Walk down the dog section of any pet store and you’ll see a ton of peanut butter treats and toys. It’s no secret that dogs love peanut butter. You’ve probably bought some. Or maybe you’ve used a peanut butter-filled Kong toy to keep your dog occupied while you clip their nails. Hint: it works pretty well.
If you have a child with a peanut allergy, you might not want to have peanut butter in the house, but you still want to give your dog their favorite treat. So what about other types of nut butter?
Luckily, any nut can be turned into butter — and, thanks to our insatiable desire for variety, it probably has been. Butter is the spice of life, remember?
Nut butter that dogs can eat
Several types of nut butters make the perfect treat for dogs, but as you know, they should only be given as an occasional treat and your dog’s diet should not be limited to just peanut butter or any other nut butter.
Certain nut butters offer health benefits for dogs in the form of protein, vitamins and healthy fats, but make sure they don’t contain added salt, sugar or artificial sweeteners – especially avoid xylitol.
Xylitol is highly toxic to dogs and is used as a sugar substitute in many foods, such as peanut butter and other nut butters. Check the ingredients before giving it to your dog – if it doesn’t contain xylitol, it’s fine.
So let’s take a look at our list of nut butters that are safe for dogs.
peanut butter
Peanut butter is the most common and readily available nut butter. Safe for dogs to eatAvailable at any grocery store and in many pet store products, it’s packed with protein, B vitamins and niacin, which help support your dog’s fur, skin and immune system.
Just like humans can develop peanut allergies, dogs can also develop peanut allergies, but this is very rare, so don’t worry.
Peanuts also contain aflatoxin, which is usually harmless to dogs, but can build up over time and cause liver failure if your dog frequently ingests large amounts of peanut butter — another reason to avoid peanut butter treats.
Cashew Butter
Cashew Butter This is another nut butter that is completely safe for dogs as long as it is unsalted and sugar-free. It’s rich in protein, iron and magnesium, which are beneficial for your dog’s muscles, bones and blood.
However, like other nuts, cashews are high in fat and calories, so whether you feed them roasted or in cashew butter, feed them to your dog in moderation. It’s also possible for dogs to be allergic to cashews, so if your dog has never eaten them before, be sure to keep an eye out for a reaction the first few times you feed them.
Almond butter
Almonds are an interesting part of this list. Although almonds themselves are not toxic to dogs, they are on the list of nuts that dogs should not eat because they are nearly impossible for dogs to digest and can cause blockages and other gastrointestinal problems. Almond butter, on the other hand, is totally fine for dogs in very small amounts.
Benefits of almond butter include vitamin E, calcium, and antioxidants that support your dog’s overall health.
Chestnut butter
Chestnut butter is probably one of our favorite nut butters on this list: it’s safe for dogs to eat, low in fat and calories compared to other nut butters, and high in fiber and vitamin C.
Not all dogs like the taste or texture of chestnut butter, and it’s also harder to find than other nut butters, but if you can find it and your dog likes it, give it a try.
Nuts and nut butters to avoid
Not all nuts, even in butter form, are safe for dogs and can cause serious health problems and even death, so keep them out of reach.
- Macadamia nuts and macadamia nut butterMacadamia nuts are highly toxic to dogs and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, shivering, weakness and hyperthermia. Even small amounts of macadamia nuts can be fatal to dogs, so do not feed your dog macadamia nut butter or products that contain it.
- Walnuts and walnut butterWalnuts contain a chemical called juglans that is toxic to dogs and can cause seizures, nerve damage and kidney failure. Keep walnuts away from your dog.
- Pecans and Pecan ButterLike walnuts, some pecans contain juglans, but not all. Even if they don’t, they’re high in fat and calories and are best kept away from dogs. Pecans also contain more aflatoxins than peanuts.
- Pistachios and pistachio butter: Pistachios are not toxic to dogs, but they are considered a no-no due to their high fat, salt and calorie content. Technically, dogs can eat small amounts of pistachios, but there are better options.
Nut butters are best consumed in moderation
As long as you choose the right type and don’t overfeed your dog, nut butters can be a tasty, nutritious treat.
Here are some additional tips to remember when considering giving nut butter to your dog:
- Choose natural or organic nut butters that are free of sugar, salt and artificial sweeteners. Avoid nut butters that contain xylitol.
- Feed your dog small amounts of nut butter, no more than one teaspoon per day. You can use nut butter as a reward, a training tool, or as a way to hide pills or supplements. You can also smear nut butter on toys, bones, apple slices, etc. for your dog to enjoy.
- Monitor your dog’s reaction to nut butter and stop giving it to them if you see signs of allergy, intolerance or toxicity. These signs may include itching, scratching, swelling, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy or unusual behavior. If you suspect your dog has eaten something harmful, Contact your veterinarian immediately.
Can I give my dog nut butter?
In the end, it all comes down to personal preference. I give my dogs peanut butter and I think it’s a great, healthy treat, but more importantly (to me) my dogs love it when I give them peanut butter.
While it’s true that peanut, almond, cashew and chestnut butters are safe for dogs to eat in small amounts, the same cannot be said for pecans, pistachios, walnuts and macadamia nuts. And just because some nuts are safe doesn’t mean it’s okay to feed them to your dog in nut form; give them in butter form to eliminate the choking hazard.
