Macadamia Nuts are Toxic to Dogs

I really like macadamia nuts, but if you eat them please make sure that your dog does not get them too since they are known to cause unpleasant symptoms in dogs.

Dogs consuming macadamia nuts often experience problems a few hours after eating them. Signs associated with macadamia nut toxicosis include, weakness (especially of the hindlimbs), vomiting, depression and tremors. Luckily affected dogs generally return to normal within a day or two but obviously it is not pleasant for them and causes distress for their owners as well.

Often dogs are known to have eaten a quantity of the nuts before the signs develop but it is still important to check dogs showing such signs thoroughly to make sure that there is no other concurrent problem. Dogs can be given activated charcoal to help absorb any toxins from the gut if macadamia nuts are thought to have been eaten.

It is unclear why macadamia nuts seem to have such an effect on dogs.

Obviously you should try to keep macadamia nuts out of the reach of your pets and remember that if they are coated with chocolate they may be much more harmful than the ordinary nuts.