peanuts, ensure that they are stored at a cool and dry place as there may be chances of Aspergillus flavus fungus in wet peanuts.

Also known as groundnuts, peanuts have several health benefits as well which include:

• Monosaturated fats in the peanuts reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases
• Nutrients such as vitamin E, protein, folate, niacin, and manganese also help in lowering the risk of heart diseases
• Antioxidants present in peanuts reduces the risk of coronary diseases
• Fiber present in peanuts also lowers the risk of colon cancer
• Coenzyme Q10 present in peanuts saves the heart at high altitudes where there is oxygen scarcity
• Also a good source of protein, peanuts are important for muscle growth
• Resveratrol in peanuts is a good anti-aging agent
• Calcium is there in peanuts which is responsible for healthy growth and strength of bones
• Niacin present in peanuts is healthy for brain and is good for blood circulation

I will wrap this up saying that peanuts can be given to dogs as snacks because heavy amounts of peanuts can degrade the health of the dog. Given in appropriate quantities, peanuts are medically healthy for dogs.